Last Updated on November 17, 2025 by Jeff Cappon

Types of Carpet: A Complete Buyer’s Guide

Choosing the right carpet is an investment—one that should look great, feel soft, and stand up to daily life. Beyond color and style, it’s smart to match the types of carpet to the room, your lifestyle, kids or pets, and the level of maintenance you’re comfortable with. Below we explain the most popular carpet types and where each one performs best.

The first step in carpeting your home is knowing the different types of carpet available:

• Berber (looped)
• Cable
• Cut & Loop
• Frieze
• Plush
• Textured

Berber Carpet

Berber (looped) uses thick, bulky yarns left as loops rather than sheared. It’s often made of olefin (polypropylene), but you’ll also find wool, polyester, and nylon options.

Durability

Berber carpet is highly durable because tightly woven loops resist fraying and handle traffic well—great for playrooms, living rooms, kids’ bedrooms, and many commercial spaces.

Maintenance & Care

Spills tend to sit on top of the pile, making cleanup easier, and dense loops hide soil. The tradeoff: loops can snag on pet claws or sharp edges, so trim pulls promptly.

Cable Carpet

Constructed of long, thick yarns, cable carpet delivers a plush, cozy look and feel—similar to a modern shag. Common fibers include nylon, polyester, and wool.

Durability

Best in low-traffic rooms (bedrooms, guest rooms, formal living rooms). Longer fibers can mat or crush in busy areas.

Maintenance & Care

Plan on regular vacuuming and periodic steam cleaning. Higher piles can hold moisture and appear dingy without consistent care.

Cut & Loop Carpet

A mix of higher, sheared tufts and lower loops creates sculpted patterns and texture. Available in tonal solids or multi-color designs.

Durability

Patterns can soften as cut fibers untwist over time, so it shines in low-traffic spaces where the design can remain crisp.

Maintenance & Care

Vacuum regularly. Darker tones and subtle patterns help disguise soil between cleans.

Frieze Carpet

Also called “twist,” frieze features tightly twisted, longer yarns that curl back on themselves, giving a soft, pebbly look and cushy feel underfoot.

Durability

Twists resist matting and crushing, making frieze a versatile whole-home choice. Textured surface hides seams and is excellent for stairs and wider rooms.

Maintenance & Care

Great at masking dirt, but liquids can penetrate the fibers. Choose stain-resistant fibers and blot spills immediately.

Plush Carpet

Plush carpet has a smooth, uniform pile with densely packed, short fibers—often compared to velvet. The color can appear lighter/darker depending on fiber direction.

Durability

Comfortable and durable enough for families and pets, but it will show footprints, vacuum lines, and furniture marks—totally normal for this style.

Maintenance & Care

Frequent vacuuming keeps the surface even and clean. Blot wet spills immediately (don’t rub) to avoid fraying and shading changes.

Textured Carpet

Textured carpets use tightly twisted cut piles (sometimes loops) of varying lengths to create subtle tone-on-tone interest—more understated than cut & loop, but with lots of visual depth.

Durability

Excellent for busy homes with pets and kids. The twist helps resist crushing and matting; textures also disguise indents and traffic lanes.

Maintenance & Care

Shorter piles resist stains, and the pattern hides soil. Maintain a regular vacuum and periodic steam clean to keep the texture crisp.

Quick Comparison: Types of Carpet

Wrap Up: Picking the Right Type of Carpet

Carpet delivers warmth, comfort, and an upscale look. Matching the types of carpet to each space reduces maintenance and extends life. Want ultra-soft? Choose plush. Need durability with easy care? Consider Berber, textured, or frieze.

For the best results, work with our professional installation team. We’ll help you select the right fiber, pile, and pad—and install it beautifully.