FLOORS

The floor is the surface laid on the Plinth level.

Flooring can be done by a variety of materials like Tiles, Granite, Marbles, Carpet etc.
Before flooring the ground has to be properly compacted and levelled.
Basic property of the floor is to provide a firm and dry platform to people and other items like furniture,
stores and equipment
Floor consists of two components-
● Sub floor / base course
● Floor covering / flooring
The floors supported directly on the ground are known as Solid floors.
Flooring is the general term for a permanent covering of a floor, or for the work of installing such a
floor covering. Both terms are used interchangeably but floor covering refers more to lose- laid
materials.

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Materials almost always classified as floor covering include carpet, area rugs, and resilient flooring
such as vinyl flooring.
Materials commonly called flooring include wood flooring, laminated wood, ceramic tiles, stone,

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terrazzo and various seamless chemical floor coatings.

CARPET AND RUGS

A Carpet is a textile floor covering typically consisting of an upper layer of pile attached to a backing.
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The pile usually consists of twisted tufts which are typically heat treated to maintain their structure.
The term carpet is often used interchangeably with the term Rug although the term carpet can be
applied to a floor covering that covers an entire house, whereas a rug is generally no bigger than a
single room, and traditionally does not even span from one wall to another, and is typically not even
attached as part of the floor.
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Use of Carpets
● Give personality to Work place ranging from bold to formal
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● In hospitality settings it can provide directional clues to move people to the registration counters
or elevators next
● In health care division Carpets can be soothing an emotional healing
● It can block out sound in commercial buildings like offices, schools etc.
● In retail, carpets are a welcome addition.
● The popularity of Carpets has grown tremendously in restaurants, hotels, offices, shops as
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carpeted floors offer comfort, increase noise absorbency and have an aesthetic appeal.
Purpose of Carpets
Carpets serve both purposes of being functional as well as decorative. It anchors the furniture both
literally and figuratively in a room. Some of the major reasons why carpets are still considered as the
number one flooring choice are -
1. Safety - Carpets are slip resistant which means that it is difficult to fall or slip on a carpet.
2. Reduces Noise - They suppress the noise and also reduces echoes by absorbing the impact
of foot traffic and preventing the noise from passing in between floors.
3. Provides Warmth and comfort- Carpet provides excellent warmth underneath your foot making
it an ideal choice for chilly weather conditions.
4. Flexibility and Style- Carpets are versatile and can fit very well in any design scheme. They
are also available in various styles, design, color, pattern which make selecting the perfect
carpet easier.
5. Ease of Care - Carpets are made highly stain resistant these days. They also act as a
passive air filter by trapping dust and dirt particles to improve the air quality.

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Types of Carpets
1. Woven- Wilton, Axminster, Oriental.

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2. Non Woven- Tufted, Bonded.

Woven Carpets
● They are the highest quality made by the weaving method.
● Woven carpets are produced on looms which are very similar to woven cloth.
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● They are made from different coloured yarns and are capable of producing very intricate
patterns.
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WILTON CARPET
These carpets are produced on a specific type of weaving machine called wire loom.
Wilton carpets may be produced as - Patterned, Plain, Cord, Brussels.
AXMINSTER CARPET
● Axminster carpet was a unique floor covering made originally from a factory founded at

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Axminster, England, in 1755 by the cloth weaver Thomas Whitty.
● These carpets have three main types of broadloom carpet construction in use today- machine
woven, tufted and hand knotted.

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● They last for 20 or 30 years and are extremely popular in areas where longevity and design
flexibility are a big part of the purchasing decision. Hotels and leisure venues almost always
choose these types and many homes use woven Azminsters as design statements.
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ORIENTAL CARPETS
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● They are hand woven and originate from the Middle-East and Indian subcontinent.
● Based on country origin, they are called Indian, Afghan, Persian and so on.
● They are based either on Floral designs or on Geometric design.
● They are durable but costly.
NON WOVEN CARPETS
● These carpets are produced by attaching the surface pile to a prefabricated backing.
They are of 3 types - tufted, flocked & knitted.
They are economical.

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TUFTED CARPETS
● Tufted Carpets are more economical of the carpet producing methods.
● A tufted carpet is produced by adding yarn onto a pre-existing backing using a special adhesive.
This method is an extremely fast way of manufacturing carpet. One roll of Axminster might take
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8 hours to make whereas one roll of tufted takes approx 1hr.

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BONDED CARPETS
● Neither Woven nor Tufted

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● They are glued or heat fused or in some way bonded.
● Economical floor covering.
● They are 3 types: Pile Bonded, Electrostatically flocked, Needle Punched.
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PILE BONDED
Pile of Nylon stuck to PVC.
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ELECTROSTATICALLY FLOCKED
● Flocking is where short or chopped, fiber or flock is adhered usually by electrostatic processes ,
to a base fabric resulting in a very short pile material with a velvety texture. Flocked carpet
resembles velour. A secondary backing material usually is applied to this structure adding body
and dimensional stability. A few flocked carpets are made for bedrooms and bathrooms, but the
majority is used in vehicles : cars, planes and buses.
● Electrostatically flocked carpet are safe, durable, washable and also offer the appearance,
comfort and sound absorbing properties of textile flooring.

NEEDLE PUNCH.
● Needle punched carpet is made by felting needles into a center fabric. This form a flat fabric like
carpe mainly used for indoor- outdoor carpeting, artificial grass surfaces, and some carpet tile.
Different textural effects can be attained by mixing fiber and angling the needle in various ways.
A coating of weather resistant latex or similar material is applied to the back.

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UNDERLYING OR BACKING
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PILING
● A carpet typically consisting of an upper layer of Pile attached to a backing.

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● Piling can be described as sewing type of yarn into a backing material
● There are 3 types of Piling: Cut pile, Loop Pile, Cut and Loop pile.
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CUT PILE
Cut pile carpets are manufactured by cutting the yarn loops which produces an upright pile that
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has a more luxurious, formal look than loop pile.

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 Cut pile twist carpet is a type of carpet that is made by twisting the yarn tightly during
manufacturing to create a pile that lies in different directions. It is known for its durability,
resilience, and ability to withstand heavy foot traffic.

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Saxony Pile carpets are made with longer tufts of yarn, creating a deep pile that is loosely twisted at
the base, then cut at the top and slightly separated to create an incredibly soft texture to touch
and underfoot.
LOOP PILE -Loops of yarn create stylish finish with a soft, smooth feel and can have a range of
distinctive patterns created by a combination of higher and lower loops.

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Sisal pile refers to the pile of a carpet or rug made from sisal, a hard fiber that comes from the leaves
of the agave plant. Sisal is a strong, pure white fiber that is resistant to wear, acid, base, and
corrosion. Sisal pile rugs should be kept out of direct sunlight, as they can discolor over time.

Level loop pile carpet is a type of carpet where all the loops are the same length, creating a smooth,
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even surface. This style of carpet is often chosen for high-traffic areas because it's durable, easy to
maintain, and doesn't show footprints.

Multi-level loop pile construction involves creating a patterned surface through a combination of high
and low loops. Multi-level loop pile carpet tiles are also achieved through tufting the yarn through the
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backing material, but instead of creating a uniform height of loops, there are varying heights
throughout the tile. This creates a sculpted look on the surface of the carpet. Multi-level loop pile
carpet tiles are popular for their visual interest and inherent durability. They are often used in office
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spaces and other commercial settings where a more textured look is desired.
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The Berber loop is tightly woven in a loop style which can be knotted in different styles to create
different styles and textures. These loops can be evenly sized or layered to create different textures

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CUT AND LOOP PILE
These carpets have a combination of cut and looped yarns and can create sculptured and patterned
effects such as squares, swirls etc. Many different patterns can be achieved in a wide range of styles.
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Textured cut and loop pile carpet is a combination of cut and loop tufts at different heights that creates
a stylish, textured, and patterned appearance. The different textures can create distinctive patterns
and hide dirt and footprints, making it a good choice for kids' rooms.
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