When looking at durability of carpets you need to consider your budget and the placement of the carpet. Carpet quality will vary on cost and what you may think is a low traffic area may be considered high traffic by the carpet’s manufacturer.

Quality

Wool, nylon, cut pile, looped pile; it is all irrelevant if the carpet is cheaply and badly made. The old adage of "you get what you pay for" is certainly true with carpets and you need to look closely at any carpet you are purchasing to ensure that the quality is good and product sound. Look closely at the carpets, compare them side by side.

Traffic Zone

If you have five young children, two dogs and you live on a farm you are likely going to need a carpet that can take more punishment than one in the apartment of a retired couple who always take their shoes off. Take careful note of where in your house you are looking to lay the carpet and how many times a day it will be walked over.

The life of your carpet will depend on the above factors as well the quality of the underlay, the quality of the laying and the continued care that it receives. Don’t forget that carpet needs attention during its life as well.