What are (all) the visual and tactile clues that a carpet is Polyester?

[Mikey P]

What clues do you use to determine Poly from Nylon, or Wool for that matter?

We use to be able to rely on the frizz/loose staple fibers but now that the mills have that under control, what clues do you use?

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Guitar playing and working in service repair part time through my career here have calloused my fingertips to where I can tell by feel as much as I used to.

Synthetics used to feel more slippery, especially olefin and to an extent polyester. Wool felt more dry.

Now? I just snip a yarn and do the burn test.

I also can't smell as good as I used to, so I go by how the flame acts and the ash acts.

Polys? Black smoke. Hard plastic ash after it cools (AFTER IT COOLS!)

Nylon? White smoke, a little blue at the base of the flame if I can get a good look. Hard plastic ash. See above caution.

Wool? Self extinguishes. Ash crumbles.

And don't do it in the house. Collateral damage from flaming bit dropped by carelessness or pain are real risk.

 

[BIG WOOD]

Poly gives its image almost immediately after the first year by showing the matted down look (crushed fibers)

And nylon is good at showing pile distortion (wavy look of pile laying another direction)

And wool is so expensive, the customer will tell you before you step on it. Lol

 

[Jimmy L]

There are different types of carpet?

 

[Mikey P]

There are different types of carpet?

Cheetah and Leopard prints

 

[Trip Moses]

I can honestly say that in my 15 years of hackery, carpet ID has never mattered.

 

[Hack Attack]

only wool looks like wool, some of the wool nylon blends mess with your eye/head but wool and nylon get cleaned the same

poly and its variants have crushed traffic lanes regardless how old it is

 

[Dolly Llama]

generally "shinier" too

.L.T.A.

 

[Hack Attack]

millionaires club today, the wool is older than me and the nylon possibly is too?

 

[Mikey P]

I can honestly say that in my 15 years of hackery, carpet ID has never matted.

you southern folk sure is goofy

 

[Hoody]

Anytime the homeowner says "The carpet retailer says I have PET carpet and I got that because I have dogs"

 

[SamIam]

What clues do you use to determine Poly from Nylon, or Wool for that matter?

We use to be able to rely on the frizz/loose staple fibers but now that the mills have that under control, what clues do you use?

Mostly not crush resistant, and pile reversal.

Olefin is usually cheap crap easy to spot.

Polyester untwist horribly in high traffic areas and heavy use areas.

 

[SamIam]

I can honestly say that in my 15 years of hackery, carpet ID has never mattered.

The only reason it helps is setting the expectations of cleanability, and how close it will return to looking like new.

 

[SamIam]

Nylon doesn't have reverse Nap or pooling like polys, and is crush resistant

Poly gives its image almost immediately after the first year by showing the matted down look (crushed fibers)

And nylon is good at showing pile distortion (wavy look of pile laying another direction)

And wool is so expensive, the customer will tell you before you step on it. Lol

 

[BIG WOOD]

Nylon doesn't have reverse Nap or pooling like polys, and is crush resistant

2015-05-29 POOLING, WATERMARKING, PILE REVERSAL AND SHADING, AGAIN | LGM and Associates Expert Flooring Services

I’ve written about this subject several times over the years but it is still an important issue especially where high end woven Axminster carpet is used. Much of this product is installed in five star properties around the world and despite the technology available for preventing pooling...

lgmandassociates.com

I agree with nylon being crush resistant. But I've seen the pile reversal several times on older nylon heavy carpets

 

[SamIam]

2015-05-29 POOLING, WATERMARKING, PILE REVERSAL AND SHADING, AGAIN | LGM and Associates Expert Flooring Services

I’ve written about this subject several times over the years but it is still an important issue especially where high end woven Axminster carpet is used. Much of this product is installed in five star properties around the world and despite the technology available for preventing pooling...

lgmandassociates.com

I agree with nylon being crush resistant. But I've seen the pile reversal several times on older nylon heavy carpets

It happens, but polys are notoriously bad