Carpeting

Definition of Carpet Pile

Carpet pile refers to how thin or thick the surface of a carpet is. 

Carpet pile is determined by the fibers or yarns of a carpet which are tufted, looped, or cut into a carpet’s backing material.

Carpet pile can refer to a few elements:

• Pile height: Refers to the length of carpet fibers from the backing material to the tip of the fibers. Loosely put, a carpet can have a high or a low pile height. High pile carpets have tall and loose fibers while low-pile carpets have short fibers and tight loops.
  
  

  On average, residential carpets have a pile height of 0.25 to 0.5 inches while commercial carpets have a pile height of 0.5 to 0.75 inches.

• Pile density: Describes the number of fibers per square inch of carpet. Higher density piles are thicker and more durable due to having more fibers per square inch.
  
  

  On average, residential carpets have between 500 and 2,000 fibers per square inch while commercial carpets have between 1,000 and 1,200 fibers per square inch.

• Pile type: Refers to how the fibers are made, either by cutting, looping, or bonding. Cut pile carpets have the exposed fibers sheared off to create a smooth, soft, and inviting surface. Loop pile carpets are rougher in texture since the surface of the carpet is created by the fibers’ looped edges.

Carpet pile is also affected by fiber type, backing material, and twist per inch. 

Example of Carpet Pile in a Sentence

“The carpet pile you choose will determine the look, feel, and performance of your flooring.”

Related Terms:

• Loop pile
• Cut pile