I love berber. It is a classic, high end - never will go out of style weave. While pile heights roll up and then back down, berber is one of the more enduring choices. So I must respectfully disagree with goodhouse on this point: "berber is out of style" . However, what goodhouse states in his second paragraph is true - there is a downside for certain kinds of households. For a second floor, I agree with the other poster that said carpet helps quiet things down and is a fine flooring choice. One thing not mentioned is that you should always upgrade your pad - no matter what kind of carpet you select it makes a big difference.

The Karastan carpet you are showing is still a berber carpet. Smartstrand is a stain resistant fibre. The small waffle pattern is popular .

No, berber is not out of style. Berber can be a solid colour or it can have a coloured flecks. Patterns are in style, be it small or medium squares or diamonds, as well as cut and loop carpets. These are carpets that have little loops with a cut pile to make a pattern. People that choose berber often say they want a carpet that does not show vacuum marks or foot prints.

In CA most do not want wall to wall carpet in halls or living areas. I see lots of wide plank engineered hardwood and area rugs. When I see carpet in bedrooms its usually the patterned textured cut pile type. With stairways, I see runners or the patterned textured cut pile type. People don't like carpet because they think its unsanitary, it stains, show wear more and because it shows vacuum marks and footprints. People with allergies really need a hard surface that can be vacuumed and damp mopped.

If you don't go upstairs much and just want it for looks, any carpet that bends without showing a break would work for you. But if you sell don't expect carpet to add value.

I love berbers for specific uses...noting cautions raised by others as the size of the loops and the quality of materials are factors in risk of pulls, hiding seams, bending over stair nosings, etc. I installed a wool berber throughout a two-level 2300 sq ft suite in 1989 and it looks like new except where a seam is loose or a tenant hs snagged and pulled. Needle and thread does the trick. Carpets come and go, but the need for sound damping between suites never ends.

Hi c_willhelm, we hope you’re feeling more educated about Berber
carpet. As a manufacturer, we produce carpets using one of three types of
fiber -- nylon, polyester or olefin -- in order to meet the varied needs of our
customers. Nylon is and historically has been the leader in durability. That's why we're able to warrant our Anso Nylon products even on stairs. Shaw
also offers a lifetime stain and soil warranty on our Anso Nylon carpets as
well as a 20-year Texture Retention, Abrasive Wear, Quality Assurance and
SoftBac® Platinum Warranty. If you would like to learn a little more about the
history of "berber" we have an interesting article here you might
enjoy.

Let us know if you have any questions and best of luck!

This Product I sell and Install.The great thing about a carpet like this it will not show signs of traffic wear like a lot of other Textured carpets ( cut pile).

The Cons on a carpet like this is that if you pull a loop out it will Zipper, Meaning each strand is not separate like a cut pile carpet.So the entire row will continue to unravel.

Maybe consider a Cut n Loop. The best of both worlds....

I absolutely love this carpet. We have it in a bedroom that is used 24/7. I love the texture and feel of it especially when barefoot. In your pics at the top of the page we have the last one. I say get what you want and who cares if it is out of date. They still sell it for a reason. Good luck in choosing.

We have berber in our basement and love it. You never get vacuum lines like other carpets. It always looks clean. If you have it professionally cleaned look for someone who specializes in Berber. Because it's so dense I find regular steam cleaners don't do a great job cleaning it.

don't use a vacunm with power beater it will rip out long strands of the carpet it makes a mess

If you want carpet, please look at the FLOR brand for the bedroom. FLOR negates many of the objections to carpet. It is not an option for the stairs but, if you can--don't carpet the stairs. Use hardwood. FLOR does require a smooth sub floor. In this month's copy of House Beautiful--I was pleased to see a room done in FLOR, by Mary Douglas Drysdale, no less!

We've had this exact carpet in our basement for 7 years and we love it. It is true about the unraveling, but as long as you are careful, it's all good. It was recommended to us when vacuuming not to hold the beater bar over the seams for a long time or we may risk pulling up some carpet. We've not had a problem with that at all and it's comfortable and wears well and has been spilt on many times and cleans well. We also have a cat who likes to scratch everything but leaves this carpet alone for some reason. I'd recommend if you like it, I do, regardless of whether Berber is in style or not.

We will be updating the carpet in our Beach Condo (bedrooms and stairs) in the offseason. Any further suggestions on durable carpet for weekly renter properties.

I had your first choice in an old house of mine. It stood up over ten years. Any light tans show dirt relatively fast. The main problem was that the pattern packed down, so your second choice, in my experience, is an much better option. It's already very short. The best way to maintain your carpeting is to vacuum frequently, and keep the shoes off the carpets. I have house shoes. If you have animals keep their toenails dull and if they are still scratching you will get snags. In a higher pile loop carpeting, you can use hot glue if you have a loop come undone. I know, I know it may seem tacky, but you would be amazed how well it worked. There was a snag right in the middle of one of my rooms. Yikes.

Berbers often come in 12' and 15' widths. Make sure to check you measurements, seam placements, etc before buying. I bought a Shaw Berber six months ago and it smells musty. It is being tested now. I love the carpet but can't take the expensive smell. It has to go. The installer (used many times) is very experienced and meticulous. He found the carpet hard to work with (too much latex) and it shows in a few places where he couldn't get it to lie down along the walls. I would order it again if I felt confident it wouldn't smell. As far as style, if it is for sale then it is in style. Buy what makes you happy.

We have this in our family room! I love it. It's easy to vacuum, no footprints and, in busy times of the year, you'd never know it was our mostly used space. I would definitely buy this again, HOWEVER I have also fallen in love with the SmartStrand carpets that clean up with just water. They will be my next choice but in a similar 'Berber" texture that I have now. The bottom line is you have to know and buy what works for you and what YOU like.

Laughing over the in style comments.. If you hold on to it long enough it will come back in style.. Hello gold accents!

Berber has been in my basement family room for 20 years it holds up well is warm on the feet and great to lay on while watching TV! Its a matter of taste.. What do you like???

When we moved into our home eight years ago, there was brand new berber carpet in the bedroom and I got rid of it as soon as I could. The pile snags alot and a vacuum with really good suction (Dyson, etc.) creates even more pulls and snags. The carpet manufacturer recommends using the vacuum without the beater bar, which doesn't really clean the carpet. So your choice is to deal with snags or a dirty carpet. Also, I found the carpet to be rough on the feet alot like walking on sisal carpet. If I have to have carpet at all, I want a soft, cushy and luxurious feel. I personally feel that it is quite dated and have heard various realtors say this as well. For me it is a no go.

We have light beige/some white berber carpeting in our entire downstairs level of our new home and we love it. It looks lovely in large areas, wears like iron, easy to vacuum and keep clean and especially.......... doesn't show footprints like the higher nap carpets. I haven't had any snagging problems even with a power head on the vacuum. It comes in multi-colour or solid colour and there is a quality choice for every budget. Go with the berber, you won't be disappointed.

...berber carpet will last you forever and two days...if you are interested in this style, that's all that matters - not if it's out-of-style or dated (which is not the case in either) ...this carpet will holdup to just about anything...entertaining, heavy traffic, no traffic...in a bedroom and a stairway you hardly use, you will find no disappointment in selecting this type design...have fun with your project and enjoy...

Berber carpets are hand woven by the Berber people in North Africa. "Continuous" Loop carpeting (broadloom) is manufactured on a machine in a factory. If you want it to look, wear & feel like traditional/timeless berber, buy wool. It's soft and is nothing like what you see in most carpet stores. You have to ask for it. Look at a good quality wool, take off your shoes, and you will see why it's been around forever.

Personally I love the patterns created now with the Loop Piled carpets but I have learnt that they are not suitable for all homes, particularly if you have cats. Some cats love the challenge of strengthening their claws within the loops and that completely ruins the carpet. If you do have cats I would suggest you look at a Cut Piled carpet. As I am also from New Zealand I would like to promote New Zealand carpets, as they are made to a very high quality. At the end of the day, you should chose something that you like, something that makes you happy and not worry about trends that come and go. You are the one that needs to live with it.

I just looked up Karastan and Mohawk Smartstrand carpets and without reading them, the reviews were negative. I'm looking at replacing the stinky carpet but now I'm hesitant. Comments on the Smartstrand?

c_wilhelm where you say you are putting it sounds like it will be wonderful. And I agree with others that have said if ppl are putting any carpeting in at all that is the kind they are doing. I have a friend whose home is about 5 yo and 1st floor and upstairs landing is hardwood all the way but she has that in her upstairs bedrooms and part of her basement-it looks wonderful-wears well-is not too fussy to keep clean and her little rat terrier doesn't scratch it much (she does keep her nails done good though)& just loves it because she slides all over the wood floors-on the carpet she can get traction and pick up speed and run and play like she wants too. My amateur advice -get a good quality carpet with the right pad & use a good pro to put it in like you would any floor and just go for it!

And just want to agree with Ferris Zoe Design-a good quality wool is great. The only drawback I have ever heard is if someone in the house is allergic. One of our nearby historic homes (it's just a show house now) from the 1880s still has the original wool carpeting in the parlor & other than a few spots where a rocking chair rocked for 50 years it is beautiful and barely looks worn

2000 sq. ft. Of off white Berber. 3 kids 150 lb. dog 2 cats and frequent parties of more than 30 people. Never a pull. Never a stain that wouldn't come out. Love the stuff! Moved after 18 years. And am now going to replace new homes soft pile no stain crap with Berber.

The loop style is still VERY POPULAR in California. It has a very clean, modern look to it, and goes well with contemporary and classic furnishings. The loop pile (what a lot of people call Berber) doesn't show the footprints or the vacuum cleaner lines. How it will wear or clean depends on the carpet fiber. The picture is a synthetic carpet. If it's a nylon, it should wear very well as long as you have it steam cleaned at least once every 12 - 18 months. Vacuuming and steam cleaning helps to keep the carpet looking good (especially light colors) but also refreshes the texture and keeps it from matting and crushing. Polyester, olefin, and Triexta (Smartstrand) carpets don't perform as well as nylon. Within nylon, type 6,6 nylon is the best. Wool is also a great fiber for wear. You can extend the life and appearance of the carpet if you don't wear your shoes in the house as well. Wear socks or slippers. If you start with a good quality carpet, good maintenance is really the key to longevity and appearance retention.

Throwing my thoughts into the ring... as stated the risks of berber are that you may catch a loop and cause a run down the carpet. For cleaning it's best to use a vacuum without a beater bar (again the risk of catching a loop an causing a run) or if you have one set it as high as possible. Even if you don't have pets, runs can still be an issue. We have done repairs where a run was created when the homeowners rolled their wheelie-suitcase over the floor and a zipper on the suitcase caught a loop, and another where a little guy was playing with his toy trucks and caught a loop.

Both the Karastan and Shaw products you selected are loop construction aka berber, and no they are not out of style. You can find so many different styles with patterns, plain one colour, multi-colour, or with subtle flecks of colour that are slightly lighter or darker than the main carpet colour. The subtle single colour patterns (like the Karastan sample) are very popular in our market areas and I find look more polished than those without a pattern.

All the advice you have received so far is fairly accurate but I do have to disagree with GoodHouse Flooring - a solution dyed nylon is still going to perform better than Mohawk's "Smartstrand". The Stainmaster type 6.6 nylon fiber in particular isn't a topical treatment that will wear off and the fibers are incredibly resilient, which our 5 showrooms can attest to. Shaw also makes quality nylon products and as far as for our real life experience, Nylon is still our first choice fiber. I've dumped red Kool-Aid on white nylon carpet from Stainmaster to test it and it cleans up wonderfully. Nylon, while generally less expensive than wool, does tend to be more expensive than poly, olefin, etc.

As for the carpet warranties being a waste of breath, I'd venture that Mohawk branding polyesters with new names and lifetime warranties has been a large contributor to that problem and over-warranted carpet products will continue to contribute to the demise of carpet as a product category as it's performance falls short of customer expectations after reading all the accompanying warranties.... but that's another discussion about the state of the carpet industry.

Berber is difficult - do not buy it! Ask another store what they think about todays Berber first. I quickly ruled it out.

I mentioned earlier that I had a Shaw Berber installed less than 6 months ago that had a musty smell that has not gone away. It already has a snag in it with a 3" long tag. Everything about it was perfect upon selection. Everything about it has failed upon installation. I think it is a fluke. Would I reorder it or the Smartstrand mentioned above, NO. I have a Masland loop/pile/berber on another heavily used area in my home that I would reorder in a heartbeat if it had not been discontinued.

Just put the Mohawk smart strand in two downstairs bedrooms and all of the upstairs. It is beautiful and Mohawk has always been the best brand in my experience. It is still made in USA.

Our thoughts on the Berber (Loop) is that it is never out of style-we maintain many Berber samples in our store because it is still requested. I agree with the statements about the Nylon. It is the most durable and popular choice in our business. I have a Shaw Nylon in my home with three teenagers, my husband who acts like a teenager, a Pitbull, and have family and friends in and out of my two-story house every weekend. It holds up to pet accidents, furniture moves, kids running up and down the stairs, party spills, and even looks great in our workout room. Liquids literally sit on top of the fibers (instead of soaking in) and clean up with a paper towel or two thanks to the R2X stain and soil resistance technology. New carpet is like a set of new tires...most of the time you get what you pay for. Nylon is more expensive than PET or Olefin, but is a better investment because it will perform better over a longer period of time. All that said, you now have advice from multiple industry players, but it's ultimately your home and you should get the carpet that will make you happy.

Berbers are by no means out of style. If you are looking for durable & strong Nylon is historically known as the proven performer. You cannot argue the strength of Nylon. This is why nylon is used in many things like your auto airbags, ropes, parachutes, seat belts. Anything that requires strength. Shaw‘s R2X is a great stain treatment. You cant go wrong. Tuftex carpet which is a division of Shaw also carries a collection of beautiful carpet and their loops are commercially constructed to withstand snags, wear and traffic. They use commercaial carpet manufacturing techniques and a rich latex compound in and around the backstitch of tufts and their yarns are developed with higher twists. They are heatset to permianently perform. These two factors matter with loop product performance. Important factors when purchasing loop carpet. If it doesn’t state Nylon, it isn’t the strongest fiber for wear. Nylon 66 is basically commercial carpet and that is so strong it is even in your cooking utensils. It has a very high melting point and you cannot argue that strength. It’s what is used in many military gear. The best.