What is the Best Carpet for Rental Properties?
Investors have a lot of design decisions to make as they set up their rental property. Can you guess what it is? It’s under your feet. The flooring you choose can make an impact on the overall cleanliness of your property. If dirt, liquids, and other stains are not cleaned up, you may have to shell out big bucks for a deep clean. Here is Saddleback Carpet & Floorings take on the best carpet for rental properties.
The Most Durable Carpets
Carpets certainly do endure a lot throughout their
life. Feet and furniture will wear down the fibers and expose the bare
bones of the carpet. No one wants to walk across a thin carpet that feels worn
down and frayed. With that in mind, carpet manufacturers may choose certain
materials or techniques that enhance the durability of their products.
Unfortunately,
durable carpets aren’t always the softest carpets. If you foresee your tenants
walking around barefoot and trying to get cozy, you might want to compromise
and find a softer material. But if durability is your number one priority,
consider these factors:
Fiber Material
If you are looking at carpets,
you will most likely encounter four different fibers: nylon,
polypropylene (olefin), polyester, and wool.
Nylon carpets are the most popular
material on the market, arguably because they are the most durable. Their
fibers generally hold their shape and are flexible enough to withstand
different types of traffic.
Polypropylene follows nylon as the most durable
and widely available fiber. Polyester carpets are generally
the weakest, but property owners choose polyester carpets for other reasons
(namely stain resistance.) Wool carpets are also very durable.
They can keep their shape through years of foot traffic and heavy furniture.
The Most Stain-Resistant Carpets
Feet will make an impact on
the furniture, but the bodies attached to the feet may create stains. If you
anticipate welcoming young children or pets into your rental property, you
should pay extra attention to the stain resistance of your carpet.
Polyester wins the gold medal here. This
type of carpet is generally the most stain-resistant. The material naturally
repels moisture and is easy to clean. Even if you have lazy tenants, you won’t
have to worry too much about stains on your polyester carpet.
Nylon carpets tend to resist dirt, mold,
and mildew fairly well. The fiber itself does not resist moisture well, but it
may be treated with a stain-resistant coating.
Polypropylene carpets are resistant to moisture
spills, but will be stained by spills that contain oil.
Carpet manufacturers treat
most synthetic fiber with a stain-resistant coating. Wool carpets
are not; still, they manage to be resistant to many different types of stains,
including liquids and oils.
Other Factors to Consider
Cost
Let’s start with a big one.
Wool is considered a high-quality material…but it comes at a high price.
Unless you have the budget to shell out twice as much as the average carpet,
you might want to stick to a more cost-effective choice. Polypropylene is the
cheapest option.
Eco-Friendliness
Polyester is made from
recycled water bottles. This statement may add to the value of an overall green
rental property, or it may run through one ear and out of the other. Wool is
generally the most eco-friendly carpet option, but it may upset any tenants who
live a vegan lifestyle.
Color
Different fibers handle dyes
better than others. Property owners can find polyester in a wide range of
brightly-colored varieties. Nylon is another option for buyers who are looking
for a lot of choices. Polypropylene colors tend to be more subtle.
Alternatives to Carpet
Flooring
If it seems like one type of
carpet can’t do it all, we’d have to agree with you. Property owners have a lot
of varieties when it comes to carpet, but they aren’t just limited to this type
of flooring. If you aren’t married to the idea of carpet in your rental
property, consider a wider range of options.
Weigh the pros and cons of
the following:
- Vinyl
- Hardwood
- Tile
- Linoleum
- Laminate
- Cork
If you want our opinion, we
suggest vinyl.