What are the four types of carpet?
Updated July 2026 · Pricing data from Floormath's flooring cost model
The four carpet construction types are cut pile (fibers sheared at the top — plush, saxony, frieze), loop pile (uncut loops — berber, level loop), cut-and-loop (patterned mix of both), and woven (traditional loomed construction like Axminster — the premium tier). Construction determines how carpet feels and wears; fiber determines how it resists stains.
The four types at a glance
| Type | Known for | Watch out for | Floormath price point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut pile (plush, saxony, frieze) | Softness; frieze hides footprints | Plush shows vacuum tracks | $2.29–$5.99/sf (frieze tier) |
| Loop pile (berber) | Durability in traffic; hides soil | Snags with pet claws | $1.79–$5.49/sf |
| Cut-and-loop | Patterned texture hides wear | Pattern limits décor flexibility | mid-range |
| Woven (wool Axminster class) | Decades of life; luxury | Price; moisture sensitivity | $5.99–$18.99/sf (wool tier) |
Then pick the fiber: nylon for resilience, triexta for pets and stains, polyester for budget bedrooms, wool for luxury. Fiber usually matters more than style for how the carpet looks in year five.
Compare all seven carpet tiers priced for your room
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Which type of carpet is most durable?
Loop pile (berber) and high-twist frieze lead for traffic durability. In fiber terms, nylon and triexta outlast polyester significantly in high-traffic rooms.
Which type is best for pets?
Cut pile — triexta fiber specifically. Loops (berber) catch claws and can unravel in runs; that's the one construction most pros steer pet owners away from.