Home Design & Decorating Room Design Living Rooms

The Basics of Broadloom Carpet

rolled broadloom
BanksPhotos/E+/Getty Images

Broadloom carpet is carpeting that is woven on a wide loom. It generally refers to tufted, wall-to-wall carpet. Broadloom is sold on rolls that are a standard width, usually 12 feet wide, but can also be 15 feet or 13 feet, 6 inches wide. Historically, carpets were hand woven on looms, so "broadloom" literally refers to the type of loom used to make large carpets; it was wider than the average loom size.

What Is a Loom?

A loom is a device that is used to weave fabric. When hand-weaving, the fibers running in one direction are held in place while the fibers going in the opposite are interwoven.

How Is Broadloom Sold?

Rolls of carpet in warehouse inventory

Sharon Meredith / Getty Images

Broadloom is made into rolls of a standard width (whichever width the manufacturer chooses). These rolls are typically approximately 150 feet in length.

Broadloom is sold in either square yards or square feet in North America and may be sold by square meters in countries using the metric system. Although Canada generally uses the metric system, it widely uses imperial measurements in the floor covering industry.

One yard equals three feet, so a square yard (3 feet by 3 feet) contains nine square feet. Historically, the carpet was almost always sold by the square yard. However, hard surface flooring such as hardwood and tile are sold by the square foot, so the carpet industry has primarily converted to square foot pricing to streamline the options.

Types of Broadloom Carpeting

Closeup of berber carpet loop construction

The Spruce / Jason Donnelly

Broadloom carpeting is categorized by fiber types. These types determine the texture, look, and feel of the carpet. These are the primary types:

  • Loop (Berber): The fibers are short loops woven into the carpet backing. These loops are not cut, keeping the pile tight and strong to stand up to high foot traffic.
  • Cut pile: The looped fibers are cut at the ends, making the texture looser and softer.
  • Cut and loop: A cut-and-loop broadloom carpet combines tight loops and cut loops, giving the carpeting a unique texture.
  • Frieze: Frieze carpet is a subcategory of cut pile that looks like soft, shag carpeting. It adds a twist to the fiber, making it more durable.

How Is Broadloom Installed?

Carpet install

 

BanksPhotos / Getty Images

Broadloom is most often sold to be installed wall-to-wall. In residential homes, it is usually installed over an underpad. In commercial applications, it may be glued directly to the floor.

Because the broadloom comes in a specific width, installation can be tricky if the room is wider or narrower than the carpet. For rooms that are wider than the width of the roll, two or more pieces of broadloom will have to be seamed together. For rooms narrower than the width of the roll, the carpet will need to be cut down to the appropriate width. While doing so is not difficult, it usually means that the extra amount being cut off must still be purchased.

For example, to fit broadloom in a room 10 feet by 10 feet, one would need to purchase a piece of broadloom that is 10 feet by the width of the roll. So, for a broadloom sold on a 12-foot roll, the purchaser would have to buy a piece of carpet 12 feet by 10 feet.

Making Area Rugs

Berber carpet in living room

The Spruce / Jason Donnelly

Broadloom does not have to be fully installed wall-to-wall. It can be cut to a specific size. Shorter rug lengths can be used, like area rugs or carpet runners.

Sometimes, for rooms smaller than the width of the broadloom, you can find a carpet remnant closer to the size you need. Carpeting vendors often sell these pre-cut remnants at a reduced price for the same quality. The only difference is that the piece is cut off from the original roll to a particular length. To prevent fraying, area rugs, runners, and remnants should be finished along the edges.

Pros and Cons of Broadloom

The alternative to broadloom carpet is carpet tiles. An advantage of a broadloom carpet is it looks seamless and gives the illusion of a larger room. Carpet tiles give a room a tiled appearance, tending to be choppier. On another positive note, broadloom carpeting is the softest option available.

A disadvantage of a broadloom carpet is it's more complex to install. It can be a labor-intensive process that requires special tools. Many people prefer hiring professional installers, often at an added cost.

Another drawback of using a broadloom is that the entire carpet will need to be replaced if it gets damaged. Replacing one or two carpet tiles is much easier if a small portion of the carpeting is stained or damaged.