Wool is the highest standard of fibre. It is the fibre all other synthetic fibres are trying to imitate. We prize Merino (from merino sheep) and cashmere (from goats) wools for our clothes. Why not consider it for your carpet?

Here are the top three reasons to choose a wool carpet:

1. Naturally resistant to soil and dirt

This is often the number one reason to buy wool carpet for many customers. The fibre structure of wool has overlapping scales, similar to roof shingles. These scales keep the dust and dirt near the surface of the carpet and prevent it from reaching the inner pile. Since the wool fibres have kept the dirt and grime at the surface, wool carpets experience significantly better soil release when vacuuming than their synthetic carpet cousins.

2. Appearance retention

Flattened pile can occur after only a couple years with cheap synthetic carpet and cause the floor look worn out before its time. With wool’s natural elasticity, flattened pile is not an issue. Each wool fibre has a three dimensional spiralling crimp that can stretch to more than 30% of its original length and bounce back like a mini spring. Wool is a crushproof choice that quickly recovers from daily traffic and even furniture indentations.

3. Naturally stain resistant

Wool fibres have a thin protective membrane that gives wool the ability to shed water instead of immediately absorbing the liquid into the fibre. Since 80% of carpet stains are water based, this membrane is an important contributor to the natural stain resistance of wool carpets.

This wonder carpet is generally associated with a high price tag, but it is actually more in reach than expected. Like a cashmere sweater, purchasing a wool carpet is a long lasting investment. The wool carpet looks great longer and has to be replaced less often than synthetic carpets. By investing more money in a timeless wool carpet, there are savings in future material and installation replacement costs. The benefits offered by wool carpet can be of greater value for your lifestyle. For wool, both the luxury and value are worth the price. Feel a couple samples of wool carpet and we dare you to not fall in love with this amazing fibre!

We have rounded up our favourite apps for home renovations. Download these apps and your iPhone will be an essential part of your tool belt.

Houzz – Free
Houzz has the largest collection of high-quality interior design images on the Internet. Their app provides endless inspiration for your future renovation projects. Favourite photos can be saved for later viewing in your own ideabook.

Benjamin Moore Colour Capture – Free
The Colour Capture app allows you to capture any colour inspiration and match to a paint colour. Simply take a picture of any colour that catches your eye and the app will match it to a Benjamin Moore paint colour. You can also pick paint using the colour wheel and the app will suggest other colours that compliment it.

Ames Mobile – Free
One of our favourite tile suppliers, Ames Tile & Stone, has an app that allows you to view their entire tile catalogue, complete with inspiring room scenes and extensive product information.

Renovation Budget Tracker – $2.99
This app makes it easy to track your budget and prevent cost overruns on your renovation projects. Countdown clocks help you keep track of when contractor payments are due.

Home Improvement Calcs – $1.99
Tackling a big renovation project yourself? The 170 calculators and unit converters in this app can help you with measurements for framing, electrical, heating, concrete, lumber and more.

 iHandy Level – Free
When you need a level in the pinch, this app is here to help. It can be used for picture alignment, angle measurement and more. The level is part of the iHandy Carpenter’s toolkit, which includes a plumb bob, ruler and protractor for $1.99.

Shaw Floors Carpet Stain Center – Free
Accidents happen while renovating and when it does, it always seems to be a big stain in the middle of the carpet. Whether it’s paint, glue, or some other mystery substance that appeared while renovating, the Shaw Carpet Stain Center will turn that accident into a sigh of relief.