Frieze Carpet Buyer’s Guide: 8 Pros and Cons (2022)

Considering buying frieze carpet? This article should give you everything you need to know. I’ll cover the pros and cons, durability, cost, and current style trends of frieze. Let’s start by making sure we’re on the same page, and know what frieze carpet actually is…

What is frieze carpet?

By definition, frieze is atightly twisted carpet. The high twist-level gives it a “knobby” appearance (see below) but also makes it durable. Some people refer to it as the new shag carpet, but it’s nothing like the messy appearance of the carpets you’d see back in the 70s. By the end of this article, you’ll get my opinion on whether frieze’s popularity is warranted. More importantly, you’ll determine whetherit makes sense to install frieze in your home.

What rooms are best for frieze carpets?

Frieze is a great, if not the best, style carpet for casual rooms with high traffic. This means you should consider it for family rooms and hallways. Bedrooms are also a good option. Frieze isn’t the fanciest of carpets. Being the cleaner cousin of shag carpet, it probably won’t look good under your office’s cherry wood bookshelf. But, frieze is versatile, so I’m sure you could prove me wrong if you use your interior design skills.

Pros and Cons of Frieze Carpet

I’ve already touched on some of the benefits and drawbacks of frieze, but let’s list out the pros and cons of this newly popular carpet:

Pros

• Durable. By definition, frieze carpets have tight twists. This is a positive for durability. It means the carpet is less likely to fray over time.
• Fun design. Similar to Berber carpet, frieze’s appearance is unique. It’s not as messy as a shag, but the fibers are just long enough to give it a fun texture. Once you’ve seen a frieze, you’ll be able to spot one the next time you run into it.
• Usually, doesn’t shed. Most friezes are BCF carpets. This means it won’t shed like a dog for the first year you have it. Shedding isn’t amanufacturinge defect but some carpets shed an annoying amountthe first few monthsafter its installed
• Easy to hide seams. Unless you’re carpeting only small rooms, your installer will have to use two pieces of carpet. This can leave a visible seam, but frieze’s long fibers make it easier for the installer to blend the pieces together.
• Forgiving on messes and footprints. Similar to above, frieze’s appearance can camouflage footprints and small spills or messes. It’s not fool-proof but can definitely help if you have a lot going on in your house.

Cons

• Informalappearance. Frieze’s “fun” look is also it’s drawback. It is more difficult to pull off in a formal or luxurious room.
• Misleading durability. So… I just said one of frieze’s benefits is its durability, and that is true. The problem is there are many factors that make a carpet durable, and the carpet style is just one. Some people fall into the trap of thinking just because they got a frieze, it’s automatically a good carpet. This can be dangerous.
• Requires (somewhat) special care. There are two things that make frieze a little more difficult to clean: it’s long shaggy fibers allow spills to get to the base of the carpet and can get snagged by certain vacuums. Most people notice neither of these. But the remedy is clean up spills quickly, get a carpet with good stain protection, and research a new vacuum if needed.

How durable is frieze?

Usually carpet style doesn’t make much of a difference in durability. This isn’t the case with frieze since it’s “style” is tight twists. And remember tight twists are one signs of a durable carpet.Don’t forgetwhat we talked about in the pros and cons though… Many other factors affect carpet durability, so don’t run off to the store thinking any frieze you buy is a good one.

How much does frieze carpet cost?

A good quality frieze carpet will cost you $4 to $7 per square foot. If quality isn’t important, you can get a lower-end frieze for as low as $1 a square foot. Frieze is a popular style, so it might be slightly more expensive than your average style. But for the most part, frieze will fall in line with other carpet prices (click that link for a carpet cost calculator and more detailed carpet cost info).

What about brand names like Mohawk Frieze Carpet?

Mohawk is one of the best known brands and carpet. But how does a brand affect a frieze carpet? It doesn’t change anything I listed above. A frieze is a frieze no matter whether it is branded or generic. A brand is basically a name behind what you’re buying. In carpet, this means a Mohawk carpet might use better stain treatments or different materials that they claim are superior. My page specifically on the best carpet brands goes over this in detail since it’s not unique to frieze carpet.

Is frieze carpe still in style?

I get asked about frieze carpet frequently, so I’d say yes. I think people like it’s less formal look (but still neat appearance unlike shag). I’m not an interior design expert, but I think people like a comfortable, less formal look when going with carpet. Frieze fits that perfect, so I think it will be popular for years to come. And let’s be honest, if you want a formal look from flooring, you probably wouldn’t go with carpet anyway.

Captain’s tips for what you should do next:

I always like to play devil’s advocate against the trendy choice. But in this case, I think frieze’s popularity is warranted. More importantly, you now have the information to make your own choice. Here where I’d consider going next

1. If you’ve decided you will buy frieze carpet, check out our guide on the best vacuum and how to care for frieze.
2. If you’re not sold on frieze, read our carpet styles comparison to learn about other options.
3. If you want more carpet buying tips, check out my unbiased carpet buying guide that walks you step-by-step through 14 important carpet buying decisions.
4. If you want to find a pre-qualified carpet installer in your area, click here.

Any other questions on frieze carpet? Let me know in the comments below.