Handily, household carpets in the UK are graded according to their durability: Light domestic – suitable for bedrooms. Medium domestic – suitable for dining rooms. General domestic – suitable for living rooms. Heavy domestic – suitable for stairs and hallways.

In institutional, health care, educational and penal occupancies, carpet shall meet a minimum value of 0.45 watts per square centimeter in all corridors and exits. Carpet in all other areas shall meet a minimum value of 0.22 watts per square centimeter.

Carpets are made from polyester fibers, or wool, or nylon — most often, these soft materials are loops or strings that form the carpet's "pile," and are attached to a solid backing. A carpet can be very densely woven and flat, or it can be tufted and thick.

The word comes from Old French carpite 'heavy decorated cloth, carpet', from Medieval Latin or Old Italian carpita 'thick woolen cloth', which may derive from Latin carpere 'to card, pluck'. The meaning of the term carpet shifted in the 15th century to refer to floor coverings.