Carpet Prices Per Square Foot in 2026: Every Type Compared
Not all carpet is created equal, and the cheapest option isn’t always the most cost-effective. Here’s every major carpet type with material cost (the lowest and highest per sq ft listings we found at Home Depot and Lowe’s on 13 October 2026), installed cost, lifespan, and which rooms each type suits.
Carpet Price Comparison Table
Type
Material $/sqft
Installed $/sqft
Lifespan
Best for
Polyester (PET)
$0.88–$4.34
$1.94–$7.49
5–10 yrs
Low-traffic bedrooms, rentals
Nylon
$2.24–$5.74
$3.53–$9.03
10–15 yrs
Family rooms, main bedrooms
Triexta (SmartStrand)
$2.99–$5.89
$4.35–$9.19
10–15 yrs
Families with kids/pets
Berber (looped)
$1.89–$7.49
$3.14–$10.95
10–20 yrs
Basements, low-traffic, offices
Frieze
By fibre
See nylon / polyester
10–15 yrs
Hallways, active households
Wool
$3.24–$11.44
$4.77–$15.35
20–25+ yrs
Master bedrooms, formal spaces
Olefin/Polypropylene
$0.99–$2.09
$2.07–$5.01
5–8 yrs
Basements, indoor-outdoor
Sources and method.The Home Depot, Installed Carpet listings by fiber (per sq ft prices of polyester, nylon, triexta, wool, olefin and berber carpet; checked 13 October 2026); Lowe's, carpet listings (nylon and polyester) (per sq ft prices of nylon and polyester carpet; checked 13 October 2026); The Home Depot, Carpet Padding listings (per sq ft prices of 6 lb and 8 lb pad, memory foam and moisture-barrier pad; checked 13 October 2026); The Home Depot, Carpet Installation Cost Guide (average cost per sq ft: carpet $1 to $4, padding $1.01, installation $0.69 for basic install; furniture moving, removal and disposal priced separately; checked 13 October 2026); The Home Depot, How to Calculate Square Footage (order 5 to 10 percent more material for waste; checked 13 October 2026); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025, Carpet Installers (47-2041) (national and state hourly wages, read through the BLS public data API; checked 13 October 2026). Material is the lowest and highest per sq ft selling price we found for each fibre (residential broadloom only). Installed adds pad (6 lb rebond for polyester and olefin, 8 lb rebond for nylon, triexta and berber, memory foam for wool; the high end uses Home Depot's $1.01 install-guide pad price where higher) and 10 percent waste, plus labor from Home Depot's published rate to our BLS-scaled estimate. Frieze is a pile style made in several fibres, so it has no single price. Lifespans and the callout below predate this model.
The cheapest carpet isn’t always cheapest over time. Wool at $15/sqft installed over 25 years = $0.60/sqft/year. Polyester at $3/sqft installed over 7 years = $0.43/sqft/year. The gap is smaller than the sticker price suggests, and in a master bedroom where you feel the difference daily, wool becomes a serious consideration.
Carpet Type Deep Dives
Polyester (PET)
$0.88–$4.34/sqft material | $1.94–$7.49/sqft installed
PROS
+ Cheapest mainstream fibre
+ Good colour vibrancy, dyes well
+ Soft feel when new
+ Adequate stain resistance for low-traffic use
CONS
− Compresses in high-traffic areas within 3–5 years
− Not resilient, once crushed, it stays crushed
− Not recommended for living rooms, hallways, stairs
Best for: spare bedrooms, rental properties, short-term budget renovations. Avoid for: anywhere with regular foot traffic.
Nylon
$2.24–$5.74/sqft material | $3.53–$9.03/sqft installed
PROS
+ Most resilient synthetic fibre, bounces back from compression
+ Excellent abrasion resistance
+ Works with most padding types
+ Wide range of styles, colours, pile heights
CONS
− More expensive than polyester
− Mid-grade nylon absorbs stains more than triexta (requires treatment)
− Nylon 6 (lower quality) vs 6,6, check the label
Best for: family rooms, main bedrooms, living rooms, any high-traffic area. The professional standard recommendation.
Triexta (Mohawk SmartStrand)
$2.99–$5.89/sqft material | $4.35–$9.19/sqft installed
PROS
+ Built-in stain resistance (inherent to fibre, not surface coating)
+ Comparable durability to nylon
+ Soft feel
+ Good for homes with children and pets
CONS
− Primarily marketed by Mohawk, brand lock-in
− Slightly less resilient than nylon 6,6 under extreme traffic
− Limited manufacturer options vs nylon
Best for: family homes with kids or pets, living rooms, children's bedrooms. Excellent practical choice.
Wool
$3.24–$11.44/sqft material | $4.77–$15.35/sqft installed
PROS
+ Longest lifespan: 20–25+ years
+ Naturally fire-resistant (doesn't need chemical treatment)
+ Luxury feel underfoot
+ Excellent thermal and acoustic properties
+ Biodegradable/sustainable
CONS
− High upfront cost
− Requires more careful cleaning (no harsh chemicals)
− Can pill initially
− Higher cost means smaller market, fewer styles
Best for: master bedrooms, formal sitting rooms, high-end renovations. Worth calculating cost-per-year before dismissing the price.
Berber (looped pile)
$1.89–$7.49/sqft material | $3.14–$10.95/sqft installed
PROS
+ Extremely durable in low-traffic use
+ Hides dirt between cleans
+ Range of budgets: olefin berber (cheap) to wool berber (premium)
+ Classic look
CONS
− Loops snag on pet claws
− Can catch shoe heels (especially high-gauge loops)
− Harder to seam, professional only
− Not recommended for stairs or homes with pets
Best for: basements, offices, low-traffic second rooms. Avoid with pets or on stairs.
Pile Style vs Fibre Type: Understanding the Difference
This is a common source of confusion. Fibre type (nylon, polyester, wool) determines durability and cost. Pile style (loop, cut, cut-and-loop) determines appearance and texture. Both choices are independent, you can have nylon in loop pile or cut pile. Berber is a pile style, not a fibre.
Pile style
Appearance
Best fibre pairing
Notes
Cut pile (plush)
Soft, velvety, uniform
Nylon or wool
Most common residential style. Shows vacuum marks and footprints.
Looped pile
Textured, nubby, casual
Nylon or olefin
Durable, hides dirt. Avoid with pets. Berber is a looped pile.
Frieze (twisted cut)
Shaggy, casual, hides marks
Nylon
High-twist cut pile. Very good durability, hides wear.
Cut-and-loop
Patterned, contemporary
Nylon
Combines cut and looped fibres for textured patterns. Good durability.
+ Significant savings (30–60% off retail) if your room is small enough to cut from a remnant. Common for bedrooms 12×15 and smaller.
− Limited choice; not always available in your preferred colour/grade.
Direct from manufacturer online (Shaw, Mohawk)
+ Best prices on specific product lines; clear spec sheets for comparison.
− You arrange your own installation. Best for experienced buyers who know exactly what they want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Olefin/polypropylene and polyester are the cheapest fibres. Olefin listed at $0.99–$2.09/sqft material ($2.07–$5.01 installed) and is best suited to basements and indoor-outdoor use; Home Depot notes it resists mold and mildew. For indoor rooms, polyester is the most affordable practical choice at $0.88–$4.34/sqft material ($1.94–$7.49 installed), suitable for low-traffic bedrooms and rental properties. Heavy polyester at the top of that range costs as much as entry nylon.
Send it over and a person reads it. We answer what we can answer, and every answer names what it rests on, whether that is a pad manufacturer’s specification, a wage series, or a retailer’s own published price sheet.