Mohawk Industries is one of the biggest manufacturers of flooring in the world. They have been in the carpet business since the late 1800s and remain a true leader in the industry when it comes to innovation.
They are also home to several other brands you may be familiar with including Marazzi, Pergo, and Karastan. While we won’t go into laminate flooring or tile today, the company’s carpet lineup has something for everyone including consumers with tight budgets or messy pets.
Mohawk Carpet Review
Mohawk uses a variety of technologies in their carpeting, including ColorMax, but their real focus is on fibers. The majority of the company’s carpet is textured although they have close to 2,000 styles of patterned carpet as well. Whether you want a loop style carpet the color of a sandy beach or prefer Magenta, there is no shortage of options to choose from.
Mohawk Carpet Collection
With over 8,000 styles of carpet available, it can be easy to become overwhelmed by all of the options Mohawk has available. With that in mind, we’re going to break things down by fiber family and tell you what to expect from each of Mohawk’s fiber brands.
Mohawk SmartStrand Forever Clean
SmartStrand is Mohawk’s most popular fiber and for a good reason. Carpets made from these fibers are dubbed “Forever Clean” by the company and carry an All Pet Protection & Warranty. That means you won’t have to worry about accidents from your furry friends and it provides unparalleled stain-resistance against spills as well.
SmartStrand Forever Clean with Built-in Protection
They accomplish this through Nanoloc technology which creates a barrier around the fibers to keep them safe from soiling or spills. It also makes the carpet easier to clean when an accident does happen, and it’s guaranteed not to wash or wear off over time. While the fibers from this line are called SmartStrand, they are actually Sorona fibers from Dupont which makes this a Triexta carpet.
LUXURIOUS SOFTNESS Entirely New Category of Luxury Carpet
There are also two variants of Mohawk SmartStrand available with SmartStrand Ultra Silk and Silk Reserve. If you’re looking for something a little softer than their base lineup, Mohawk SmartStrand Ultra Silk has 3x the fibers found in nylon carpeting and Silk Reserve is said to be even softer. This carpet series is also eco-friendly as it’s a corn-based product and one that’s OEKO-TEK certified as well.
All SmartStrand products all come with the Lifetime All Pet guarantee and a lifetime warranty against damage from soiling and stains. The basic series provides you with 20 years on abrasive wear, texture retention, fade resistance, and manufacturing defects while the other lines are rated for 25 years and have a transferable warranty.
Mohawk Wear-Dated
Consumers looking for carpet that can outlast others need look no further than the Wear-Dated line from Mohawk. All carpeting from this series is has been performance tested for decades and use high-quality fibers that are soft, but durable with excellent colorfastness.
Mohawk Wear-Dated is broken down into two collections with Allure and Embrace. Allure is their premium series, and it has top-tier stain and soil resistance built-in along with some additional help from Scotchgard. The soft PET fibers are manufactured using the company’s environmentally-friendly Continuum process which means they have a high degree of recycled content in the mix along with enhanced yarn strength.
A Remarkable Development in Premium Soft Nylon
As for Mohawk Wear-Dated Embrace, it’s a nylon version of Allure. Each yarn is spun from twice the amount of fiber found in normal nylon which gives it a soft, luxurious feel. It’s softer than other nylon carpets, and while not on the level of polyester, it’s far more resilient. Embrace is also treated with Scotchgard Protector Advanced Repel Technology like the Allure line.
This nylon carpet comes with a lifetime guarantee against stains, including urine from your pets and soiling. You’ll also get 20 years of coverage with retention, wear, and tear, fading, and defects.
Mohawk Air.o
While we’re big fans of carpet as a flooring material, if you suffer from allergies or have pets, it’s not the best choice. That’s where products like Mohawk Air.o come into play, and it’s one of the more interesting styles of carpet to be introduced in the last decade.
Mohawk Air.o Soft Flooring is unique for a variety of reasons, but it all starts with how it’s made. It’s a PET-based product and also 100% recyclable. That’s ideal if you are trying to go green, but it’s not the only reason it’s eco-friendly. While there are other brands that make recycled polyester carpet, this one is made from advanced polymers with no latex, so it is also VOC-free.
Compared to peel and stick tile or engineered hardwood, carpet isn’t necessarily easy to install for homeowners. Well, Mohawk designed air to be easy to install thanks to an integrated felt pad which simplifies the installation process for professionals and homeowners alike. We’re also fans of its unique tension-free construction which keeps it flat and free of wrinkles.
When compared to SmartStrand, this carpet isn’t quite as resilient against wear and tear, and you won’t get the All Pet Protection guarantee. It does provide excellent protection against general wear and tear. Air.o has the same warranty as SmartStrand when it comes to stains, pets, and soiling although you’ll only get 10 years instead of 20 in the other key areas.
Mohawk EverStrand
EverStrand is billed as one of the cleanest carpet fibers on the planet and another eco-friendly carpet option from Mohawk Flooring. This carpet is made from premium PET fibers using up to 100% recycled content and produced using their Continuum process.
EverStrand isn’t quite as green as Mohawk Air.o, and doesn’t have a built-in pad. That said, those fibers have undergone the same process which removes dirt-attracting residue through a purification process. This allows the carpet to live up to the company’s motto for the series of “Starts Clean, Stays Clean” as these carpets will be just as easy to clean when first installed as they will a decade later.
EverStrand Forever Fresh Ultrasoft is an interesting alternative and an odor-resistant carpet. A unique odor neutralizing process is applied to this carpet to keep it fresh, but it’s also treated with EasyClean stain and soil protection. It has the same benefits found in the basic EverStrand series but will stay fresher far longer. Both styles come with lifetime stain resistance, and a 10-year guarantee against wear and texture retention, manufacturing defects and soil resistance.
Mohawk Permastrand
You won’t find quite as many color or styles with Mohawk PermaStrand, but you will get an affordable option that’s ideal for children’s rooms or any room that needs a low maintenance solution. These fibers are resistant to stains, moisture, static and fading and are available in an array of vivid colors.
PermaStrand carpet is also made from olefin fiber, not nylon or polyester. Olefin is unique, as carpets made from this polypropylene-based fiber don’t absorb water and are colorfast. That’s because they need to be solution-dyed, which will keep them from fading but means they aren’t quite as tough as other fibers on the market.
This carpeting comes with a 10-year warranty against general stains, soiling, and manufacturing defects, but only has 5-years on texture retention, abrasive wear and fade resistance. There is no pet guarantee for this particular product.
Mohawk Carpet Cost
Mohawk Flooring makes premium carpeting, but as you can see from our breakdown, they have a collection to suit everyone’s needs. Mohawk carpet prices start at around $1.49 per square foot and top out at around $8.00 depending on the style, color, and series you choose. With that in mind, we feel $3.50 to $5.00 per square foot is the average in the mid-range and best represents the Mohawk Carpet cost across the board.
Keep in mind, the cost of carpet doesn’t including padding unless you purchase the something from the Air.o lineup, nor does it factor in the cost of a professional carpet installation. Overall, their carpet is reasonably priced and competitive with other leaders in the carpet industry. You can also find excellent deals on older product lines like Mohawk Aladdin and Mohawk Horizon as well.
Mohawk Carpet Pros, Cons and Ratings
Considering they are one of the older brands in the U.S., Mohawk is definitely a name you can trust when it comes to quality. Their tiered warranty program is in-line with other manufacturers, and they cover the full range of fibers from polyester and nylon to olefin. We also feel they have a broader overall selection than similar brands, although you may have to pay a premium depending on your tastes.
Pros:
Excellent warranties and products with a price point for most consumers. There is a wide range of colors and styles available, and they don’t focus on one style of fabric or technique. Great selection of carpet overall and easy to source.
Cons:
Budget-friendly lines can be more expensive than carpet from other manufacturers with a similar warranty and price.
Ratings:
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Mohawk Carpet FAQ
Q: We have several large pets, which type of Mohawk carpet would be best in our home?
A: SmartStrand. While the company has other alternatives that would work well with pets, SmartStrand comes with the company’s All Pet Protection plan. It’s ideal for homes with accident-prone pets.
Q: How long can I expect Mohawk carpet to shed?
A: It’s common for new carpet to shed after it has been installed in your home, and nothing to be concerned about. In most cases, the shedding should begin to subside or cease within a few months to a year. That said, it largely depends on the fiber, style, and foot traffic.
Q: Is Mohawk carpet a good option if I have allergies?
A: Carpet typically isn’t the best option if you suffer from allergies compared to bare surfaces as fibers can trap dust and allergens. With proper cleaning practices and the right fiber choice, carpet can be suitable for homeowners with allergies.
Q: Can I purchase Mohawk carpet direct from the factory or company?
A: No. Like most major carpet manufacturers, Mohawk carpet is only sold through big-box retailers, carpet stores, and authorized dealers.
Q: Is it safe to use a radiant heating system with Mohawk carpet in my home?
A: From our experience, more often than not, it is safe to use most radiant heating systems with carpet. You will need to check with the manufacturer beforehand, however, to ensure the system meets any guidelines set by the carpet manufacturer.
Q: What type of vacuum cleaner should I use with Mohawk carpet?
A: Mohawk sells a wide variety of carpet, which can make finding the right vacuum difficult if you’re looking to upgrade. Our guide will fill you in on the key areas, but it’s essential to consider the fiber type and carpet style when considering vacuum cleaners.