Churches should take several factors into consideration when preparing to purchase flooring material for their sanctuary.

First, what is the budget? Always consider overall costs, including material, installation and ongoing maintenance costs. While some materials, such as Vinyl Composition Tile (VCT), are less expensive to purchase and install, the maintenance costs over the years far exceeds the initial savings. If considering carpet, carpets manufactured today don't wear out, they "ugly out.” A less expensive product will "ugly out" sooner, requiring early replacement and end up costing more over a 10 to 15-year period. Installed budgetary numbers for carpet are $15-$20/square yard for moderate carpet, $20-$25/square yard for long-lasting carpet and $25-$30/square yard for high-performance carpet.

Also consider how the sanctuary is used.

There are three general categories for sanctuaries:

1. Worship only with no food or beverages allowed
2. Worship only with food and/or beverages allowed
3. Multipurpose use, including worship, fellowship, and perhaps sports activities.

The flooring decision for each of these scenarios must begin with several questions:

• What type of worship experience are we striving for?
•  Is there a choir?
• How are the acoustics in the room?
• Do we have elderly members or guests?

Some churches have decided on stained concrete for its durability and ease of maintenance, only to discover that the resulting noise level is unacceptable. In addition, the "slip and fall" factor comes into play when considering stained concrete or any hard surface material such as VCT, linoleum or hardwood.

Carpet is a very popular choice for sanctuaries across the county. It provides warmth, noise reduction, resistance to "slip and fall" and comfort under foot.

Now let's examine the three sanctuary categories.

1. Worship only with no food or beverages allowed: This application allows for a carpet with a "unitary" backing structure. The backing consists of only one layer of adhesive, eliminating the common problem of backing separation (delamination) and provides warranties against seam separation and edge ravel. While it is not impermeable (liquids can penetrate it), it provides the foundation for a long-lasting product.

2. Worship only with food and/or beverages: This application requires a slightly different (and more expensive) backing solution. A common problem in sanctuaries where beverages are allowed occurs when a liquid (usually coffee) is spilled on the carpet. The fluid penetrates the porous backing structure and settles underneath the carpet. Shortly after the spill is cleaned, it reappears in a process know as “wick-back.” While the stain has been cleaned from the fibers on top of the carpet, the coffee remains below the backing, waiting for the next cleaning to wick its way back to the surface. In this case, an impermeable (liquids cannot pass through it) backing is called for. There are several types of impermeable backing structures, but the most common are vinyl backings and "moisture barrier" backings. Both will keep the entire stain on the surface, allowing for total cleaning and eliminating "wick-back." Do not be fooled by products claiming to be "impervious" to moisture. These products are not damaged by moisture, but do not provide a moisture barrier.

3. Multipurpose use, including worship, fellowship, and perhaps sports activities: This application is far more demanding than the first two. I recommend a vinyl backed carpet, which allows the seams to be chemically welded, providing a moisture barrier and a 20-year warranty against edge ravel, delamination and seam separation. If sporting events are present, the vinyl backing provides a firm foundation for the tight face yarn construction necessary for balls to bounce effectively. The lines required to mark the boundaries of basketball and volleyball courts are installed on location by certified installers. In certain parts of the country, when a basketball hoop is fixed and stationary, the area is considered a gym, and additional restrictions apply. Check with your local architect regarding local ordinances.

Once the application has been determined, and the appropriate backing structure selected, it is time to consider what goes on top of the backing. The following general guidelines will help in selecting the right products. These are in order of importance.

Carpet Material
Always stay with nylon yarn. Premium branded nylons are preferred depending on your budget. Polypropylenes and acrylics are cheaper but will not maintain their appearance. Unitary or vinyl backings will eliminate the possibility of bubbles, splitting seams and tears. If you are currently experience splitting seams, bubbles or unraveling, you have an action back carpet on the floor. Stick with unitary or vinyl backings to eliminate these problems in the future. If the color of the yarn has faded over the years, consider using a solution dyed nylon (the color goes all the way through the fiber, like a carrot).

Construction
The shorter and tighter the yarn, the longer it will maintain its appearance. More is not better!! The carpet in your home is probably 40-60 ounces of yarn, but wouldn't last two years in a sanctuary. Something between 18 and 28 ounces of yarn per square yard is sufficient. Stay with a carpet that has a density over 6000.

The gauge is the number of needles per inch on the tufting machine. Stay away from 1/8th or 5/32nd gauge construction. The loops are too large and are subject to compression.1/10th, 1/12th or 5/64th (also known as 1/13th) gauge provide the best performance. Look for carpet with more than 90 tufts per square inch. That is determined by multiplying the stitches per inch by the gauge. Example: 9 stitches per inch x 1/12th gauge (use the 12) =108 tufts per square inch. This carpet will be dense and perform well.

Color
Stay in the middle of the color palette. Carpet that is too light shows soil and stains. Carpet that is too dark shows every piece of fuzz and lint. Multicolored carpets help hide spots and allow for a wider variety of color in other interior finishes. Patterned carpet will also help hide trouble, but is more difficult to install. Don't be trendy unless you can afford to replace your carpet every three years.

Texture
While multi-textured carpet is certainly attractive, excessive texture is not only a tripping hazard but tends to flatten out over time.

Finally, don’t forget maintenance. Waiting until your carpet looks dirty is the kiss of death for carpet. That usually means there is so much soil that it is piled up to the top of the yarn. It also means that the soil is being tracked into other areas of the sanctuary. Develop a proactive maintenance program, which should include vacuuming after each event and extraction cleaning at least four times per year. Make every attempt to stop incoming soil at the entrance using replaceable mats. Spot clean stains as needed.

The right carpet can make members and visitors alike feel at home in their Father's House.

Todd Wilcox is the owner of CarpetForChrist, www.carpetforchrist.com.