Flooring suppliers in Sussex and Hampshire

For a comfort that everyone can feel and a service you can count on...

Choose your perfect floor at Carpet 1st.

There are superb ranges of carpet, vinyl, tiles, natural floor coverings, laminate and hardwood flooring that are great value and designed to last.

Our helpful service will match your needs, from advice on choosing the right flooring for your requirements through to our free on-site survey and professional fitting.

See the services section for more details.

With friendly advice on suitability, colour and style, coupled with carefully chosen flooring to offer the best in value, style and durability, you’re in safe hands at Carpet 1st.

Drop in to one of our stores in Chichester, Midhurst or Emsworth, you can be assured that sound advice is always available from our dedicated professionals who have many years experience.

Let us help you find your perfect floor.

About us

A family run business for nearly 50 years, we are your West Sussex expert on carpet and flooring.

Our friendly staff work to the highest standards, giving you the quality of service you deserve. You can count on us for expert advice and the very best ranges, combining quality, service and value for money.

The Carpet 1st head office and large storage facility is at Quarry Lane, Chichester. This is where we co-ordinate prompt delivery and despatch of carpets and other floorings, as well as the daily cutting and planning of carpets for our team of fitters.

As well as the warehouse we have two other retail outlets. One at Rumbolds Hill in Midhurst, the other at 40 High Street Emsworth.

We are members of The Metro Group - an association of 200 quality independent retailers. With combined retail sales in excess of £80 million you can rest assured that the price you pay will be very competitive. Being members of The Metro group also gives us access to exclusive ranges and flooring from all major manufacturers as well as more specialist bespoke suppliers.

Supporting The Environment

We are keen to reduce waste as part of our business management and have a Kenburn Carpet Crusher on site to manage recycling. Carpet and underlay have high calorific values which makes them ideal fuels for waste to energy. With the cost to recycle 30% lower than the cost to landfill, it now makes both financial and environmental sense to recycle carpet and underlay waste.

Services

You can expect the following services as standard:

Free Samples Loan

You can borrow samples from our showrooms, our estimator will bring them when he calls or you can order directly

ORDER HERE
On-site measuring and survey

Backed up with free planning using our 'Masterpiece planning' software, which allows us to plan your requirements with minimal waste.

Sales staff advice

Products are carefully suggested and chosen to offer the best in suitability, value, colour, style and durability.
Written estimates

Submitted for your approval to ensure you are fully aware of the costs and specification.
Professional fitting

All carpet and flooring is fitted by our chosen fitters and all installations are guaranteed by the company

Choosing Carpet

Always get your room measured by a professional from a reputable carpet retailer. In doing this you will ensure the best fit and potentially save money from using the right width to reduce the amount of waste.
Think about how much wear the carpet will receive. Hall and stair carpets generally get more wear than those in bedrooms, so consider investing in more durable carpets where they will be used the most.
Try out carpet samples in the room and check you are happy with the shade in different lights, including daylight and at night. Although samples give a good indication, they should only be used as a guide because there may be colour variations.
Don’t skimp on underlay – a good quality one will make your carpet look better and last longer.
Professional fitting of your carpet is always the recommended option

About Underlay

Having a good quality underlay will:

Make your carpet last longer.
Reduce noise, including footsteps and other sounds.
Make your carpet feel better quality.
Give better room insulation and reduce draughts.
Protect and reduce wear on the carpet.
Help stop grit and dust being trapped in the carpet.

Allergies

Over 40% of people in the UK are affected by allergies and as many as half of those are children.

Dust mites can aggravate symptoms of asthma and eczema.

At Carpet 1st we are often asked about flooring that reduces the impact of allergies.

Hard flooring is a good option if someone in your home has a dust or pet allergy. However, dust is easily disturbed with smooth floorcoverings so carpet is still a viable option for allergies. In fact, airborne dust content is lower in rooms with carpet.
Carpet acts like a filter, trapping airborne dust until it is vacuumed up. Consider investing in a vacuum cleaner specially designed for allergy sufferers.
It is thought that beds, not carpets, are the worst culprits in harbouring dust mites, with there being fewer mites in carpets than beds.
If you have pets like cats or dogs, make sure they lie on a washable rug to reduce their impact in causing allergies.
Many allergies can be removed by carpet cleaning, so get your carpets professionally cleaned on a regular basis.
Good ventilation deprives mites of the humidity they need to thrive, so air your home by opening windows whenever possible.

Style Guide

There are different types of carpet fibres to choose from, outlined below.

Wool

Wool is the popular and traditional choice for natural carpet fibre. It keeps its shape, is easy to clean and is more resistant to wear than some other fibres.

Fibre blend

This is where wool is blended with synthetic fibres, most commonly nylon or polypropylene. The combination of different fibres in varying proportions means you can choose a blend to suit your requirements.

Polyester

Stain resistant and hardwearing, its appearance makes polyester popular in bedrooms.

Polypropylene

Representing good value for money, polypropylene is stain resistant and hardwearing.

Types of pile

Twist pile

This type of carpet has a slightly textured surface as a result of a yarn that has been tightly twisted.

Loop pile

The yarn is looped, either with a level effect or at different heights for a textured pile.

Velour or velvet

These are carpets with a smooth finish that are popular in bedrooms and bathrooms

The best carpet for each room

Different areas of your home call for different types of carpet. At Carpet 1st we will help you consider the best options for carpet or floorcovering to suit whatever room you have in mind.

Kitchen

Practical floorcoverings such as sheet vinyl, luxury vinyl tiles and laminates are most popular in the kitchen. A hard-wearing and stain resistant carpet with a Polyamide fibre is warmer than other floorcoverings and can reduce breakages.

Dining room

Easy maintenance and stain resistance is important. Wool or polypropylene carpets work best in dining rooms, with wood or laminates being the practical options.

Lounge/living room

A wool or wool mix carpet will add a touch of luxury to your living room. Go for a carpet with good stain resistance, especially if you have children or pets.

Hall, stairs and landing

Carpet with a pattern or texture will hide soiling in this area that has lots of wear. Wool carpet is most resilient and will look better for longer in your hallway and on stairs.

Bedroom

You can opt for a softer carpet feel in the bedroom as it is likely to get less wear than other parts of your house. There is a fantastic selection of new soft and silky styles to give you that feeling of luxury. For children’s rooms you may still want to consider the durability and stain-resistance of a fibre blend

Measuring a room

Start by measuring the length and width of the room, including any alcoves. Measure to where the carpet or vinyl will finish under the door.

Add 10cm / 4 inches to each measurement.

That way you cover cutting and allow for the best fit.

So if your room is 5.9 x 4m, your measurements should be 6 x 4.1m.

Simply plot your room on the plan then get an estimate from us once you’ve chosen your flooring.

Carpet Care

Look after your carpet to keep it looking good for years to come.

Be practical and avoid light coloured carpets close to your front and back door.
Have a doormat to cut down on the dirt brought into the house.
Vacuum regularly, around twice a week.
An upright cleaner is ideal for cut pile carpets and a cylinder cleaner works best on loop pile carpets.

Spills & Stains

Spilt something on your carpet?
Try these top tips

Act quickly to stop the stain drying. Blot it off with kitchen roll or a clean white cloth. Use a spatula for thick spillages.
A cloth soaked in warm water works best for stains. Dab carefully and blot dry with kitchen roll.
Don't rub too much or make the carpet too wet.