A DISCUSSION ON THE SELECTION OF CARPETING CONCLUDES INITIAL COST OF THE CARPET INSTALLATION STILL RANKS AMONG THE MOST EXPENSIVE. IN SELECTION, CARPETING MUST BE CONSIDERED IN TERMS OF COLOR, PATTERN, SIZE, WEARABILITY, CLEANIBILITY, AND FIRE HAZARD. WEARABILITY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY--(1) TYPE AND QUALITY OF FIBER GRADE USED, (2) CONSTRUCTION OF THE SURFACE PILE YARN, (3) CARPET CONSTRUCTION, AND (4) CARPET BACKING. DENSITY OF THE PILE IS CONSIDERED BY THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT SINGLE FACTOR IN DETERMINING QUALITY IN CARPETING. HIGH PILE ON CLOSELY WOVEN CARPET DENOTES QUALITY. PILE DENSITY IS DEPENDENT LARGELY UPON HEIGHT OF PILE AND WEIGHT OF YARN IN THE PILE. IT IS POSSIBLE TO SET UP SPECIFICATION REQUIREMENTS, WHICH, IF MET, WILL RESULT IN ADEQUATE PILE DENSITY. A TABLE IS INCLUDED SHOWING THE STANDARD CARPET WOOL PILE SPECIFICATIONS. EACH FIBER HAS ITS OWN CHARACTERISTICS ALSO INCLUDED IN A CHART COVERING CARPET FIBER FACTS. CONTINUOUS FILAMENT NYLON AND THE ACRYLICS ARE IN GREATER DEMAND FOR COMMERCIAL GRADE CARPETING BECAUSE OF THEIR DURABILITY AND LOWER COSTS AS OPPOSED TO WOOL CARPETING WHICH HAS INCREASED IN COST. IN RESPECT TO CONSTRUCTION PREFERENCES, TUFTED CARPETS ACCOUNT FOR 80 PERCENT OF TOTAL CARPET SALES, ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN CARPET INSTITUTE. CARPET CONSTRUCTION AND CHOICE IS DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF--(1) KNITTED, (2) TUFTED, (3) AXMINISTER, (3) WILTON, (4) VELVET AND (5) CHENILLE. CARPET QUALITY IS DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF--(1) SURFACE CONSTRUCTION, (2) BODY CONSTRUCTION, (3) BACKING YARNS, AND (4) PADDING. A CARPET SPECIALIST SHOULD BE USED IN SELECTING CARPETING. THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN THE JUNE 1964 ISSUE OF "INSTITUTION." COPIES MAY BE OBTAINED BY WRITING JANE WALLACE, EDITOR, MEDALIST PUBLICATIONS, INC., 1801 PRAIRIE AVENUE, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60616. (RK)