Outdoor carpet choices, styles and applications have become almost overwhelming, and the builder or homeowner is faced with a far more difficult choice than at the times when there were only a few options.

There are different types of carpets for all kind of specialized uses and situations, and depending on where outside your house you want to put it, there are more choices.

Still, one of the most important and primary considerations is the amount of dampness that the carpet will be subject to. This will be a primary determinant of the underlying needed quality, and therefore of cost.

The typical outdoor carpet from previous decades, artificial grass style, is still very much in vogue and makes up one of the two big families of outdoor carpeting. While there are not a wide number of colors and other options to choose from, the basic version isn’t any different from the stuff used to pave sports stadiums in the seventies.

Depending on the quality, grass type carpet can or cannot be used outside of covered areas. The cheapest outdoor carpet of this kind is pretty thin and will not last long if constantly exposed to rain.

The next step up is higher quality grass-like olefin base outdoor carpeting, which is more moisture resistant and generally much better in areas subject to lots of passing and other heavy use. This grade is recommended over the simpler version, as it will last much longer.

The next alternative is one of many kinds of plush outdoor carpet. These come in a variety of different materials, some natural but mostly synthetic, and are manufactured to resemble indoor carpeting, with the added benefit of being more resistant, as well as mold- and waterproof to a certain degree.

Plush outdoor carpets are available in different grades, and you should judge them according to similar criteria than indoor ones. How thick are they? How many knots per square centimeter? What size? How is the finishing? Plus, make sure to note their water-resistance.

For good quality outdoor carpets, you should also look at the back and make sure that it has moisture resistant marine backing. You don’t want water to seep into your carpet from underneath.

Look at the offers of more than one seller and don’t skim on a bit of money going for the cheaper option as it will last much less and leave you with the need to replace that outdoor carpet.