Constructions compared

Axminster, printed or hand-tufted: which one?

Choose printed for speed, budget and fine detail. Choose Axminster for durability in heavy traffic and for ships. Choose hand-tufted for texture, sculpted relief and bespoke rugs. ligea quotes the same design in all three, so the choice is made on price and lead time, not by redrawing the design.

Printed

Chromo Circle

Tufted polyamide base, printed in high-definition digital colour. Up to 16 colours, photographic full colour on request, no repeat limit.

Axminster

Five Stars

Woven on a loom, 80% wool / 20% polyamide. Each tuft is locked into the backing during weaving.

Hand-tufted

Grand Royal

Yarn tufted by hand into a backing: cut and loop, carving, sculpted texture. Any mix of wool, polyamide and viscose.

Photographs of the ligea standard samples.

Side by side

	Printed	Axminster	Hand-tufted
How it is made	Tufted base, digitally printed	Woven on a loom	Tufted by hand, then backed
Fibre (ligea standard)	100% polyamide	80% wool / 20% polyamide	Wool, polyamide and viscose in any combination
Colours per design	Up to 16; photographic on request	Up to 16	Up to 30
Texture	Flat, texture shown in the print	Even cut pile, texture through colour	Cut and loop, carving, several pile heights
Lead time from design approval	3 to 6 weeks	4 to 8 weeks	12 to 16 weeks
Minimum quantity	300 m²	200 m²	From 1 m² (defined area)
Fire ratings	EN 13501-1 Cfl-s1, ASTM E648 Class I	EN 13501-1 Bfl-s1, ASTM E648 Class I, IMO FTP	ASTM E648 Class I; EN 13501-1 on request
Price level	Most economical	Middle	Premium
Best for	Guestrooms, corridors, fast-track renovations	Corridors, ballrooms, lobbies, cruise ships	Suites, lobbies, signature rugs

Which construction for which area

Area	First choice	Alternative	Why
Hotel corridor	Axminster	Printed	Heavy traffic and rolling luggage; printed when budget or time is tight
Guestroom	Printed	Axminster	Moderate traffic, large areas, fast replacement cycles
Ballroom and conference	Axminster	Printed	Large patterns, heavy event traffic, long service life
Lobby rug	Hand-tufted	Axminster	Texture and relief read at eye level; any shape, round or free-form
Suite	Hand-tufted	Axminster	Soft hand, sculpted surface, small areas
Bar and restaurant	Axminster	Printed	Dense traffic and heavy wear; dark tonal grounds hide soiling
Cruise ship public areas	Axminster	None in our range	IMO FTP approval is held for Axminster

One design, three prices

Every ligea quotation shows your design in the constructions that qualify for your lead time and fire class, each with price per m² and lead time. When the budget moves, the owner changes the construction, not the design. Send the specification and receive the proposal and quotation within 24 hours: how From Spec to Quote works.

Short answers

Is Axminster better than printed carpet for hotels?

Neither is better in general. Axminster is woven, wool-rich and the most durable choice for heavy traffic and ships; printed carpet is faster, more economical and carries fine detail, photographic on request. For corridors with heavy traffic Axminster is the usual first choice; for guestrooms and fast renovations printed often wins on price and lead time.

Is hand-tufted carpet suitable for hotel corridors?

It can be, but it is rarely the best value there. Hand-tufted is the premium construction with the longest lead time (12 to 16 weeks at ligea); its strengths, texture and relief, matter most in lobbies, suites and signature rugs.

Can the same design be made in Axminster, printed and hand-tufted?

Yes. ligea translates one design into each construction: printed keeps fine detail with up to 16 colours (photographic on request), Axminster translates it to the loom grid with up to 16 colours, hand-tufted adds texture with up to 30 colours. The quotation compares all qualifying versions side by side.

More in the journal: hand-tufted vs machine-woven · printed rugs vs Axminster in a tender · FAQ · all qualities

Not sure which construction fits? Send the area, traffic and opening date through the specification form or write to lena.hoffmann@ligea.com. You receive the design in the qualifying constructions within 24 hours.