Shaw LifeGuard Carpet Review – Options and Prices

For over 50 years, Shaw Floors has produced quality carpet, hardwood, stone, and luxury vinyl tile flooring with a focus on innovation, quality, and performance. Their wide selection includes over 300 styles of carpet alone, many of which are available in multiple colorways. In fact, the company owns some of the largest carpet mills in the United States.

ABOUT SHAW LIFEGUARD CARPET

One of Shaw’s most exciting innovations is their LifeGuard spill-proof backing, the only of its type in the carpet industry. LifeGuard backing prevents spills and pet-messes from seeping through the carpet into the padding and subfloor. Because of this, the backing also prevents mold and mildew growth under the carpeting. LifeGuard reduces odors, is east to clean, and great for active families with children and pets.

Many of Shaw’s LifeGuard-backed carpets are also manufactured with R2X Stain and Soil Technology. Bonded directly into the carpet fiber, R2X causes spills to sit atop the carpet for easy cleaning. R2X won’t wear away, even after repeated cleanings.

STYLES OF LIFEGUARD CARPET

Several of Shaw’s carpet lines feature LifeGuard backing, including the Colorwall, Caress, Foundations, and Bellera collections. The Colorwall line focuses on rich colors and lush textures. Made of Shaw’s proprietary anti-soil Anso nylon, there are six styles made with LifeGuard backing, some available in as many as sixty colors.

The Caress collection is the softest and most luxurious line of carpet from Shaw. This carpet features several unique patterns for a boost of style and elegance. Caress is also made with 100% Anso nylon and 18 styles include LifeGuard backing.

Four styles in the Foundations collection are manufactured with LifeGuard backing. Carpets in this line are more basic and suited for light-traffic areas. Foundations comes in polyester and nylon options.

The Bellera collection is Shaw’s leading carpet line, made to be both durable and comfortable. It is also the most pet-friendly. All 23 styles in this line include LifeGuard backing. Bellera is manufactured from high-performance polyester and features rich color blends and subtle patterns.

PRICES

Shaw’s LifeGuard carpet technology is an add-on to several different Shaw carpet collections. Buying this type of protection for you carpet comes at a premium with LifeGuard carpet prices starting at around $3.60 per sq/ft. At the top end, the price of Shaw carpet collections with LifeGuard protection rises to around $7.60.

The table below shows that Shaw carpets with LifeGuard protection fall into the mid range of prices compared to other well-known brands.

BRAND	PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT
Brand	Price per square foot
TrafficMaster	$0.65 – $3.39
Dream Weaver	$1.00 – $2.50
Mohawk Smartstrand	$1.99 – $3.99
Phenix Carpet	$1.75 to $5.00
Shaw LifeGuard	$3.60 – $7.60
Mohawk Air.O	$2.90 – $3.60
Lifeproof	$1.52 – $7.19
Karastan	$2.89 – $14.00
Fabrica carpet	$6.00 – $16.00
Masland Carpet	$4.00 – $20.00

WARRANTY INFORMATION

All carpet comes with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.

Shaw’s ColorWall, Caress, and Foundations collections include a 20-year warranty on quality assurance, texture retention, wrinkling, unraveling, and abrasion. Shaw also provides limited lifetime warranty against staining and soiling, and the performance of the LifeGuard backing, for these collections.

The Bellera collection comes with a 10-year warranty, covering staining, soiling, wrinkling, unraveling, manufacturing defects, and twist-loss. Full warranty details can be found on Shaw’s website.

INSTALLATION

As with most carpet products, installation is best left to the professionals. Besides extending the life of your carpet, companies generally require professional installation in order to keep warranties intact. Pay attention to the type of padding being installed and make sure to follow all manufacture’s recommendations. Finally, make sure your subfloor is clean, dry, and level before installing carpet.

CARE & MAINTENANCE

Regular and thorough vacuuming is the most significant step in caring for your carpet. It is also important to use the proper vacuum setting based on the pile-level of your carpet in order to remove as much dirt as possible. Many vacuums can be adjusted for low-pile or high-pile carpets. A brush that is too high won’t collect dirt and debris and a brush that is too low can cause the carpet to fuzz and pill. Shaw’s website provides several vacuum recommendations based on that type of carpet you install.  Shaw also recommends steam cleaning your carpet every 12 to 18 months depending on the amount of everyday use and traffic. Always attend to spills and pet-accidents promptly to prevent stains from setting. Not cleaning stains quickly can also void any warranties.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS

I have had Shaw carpet with LifeGuard in my living room for the past 10 years. I deep clean it twice a year and it looks brand new. I have cats and the carpet is easy to clean and hasn’t permanently stained. I did purchase a mid-grade Shaw carpet and quality padding and the color is as bright as the day it was installed. Overall, I have no complaints. Debbie, Nevada

We had the Caress Shaw LifeGuard carpeting installed by one of their dealers and at first we really liked it. We got it in a lighter color, so there were no issues with discoloration. However, there were other problems with this product. Within a year, some of the seams became quite noticeable. Also, the carpet started matting in high-traffic areas. Any spills need to be cleaned up right away with towels and a spot treatment. Pete, Wisconsin

I had Shaw Lifeguard installed throughout my home nearly three years ago. I love its durability and comfort. It’s so soft, I love walking on it in my bare feet. My children have spilled multiple things, but the carpet cleans up very easily. We also have a dog and haven’t had any problems. I would definitely buy Shaw carpet again and I have already recommended it to many of my family and friends. Charlie, NY

About the Author:

Greca Fotopoulos

Greca is the lead style writer at Home Flooring Pros (more), with a BA in Technical Art, she’s focused on flooring trends, flooring ideas, and flooring brand reviews.

“There’s nothing more satisfying than creating a home that you love. The hardest thing about this job is trying not to covet all the great floors I get to review; if I could remodel my home every month, I would!”