#13 Carpet Installation & Maintenance

 

Carpet Installation & Maintenance

Gina Christopher

 

Wall to Wall Installation:

Wall-to-wall carpet installation methods include stretch-in and glue down. Stretch-in installations involve stretching roll goods and fastening them over pin holding strips that have been secured to the perimeter of the floor space. The strips are nailed or glued to the floor with the pins angled toward the wall. A power stretcher is used to place uniform stretch over the surface of the carpet, and a knee kicker is used to grip and anchor the edges over the pins. Glue down installations involve securing floor covering structures to the floor with an adhesive. When no cushion is used the procedure may be referred to as direct glue down; when an attached cushion is involved, the procedure is called double glue down. The same procedures are used in both operations except that structures without a cushion are rolled onto the adhesive and structures with a cushion are pressed into the adhesive. When rolling traffic, such as wheelchairs and equipment, will impact the floor covering, strong consideration should be given to gluing the carpet structure directly to the sub floor. Wall-to-wall carpet is a good choice when the design calls for maximum comfort and a seamless aesthetic.

Carpet Tile Installation:

Carpet tiles are usually installed with methods such as glue-down, free-lay, and releasable adhesives. Releasable adhesives may permit the floor covering structure to be repeatedly lifted and rebounded into position. This permits some degree of access to under floor service trenches or to flat wire cable systems installed Directly to the floor. It may also permit the rotation or removal of carpet modules. Free-lay installations may be considered for carpet modules when consumers wish to maximize the flexibility of the carpet tile, if heavy rolling traffic is not expected. Rolling casters on office chairs would have an insignificant effect, but heavy items such as hospital gurneys wheeled down corridors and automobiles driven into showrooms could have a snowplow effect, raising the edges of the modules. Free-lay installations permit easy access to floor and under-floor utility systems. Free-lay also offers maximum convenience and shifting modules. Carpet tiles can also be installed in a variety of different ways based on the design intent (see image below). Carpet tiles are good choice when the design calls for flexibly, easy installation, and easy repairs.

Area Rugs Installation:

Are rugs can be installed in a variety of ways. The most common installation method is typically a loose lay where the rug is simply placed on the floor. Area rugs can also be installed with a rug pad underneath to protect the flooring underneath and prevent sliding. Similarly, area rugs can also be installed using double-sided tape to ensure that rugs do not slide. This is a common application for high-traffic area rug locations. Rugs are a good choice when the design calls for non-permanent coverage.

Maintenance:

To ensure that the carpet retains a high level of appearance, a planned maintenance program is critical. Regular maintenance minimizes soil from being spread throughout the carpet and grit from embedding in the surface yarns. Regular vacuuming and cleaning and prompt stain removal for spills and mishaps our protocol. In addition to preserving carpet appearance, prolonging carpet life through proper maintenance will improve indoor air quality by reducing the accumulation of allergens, providing cost savings attributed to premature replacement, and reduce the amount of carpet going to landfills and recycling centers. A planned maintenance program delays or prevents the development of apparent changes in color caused by excessive soil accumulation; it also reduces changes in texture and luster caused when traffic grinds gritty soil against fiber surfaces.

One Step Further (Sustainably):

For my one step further section I decided to do some further research to determine if wall-to-wall carpet or carpet tile is more sustainable. I found that overall, carpet tile is the more sustainable choice. Carpet tiles can be replaced by tiles, while wall-to-wall carpet requires a full-room replacement if damaged. Therefore, carpet tile ultimately leads to less material waste. Also, carpet tiles are usually made of recycled fibers and backings, while wall-to-wall carpets recyclability is lower due to the complexity of materials and challenged that occur when trying to separate material components.

 

References:

Carpet tiles vs. wall-to-wall carpeting: Which one is right for you?. Tile Liquidators Floor & Design. (n.d.). https://www.tileliquidators.us/blog-orem-ut/articles/carpet-tiles-vs-wall-to-wall-carpeting-which-one-is-right-for-you

Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). EPA. https://www.epa.gov/greenerproducts/identifying-greener-carpet

Yates, M., & Concra, A. (2019). Textiles for residential and commercial interiors. Fairchild Books, Bloomsbury Publishing Inc.

 

Extra Credit Links:

New Flooring Made Easy with Carpet Tiles (Installation Guide)

Carpet Pad Installation, for more flooring content follow me on Instagram @angelscustomflooring.