Here s a subject we’ve spoken about before that s become a topic of numerous conversations and phone calls again. The issue is loose carpet and particularly that which has been stretched and then wrinkles shortly thereafter. Not only are there increasing complaints of the carpet loosening up but also about the carpet being very limp to start with compared to other carpet products you dealers are handling.

These concerns are being voiced by not only dealers but several carpet inspectors around the country we’ve spoken to. In one day we got three calls, all from vastly different parts of the country about carpet being limp and loose. Surprisingly, all of the concerns mentioned one major carpet manufacturer specifically.
The individuals complaining were all questioned about how the carpet was installed, its acclimation, the type of pad used and how long after the carpet was installed the problem of loosening up occurred. Each of them said their installers, when they went back for the re-stretch, got up to 3 inches, and sometimes more, off the carpet when it was re-trimmed. They also said taking the carpet in their hands and bending it around gave them the feel of a very limp product, more like a dish towel than a piece of carpet. What s going on here and are you guys all nuts or is there really a problem?

You aren’t’ t all nuts. There is a problem and it has to do with the quality of the products, the drive to be a low cost producer and the limitations in the science and technology of manufacturing carpet. And it s not only one mills fault. In the zeal to keep the cost of manufacturing low and to squeeze out a drop more profit from the product, a line is crossed which compromises quality. When this line is crossed its easier to blame the dealer or the installer for messing up than it is to admit you’ve produced a carpet that won’ t hold a stretch.

When you compromise dimensional stability you jeopardize the integrity of the carpet. What’ s that mean? It means the carpet is dimensionally unstable or unsound relative to it s overall stiffness or, to put it very simply, the carpet is very pliable. It feels, as many of you have expressed, limp in your hands when you handle it. It doesn't have that firm feel your used to experiencing normally in a traditional carpet. The carpet therefore has a built in elasticity, like a piece of taffy. How does this happen?

First of all the secondary backing is less dense, it has a lower pick or simply, a wider spacing or more open weave. If you look at samples of product you have in your store you can easily see the weave in the secondary backing. Those carpets which have a closer, or tighter, weave are going to be more stable and those with an open weave are going to be less so, or more pliable and hence, less dimensionally stable.

Next, the filler loads in the latex are going to be higher in less stable carpet. Ideally, the filler loads in latex should hover around the 350 parts per million range. Some carpets being manufactured today have filler loads as high as 600 parts per million. Filler is an inexpensive extender or an additive which makes latex go farther. It’ s like adding more flour to a cake mix than the recipe calls for.

When the filler loads are high in carpet, the backing when flexed or handled, will shower you with crumbles of that white stuff you see. And, just like in a cake mix, the more extender or filler you add, like flour in the cake mix, the more you compromise the overall stability of the carpet.

So, having a wide pick backing and a high filler load, the carpet actually becomes elastic. Instead of holding the stretch when it’ s installed, it can actually grow. Therefore, the more stretch you put on it, the more it will stretch. It’s a catch 22.

As the scenario goes, as many of you are all to familiar with, the dealer gets blamed for the problem by the consumer, the installer gets blamed by the dealer for not having done his job correctly and the manufacturer walks away from the complaint. In some of these cases, if the dealer is big enough, the manufacturer has paid for the re-stretches or replaced the carpet but they won’ t admit they created the problem. You’ re left holding the bag. Your customer is livid because you’ve been back twice in the last 18 months pulling her house apart to fix wrinkles, again. No problem, there’ s a lot of people to buy carpet, right?

Fewer everyday ladies and gentlemen because this is just the sort of thing that keeps turning away customers and potential customers from buying more carpet, ridiculous horror stories like this.

But we’ll keep going our merry way, trying to make the stuff cheaper by shaving a penny here or there, instead of using the great technology that exists to make carpet that will perform up to everyone’s expectations. We can all appreciate running a profitable business but when management decisions compromise the integrity of the industry you have to put the brakes on. You can only go so far cheapening the product before it all comes back to bite you in the behind.

Doesn’t anyone understand that? The retail dealer also has to stop asking for cheaper product too, because you guys help instigate and perpetuate this type of problem. It’ s time for all of you to get on the same page.