1/22/2008
1:32:25 PM 

Since each and every manufacturer is using fillers inbetween the primary and secondary backings--SAVE woven goods--unless some of them have come to use some sort of filler, sprayed on, that can invade the back and I haven't seen it, I would also point out that it seems to me, at least one or two manufacturers of at least tufted goods, use different types of glues in these applications. It could be just 2 different kinds

I would suggest that if you are one of the manus that use the second type of glue--that being anything other than the SBR, I would suggest you stop using it. I've run across maybe 4 carpets with the urethane glue used inbetween the backings and you may have quit using it, but if you haven't, you should quit using it.

If installers should happen to come across a roll of carpet where it seems stiff and you don't see much in the way of fillers, it's likely the glue they used is a urethane--instead of an SBR. This stuff is the devil to work with, especially on cheap carpets and even worse on more expensive ones.

Remember, with every roll of carpet you take out, look at the backing first and see if there are fillers seen fairly easily and how much. Usually you can tell by just the feel. If it's stiff and you see the fillers, the cause is fillers, but if it's stiff and you see no fillers, it's possibly a urethane glue used between the primary and secondary.

The carpet with just the urethane glue will tear at the stretch sites a lot easier than the carpets made with fillers, even though--carpets with fillers-- they will and do tear at the sight of the head as well,--powerstretched or not.

With every roll of carpet you are to install, I would suggest that you grab a corner and try to sheet the secondary from the primary, BEFORE you take it out the door and if you can strip the secondary from the primary somewhat easier than the majority you work with, you bring that to the attention of the shop owner and ask what he chooses to have you do.

No shop owners do such and since you become responsible for the material once out the door, it would behoove you all to start testing.

Berber carpets seem especially vulnerable to such, but never discount any roll. Every single roll of carpet is different. On berbers, I'd also suggest that you buy a small fishing scale, with which to test the tuft bind. This is very important, as quite a few berbers don't have enough tuft bind. When you try to strip the secondary from the primary, if the tuft bind is going to be inferior, it's likely that when you try to seperate the secondary from the primary, it should be easier than normal. Industry standard of 7 pounds of tuft bind is acceptable, but under 7 pounds is not. Using the fishing scale to test for insufficient tuft bind should confirm it.

An ordinary small fishing scale is ok to test, but such a scale is not totally accurate, so if the scale reads 6 pounds or better, I'd leave it be, but if less than 6 pounds, I'd have the owner of the shop or his lead man sign off on it, as long as you get it in writing that his lead shop person can sign off on it for him.

Carpets with lower tuft bind will also have more trouble when it comes to any cutting of the material, as well as along the walls, where you tuck in the material, but remember, even strong berbers have trouble when it comes to tucking the material--as in smiling and threading out--depending.

You are not going to be able to test more than a couple of cut pile carpets for tuft bind.

Also, when testing for tuft bind in berber, make sure that you slide the hook on the scale through just one loop in berber.

1/22/2008
1:54:11 PM 

If you run across berbers that have 6 pounds of tuft bind, down to maybe 5 and you decide to install it, remember, it's on you. Therefore, test a piece of cut-out before going ahead.

You should first use your left blade on the row cutter--if you are right handed and cut as close to the nap as you can--providing your row on the left of the left blade is the side you will be using for your seam. If even part of a row pops-out, recut again, but this time pull the left blade in and push the right blade out, while still keeping the left side of the row cutter as close to the left as you can.

Then dry your seam-in and see if your seam almost disappears. If not, you may need to trim one or both edges just a little more.