• Home
  • Download PDF
  • Order CD-ROM
  • Order in Print
Wall-to-Wall Carpeting
Figure 6-12.Carpet installation using tackless fastenings.

Builder 3&2 Volume 02 - Construction manual for building structures
Page Navigation
  173    174    175    176    177  178  179    180    181    182    183  
Figure  6-11.—Carpet  installation. Stone or concrete floors that have surface ridges or cracks   should   be   treated   beforehand   with   a floor-leveling  compound  to  reduce  carpet  wear.  These liquid  compounds  are  also  useful  for  sealing  the  surface of  dusty  or  powdery  floors.  A  thin  layer  of  the compound, which is floated over the floor, will keep dust from working its way up through the underpayment and into the carpet pile. The  best  carpeting  for  concrete  and  hard  tile surfaces is the indoor-outdoor type. The backing of this carpet is made of a closed-pore type of either latex or vinyl foam, which keeps out most moisture. It is not wise to lay any of the standard paddings on top of floor tiles unless  the  room  is  well  ventilated  and  free  of condensation.  Vinyl  and  asbestos  floor  tiles  accumulate moisture  when  carpeting  is  laid  over  them.  This condensation   soaks   through   into   the   carpet   and eventually causes a musty odor. It can also produce mildew  stains. Fastening  Carpets The standard fastening methods are with tacks or by means  of  tackless  fittings.  Carpets  can  also  be  loose-hid with only a few tacks at entrances. Carpet tack lengths are 3/4 and 1 inch. The first is long enough to go through a folded carpet hem and anchor it firmly to the floor (fig. 6-11, view A). The 1-inch tacks are used in corners where the folds of the hem make three thicknesses. Tackless fittings (fig. 6-11, view B) are a convenient fastening  method.  They  consist  of  a  4-foot  wooden batten with a number of spikes projecting at a 60° angle. The battens are nailed to the floor around the entire room, end to end and 1/4 inch from the baseboard, with the spikes facing toward the wall. The spikes grip the backing of the carpet to hold it in place. On stone or concrete floors, the battens are glued in place with special  adhesives. Though cushion-backed carpeting can stay in place without  fastening,  securing  with  double-face  tape  is  the preferred method. Carpets can also be attached to the floor   with   Velcro™   tape   where   the   frequent removability of the carpet for cleaning and maintenance is a factor. Carpet Installation To install a carpet, you will need a hammer, large scissors, a sharp knife, a 3-foot rule, needle and carpet thread,  chalk  and  chalk  line,  latex  adhesive,  and  carpet tape. The only specialized tool you will need is a carpet stretcher,  often  called  a  knee-kicker. Before starting the job, remove all furniture and any doors that swing into the room. When cutting the carpet, spread it out on a suitable floor space and chalk the exact pattern of the room on the pile surface; then cut along the chalk line with the scissors or sharp knife. Join unseamed carpet by placing the two pieces so the  pile  surfaces  meet  edge  to  edge.  Match  patterned carpets carefully. With plain carpets, lay each piece so the piles run the same way. Join the pieces with carpet thread, taking stitches at 18-inch intervals along the seam. Pull the carpet tight after each stitch to take up slack. Sew along the seam between stitches. Tuck any protruding fibers back into the pile. Carpet can also be seamed by cementing carpet tape to the backing threads with  latex  adhesive. Open the carpet to room length and position it before  starting  to  putdown  the  padding.  The  pile  should fall away from windows to avoid uneven shading in daylight. Fold one end of the carpet back halfway and put the padding down on the exposed part of the floor. Do the same at the other end. This avoids wrinkles caused by movement of the padding. To tack start at the corner of the room that is formed by the two walls with the fewest obstructions. Butt the carpet up against the wall, leaving about 1 1/2 inches up the  baseboard  for  hemming.  Attach  the  carpet temporarily  with  tacks  about  6  inches  from  the baseboard along these two walls. Use the knee-kicker to stretch the carpet, first along the length, then the width, Start from the middle of the wall, stretching alternately toward opposite comers. When it is smooth, tack down the stretched area temporarily. 6-9







Western Governors University

Privacy Statement
Press Release
Contact

© Copyright Integrated Publishing, Inc.. All Rights Reserved. Design by Strategico.