Wrinkles, which can be unsightly as well as create trip hazards, accelerate carpet wear, and cause the carpet to delaminate are rarely a result of manufacturing. Experience shows that proper installation techniques greatly reduce the potential for wrinkling.
Steps that can be taken during installation to prevent carpet from becoming loose are:
First, the carpet should be acclimated to the environment in which it is to be installed.
Cold, stiff carpet cannot be properly stretched, and it will eventually become warm, relax, and loose, regardless of how tightly it was originally stretched.
Second, carpet installed via the stretch-in installation method MUST be power stretched
1 to 1½% over both the length and width of the carpet (CRI-105 1995*, Section 9.14).
It is mandatory that the carpet be power stretched using power stretchers with extendable poles, not kicked with a knee kicker. Knee kickers are useful installation tools designed for positioning carpet, not for stretching. Power stretchers with tail pins or spikes, most often referred to as a “stinger” are not to be used because they may damage the face yarns, the primary and secondary backings, the cushion, and possibly even the floor.
Third, use the correct carpet cushion. Cushion that is too thick and too soft (low density) will allow excessive flexing of the carpet causing it to lose its stretch. CRI recommends cushion be no thicker than 7/16 inch for residential applications.
Fourth, the tack strip must be adequate to hold the applied stretch. For distances over 30 feet, use architectural strip with three rows of tacks. Position the strip no more than 3/8 inch from the wall or other vertical surfaces.
Finally, always refer to and follow manufacturer’s installation instructions and/or the CRI-105 Standard for Installation of Residential Carpet.
The severity of the potential bubbling or wrinkling can often be influenced by changes in temperature and humidity. In addition, carpet that is loose may also wrinkle and buckle when wet cleaned; however, it will oftentimes return to its original position upon drying.
Technical Bulletin: CARPET WRINKLES (“BUCKLES” or “BUBBLES”)CRI-99 Page 1 of 1 – The Carpet and Rug Institute, P.O. Box 2048, Dalton, Georgia 30722. Phone: 800-882-8846 x2125 Fax: 706-428-3125. E-mail: cri-tech@carpet-rug.com Website: www.carpet-rug.com
Owners of even the best-trained pets will occasionally encounter pet urine accidents. Often, the urine is not discovered until long after the accident. The types of damage from pet urine can be diverse and are dependent upon the makeup of the urine. Urine content will change over the pet’s life because of the pet’s diet, medications, age, health, sex, and reproductive cycles. Because of these variations, some urine stains may not be removable.
To treat urine-damaged areas, blot damp areas as soon as the urine is detected, with plain white paper toweling. Apply a solution of 1/4 teaspoon of a liquid dishwashing detergent (non-bleach and non-lanolin) with one cup of lukewarm water. Do not use automatic dishwashing detergent or aundry detergent. Absorb the moisture with paper towel, rinse with warm water and repeat the application of detergent. Continue rinsing and blotting with the detergent solution and water as long as there is a transfer to the toweling or improvement in the spot. Follow the detergent application with a solution of two tablespoons of ammonia with one cup of water. Rinse with warm water and repeat. Blot dry. Blot the area with a solution of one cup white vinegar to two cups water, and blot dry. Apply a half-inch layer of paper towels to the affected area, and weigh down with a flat, heavy, non-fading object. Continue to change paper towels until completely dry.
Urine can affect the dyes used in carpet, although not all occurrences will result in a permanent stain. Success is dependent upon the content of the urine, the dyes and finish used, and the time elapsed after the deposit. Some urine spots may be immediately noticeable, while others may take weeks or months for a reaction. The dyes may change color immediately after contact with urine. Color can sometimes be restored by treating the area with a solution of two tablespoons of a clear, non-sudsy ammonia in one cup of water. While this treatment is not always successful in restoring color, the ammonia can be effective in removing urine content and reducing objectionable odors.
When urine spots develop slowly and are noticed after much time has elapsed, the dyes and carpet fibers may be permanently damaged. In beige carpet, blue dyes are attacked by pet urine, leaving behind the red and yellow dyes with a resulting stain appearing red, yellow, or orange.
Pet urine, left unattended, can damage carpet in several ways. Moisture can weaken the layers of the carpet, allowing separation or delamination of the backing material. Seam areas can be particularly damaged and can separate.
Another problem, especially with cats, is odor. Unless the cat urine can be completely removed, complete odor removal is unlikely. A number of products are available to combat odor, but may simply mask the odor, and, in times of high humidity, the odor may reappear.
Recently, enzymes, available at pet stores and veterinary offices, have been developed that are more effective; but they may be better used by a carpet cleaning professional. If odor cannot be removed, the damaged area of the carpet can be replaced with a piece from reserved scrap. If carpet replacement is necessary, then replacement of cushion and even subflooring may also be necessary.
Some carpet manufacturers have developed backings that resist spills and even prevent the spillage from penetrating the carpet into the carpet cushion and, perhaps, the subfloor.
Check with your carpet dealer about these products.
Technical Bulletin #115
03/01 page 1 of 1
The Carpet and Rug Insitute
The backing of a carpet can often be overlooked and yet it is one of the most important factors of the carpet’s construction. A carpet’s primary backing is the depository of the face yarn. Both the primary and secondary back provide dimensional stability. A carpet with poor dimensional stability will tend to shrink and pull away from the walls, or will stretch resulting in ripples on both glue down and stretch in installations. A carpet’s backing additionally plays a very important roll in how well a carpet will seam.
Which way does the fuzzy side go?
Most everyone in the carpet business is familiar with the saying “fuzzy side up.” That fuzzy side is the “face” of the carpet. The “back” is that other side, and it can be made from a variety of fabrics, yarn, natural or synthetic materials. A carpet may have only a primary back, which is the fabric that the fuzzy material is tufted, woven or bonded into. A tufted carpet with a single back is referred to as a “single” or “unitary” back carpet. A “conventional tufted carpet” is one with both a primary and secondary back with some type of scrim or attached cushion that is laminated to it.
Back, Woven & Knitted Carpet:
The most common backing materials are jute, kraftcord, linen, polyester, olefin (polypropylene), rayon, cotton and combinations of these materials. These materials are the “construction yarns” comprising chain warp, stuffer warp, and shot or fill which are interwoven with the face yarn during the manufacturing of the carpet.
Primary Back Tufted Carpet
Primary backing materials are manufactured as both woven and non-woven fabrics in which the pile yarn is inserted by tufting, needle punching, stitching, embedding or bonding. Primary back is the carrier fabric for the pile yarn and should not be confused with secondary backing which is a reinforcing fabric laminated to the back of tufted carpet subsequent to the tufting process. Some synthetic primary backings have nylon fiber attached to their upper surfaces to make them union dyeable with nylon pile yarns.
Secondary Back “Fabric” Tufted Carpet
Usually woven jute, or woven or non-woven olefin (polypropylene). The fabric is laminated to the back of carpet (usually with latex adhesive) to reinforce and increase dimensional stability, strength, stretch resistance, stiffness, and hand. Because secondary backing is visible, whereas primary backing is concealed under the pile yarn in finished carpet, dealers and installers often refer to secondary backing simply as “backing.”
Backing Fabrics
Both woven and non-woven primary and secondary backing is made for tufted carpet. It is primarily polypropylene, but some jute and other materials are used. It is important to remember that woven backing is not the same as woven carpet.
Woven polypropylene backing presently accounts for 95% of the secondary market and 90% of the primary market. As of 1996 the secondary market was shared by Amoco and Synthetic Industries with additional companies sharing part of the primary production. Amoco is the world’s largest backing supplier with their woven polypropylene primary backing representing more than 50% of the North American primary backing and their ActionBac representing more than 50% of the secondary backing market. Polypropylene backing can now be made from recycled polypropylene and these are expected to be a player in the near future.
Spunbonded backings are made in both polyester and polypropylene. They are primarily used in the automotive industry as moldability and dimensional stability are very important. They also represent about 80% of the carpet tile and six-foot roll market. Some spunbonded is used for lower price printed loops as they create less needle deflection than woven backing.
Secondary Back Attached Cushion
This cushion is laminated to the primary back. The most common cushions are polyurethane foam, high-density foam, sponge rubber, woven fiber, latex with an embossed pattern, solid vinyl and foam-type vinyl.
Unitary Backing
A single fabric backing with high rubber content latex or hot-melt resin compound laminated to the bottom side. A unitary backing system is used to increase dimensional stability, tuft bind of the individual fibers, minimize edge ravel at seams and snagging of rows on looped pile construction.
Article from Carpet Inspectors Handbood
by Terry Weinheimer and Kevin Weinheimer
FloorCentral.com
Is the Cut Pile Carpet Fuzzing of Shedding?
- Rub your hand across the carpet in a brisk tempo to check for loose or attached fuzz. If fuzz develops do not jump to any conclusion as yet.
- Is the fuzz short and releasing or minimally attached? This type of fuzz is not unusual on cut pile constructions with spun yarn systems. Staple yarn filaments, which are cut during the tufting process and not bound at the backing by latex, are free to be pulled to the surface by traffic and abrasion. This type of surface fuzzing is known as shedding and it diminishes and becomes less noticeable with time. Shedding is a characteristic and not a defect.
- Check for long fiber that is not releasing. Grasp fibers between the thumb and forefinger and pull upward on them. If this results in a lot of long strands that are not releasing this is called fuzzing or bearding and may indicate inadequate latex saturation on the yarn bundle. If the latex penetration into and around the yarn bundled is inadequate the fuzzing is a manufacturer-related condition. Fuzzing and bearding can also result from improver vacuuming and maintenance.
Testing of an unused piece of carpet or an on site evaluation will usually be required to determine the cause and responsibility.
- Consumer: Embedded dirt and grit is cutting fibers but leaving them still bound at one end.
- Manufacturer: Poor latex penetration and or encapsulation.
- Fiber: Poor yarn spinning, twisting or heatsetting. Need sample for testing.
At Floor Central, we received the following explanation of shedding from a carpet manufacturer. This is one of the best explanations of shedding I have come across. This is suggested reading for both industry personnel and carpet consumers.
Carpet Shedding
With all the styles we make using staple yarns this explains why (to some extent) we receive so many claims for shedding. Many times these claims are given birth as the point of sale because the consumer is not aware or is not made aware of the normal shedding characteristics of staple yarn. Fortunately, our experiences with the many (many) samples that have been submitted to us for shedding has shown that the vast majority of these claims are not valid, the shedding being experienced is well within the normal range for staple, and in many cases is so slight that the very though of submitting a claim has to be questioned.
Shedding (vacuum cleaner canisters and bags filling with fuzz) is a major complaint we see. A few years ago I received the following explanation of shedding from a carpet manufacturer. This explanation is as true today as it was then.
Shedding occurs when sheared fiber that has not been removed during the vacuuming process (after shearing) work their way out of the now installed carpet by traffic and vacuuming. We also see shedding as a result of individual staple fibers that have been spun together, when an infinitesimal amount of fiber that was not captured in the latex yarn bundle slip from the twist yarn. Consider this: If you have a 2-ply staple yarn constructed carpet you could have as many as 300 individual filaments of yarn in a single tuft! If only one (1) filament slipped from each tuft as a result of normal shedding, imagine the amount of shedding that could occur in a typical 12′ x 20′ room! Perhaps you can better understand this if you consider, for example, that a typical 1/10 gauge cut-pile carpet has approximately 103,680 tufts in one square yard of carpet!
Shedding with carpets of staple yarn construction poses no danger of excessive fiber loss, it is not a defect, and it will stop in time! The time required for shedding to stop will be based on how often the carpet is vacuumed, how thoroughly the carpet is vacuumed, and how effective the vacuum model is (models with roller brushes and adjustable pile height settings work best), and how heavy the carpet’s pile is (the heavier the style the longer it will take to remove those fibers that will eventually shed. Dealers and consumers should be told that shedding may last up to a year! They should also understand that because shed fiber that has been captured by vacuuming has been “fluffed” in the process, the amount of fiber contained in the vacuum bag often appears to be significantly greater in amount then what was actually been removed. And the common sense thing to do when this is observed is to clean (or exchange) the vacuum bag to prevent overloading the vacuum cleaner.
This information should equip you to better respond to clams for shedding, and help dealers and consumers understand that this is a normal condition and its occurrence does not indicate that a carpet is defective.
Among the mysteries and most misunderstood concerns with carpet is pile reversal, shading, watermarking and pooling. These concerns result in not only the changing appearance of a carpet, they also result in disappointment and often irritation on the part of the consumer when the change takes place. Often this change occurs within days or weeks of installation and the consumer believes they have an inferior carpet when they don’t. The following explanation by the Carpet and Rug Institute is one of the better that I have ran across as it pertains to pile reversal, also known as shading, pooling, watermarking and highlighting.
Pile Reversal – Watermarking, Shading
All pile yarn carpet is subject to pile reversal; however, it is most likely to be observed in smooth surfaced, densely constructed, plush type qualities. This phenomenon is difficult, if not impossible, to predict or prevent. Pile reversal creates a permanent change in the carpet’s appearance caused by the difference in the way light reflects off the sides and tip of a yarn as the pile lays in different directions. Shaded areas appear light from one direction and dark from another direction. After a period of use, carpet may look as though water has spilled on section of the carpet hence, the term “water marking.” Other terms also commonly used to describe pile reversal are “pooling.” And “highlighting.”
Why the carpet pile, which lays uniformly in one direction when installed, changes direction permanently, is often a mystery. In many installations, the pile reversal direction is predictable from the pattern of foot traffic. Carpet pile is pushed away from turning traffic and toward the sides of a corridor. Shading lines can cross carpet seams even when the manufactured direction of the joined pieces of carpet differ. In other situations, location factors such as an uneven subfloor, are thought to be possible causes for this phenomenon,
Pile reversal is not a manufacturing defect and does not affect the durability of the carpet. Pile reversal is not due to the materials used to produce the carpet, the manufacturing process, or any combination of these factors. Watermarking or shading may develop on a carpet made with any fiber(s) or manufacturing process. Once the condition has developed, it cannot be permanently removed.
When pile reversal takes place, there is little which can be done to return the carpet to its original appearance. Brushing or vacuuming may create some degree or temporary appearance change; however, this change is only at the top portion of the tuft. The pile will return to the reversed position after it is again subjected to foot traffic.
The visual impact of pile reversal depends on the nature of the carpet. Loop pile carpets or cut pile carpets with matte yarns have a low light reflecting quality. Boldly patterned carpets moderate, shading may not be visible even though pile reversal has occurred.
It is not possible to assure that pile reversal will not develop in any carpet.
The above explanation is from:
The Carpet and Rug Institute
Technical Bulletin CRI-03/00
By Terry Weinheimer
Every person in the floor covering industry and especially those that sell, install, inspect and service carpet need to understand the broad variety of complaints that they will face at any given time. These same people need to understand that appearance and wear are not synonymous and in fact the two frequently used words are as different as apples and oranges. Most consumers and far too many “experts” in the industry do not understand or refuse to understand the difference between appearance and wear. By the time you get through this chapter, the author is hoping that this difference will be understood.
There is saying in the carpet industry that has been around at least as long as nylon carpets. “Carpet doesn’t wear out it uglies out”. Unfortunately, a knowledgeable inspector often finds that a carpet has uglied out due to improper cushion selection, inappropriate maintenance or consumer ignorance or neglect. When these types of problems are found it usually results in a consumer and sometimes salesperson that feels they have been taken for a ride. Educating the consumer at the time of purchase can usually prevent these problems.
How Cushion Contributes to Ugly Out
Installing New Carpet over Old Cushion
It is common for an inspector to investigate an installation and find poor performing carpet installed over the old cushion. While this old cushion may have looked pretty good to the installer or salesperson that talked them out of a new one, it has often lost much of its resilience. Was the salesman so unskilled that he or she was unable to explain the need for a proper cushion? Was the installer just too lazy to take up and install a new cushion? While the knowledgeable inspector might not know the motive for installing a new carpet over and old cushion, they certainly can tell when the cushion is bad. When a cushion is bad they will report that fact in their findings. A manufacturer may reduce coverage or refuse to warrant a carpet that is installed over an old pad.
Installing Carpet over Improperly Specified New Cushion
Just as with carpet installed over an old cushion, a carpet installed over a new improperly specified cushion will exhibit premature wear. The Carpet and Rug Institute, Carpet Cushion Council, FHA, and most carpet manufacturers have recommended standards for carpet cushion. Every individual that is selling carpet needs to know and follow these standards. Just as with used cushion a manufacturer may reduce coverage or refuse to warrant a carpet that is installed over a cushion that does not meet their standards. The Installer also needs to be aware of cushion standards for they are often blamed for restretching problems that are actually due to improperly specified carpet cushion.
Improperly Specified Carpet
Carpet that is not properly specified will ugly out regardless of what it is installed over. Most everyone has heard the statement “a good quality cushion will make an inexpensive carpet last longer.” While there is a certain amount of truth to this statement, the best of cushion can only do so much for a poor quality carpet. A carpet that is constructed with a loosely plied yarn and sparse in construction might do fine in a spare bedroom but it is not designed for the traffic of an active family. Inexpensive plush is not going to hold up on stairs regardless of how good the cushion is. By the same token, the finest piece of carpet is not going to hold up when installed over a cushion of improper thickness or density.
Carpet color is another important specification option. A light or pastel color will perform poorly in a high traffic area. A carpet installed in an executive office is unlikely to perform in an automobile showroom or restaurant. A white colored carpet may look great in a few places but in an area with a lot of traffic, household pets or the potential of tracked in soil it is going to ugly out quickly.
The Importance of Maintenance
Can You Over Clean a Carpet?
Dirt is a real problem and it is important for the salesperson to instill to the end user the importance of correct maintenance. With some consumers this will be an impossible task as there are individuals that just don’t take care for their belongings. Some consumers neglect their carpet due to shear ignorance and unfortunately a well-meaning uneducated salesperson or installer may have educated them.
A consumer may have been advised not to vacuum their carpet too much as this will wear it out, when in fact the more dirt you keep out of the carpet the better it will perform. The consumer may have been advised that cleaning will make a carpet get dirty quicker. A carpet that is never cleaned will not resoil at all, for the dirt has to first be removed before it can get dirty again.
It is sometimes true that a carpet will soil quicker after cleaning. A major cleaning problem is the use of an inferior cleaning product or too much of a good cleaning product. Many individuals have the notion that if a little cleaning chemical will do a good job a lot will do a better job. When an inferior product or too much of a good product is used the carpet will dirty quicker as excess chemical residue will be left on the fiber.
The do-it-yourself Cleaner
The do-it-yourself cleaners will often use too much or an inappropriate cleaner. I have seen situations where the consumer has found a product that worked wonders on the patio carpet or the concrete so they used it on the carpet. Some do-it-yourself cleaners tend to over wet the carpet or to use home machines with abrasive brushes. The wrong chemical or procedure will cause the yarn to untwist and mat together and when this happens the problem belongs to them and not the manufacturer.
The fly-by-night Cleaner
Another major cause of carpet soiling quickly is the so-called “professional” or “fly by night” cleaning operator. These individuals will often use strong cleaning chemicals to increase speed. This group of cleaning companies also tend to use inexpensive, inferior cleaning chemicals and strong preconditioner’s that are not properly rinsed from the carpet, and the sticky residue is left behind to attract new soil.
After Market Chemical Applications
The consumer, cleaner or other service applying a product to the face of the carpet can potentially cause it to fail and mat. Manufacturers of the fiber used in a carpet state in their warranty that it will be voided if a product that they do not approve has been used. These products include many soil and stain protectors, insecticides, deodorizers and other types of chemicals.
Manufacturers Require Routine Professional Cleaning
Most fiber manufacturers require that a qualified professional cleaner professionally clean a carpet every 18 to 24 months and more often under heavy use. Failure to comply is cause for a company to void all or part of a warranty. Some manufacturers may still warrant a product but decline the warranty until the carpet has been professionally cleaned and inspected.
A quality carpet cleaning will not leave excess sticky residue. While on the surface the cost appears higher, a qualified professional cleaner will remove soil and extend the appearance of the carpet. My wife and I live in the country in the beautiful but wet state of Oregon. Our home has lots of carpet. We also have dogs and my wife has a husband “me” that sometimes forgets to take off his shoes when he comes in from walking the pastures or hiking the hills. Our carpet gets vacuumed regularly, and about every six months a qualified professional cleans the high traffic areas. When we lived in the city and had lawns, patios, decks, and sidewalks, the cleaning frequency was less. At every home we have ever owned, our guests have frequently asked if our carpet is new or how we keep it looking so good. I believe it to be five reasons, which are:
- Select a quality carpet in a color that is appropriate for its environment.
- Install the carpet over a quality, properly specified cushion.
- Pay the extra expense of a qualified installer.
- Vacuum the carpet frequently.
- Clean the carpet routinely using qualified professionals.
Following these basic rules have allowed us to replace the carpet when we got tired of it and not because it has worn out or uglied out.
