Selective Use of Optical Brighteners

Optical brighteners are dyes that absorb light in the ultraviolet and violet region (typically 340-370nm) of the electromagnetic spectrum and remit light in the blue region (typically 420-470nm). Optical brighteners are routinely used to enhance the appearance of paper and fabric colors, causing a “whitening” effect. The whitening makes the materials appear less yellow and increases the overall amount of light reflected to the eye.

While optical brighteners can make a carpet appear cleaner, they have a harmful effect on carpet fibers. Technical people in the carpet industry have unanimously taken a stand against the use of brightening agents in the cleaning process. But, even with all of the adverse publicity, optical brighteners or color brighteners, as they are often called, are still used in some spot cleaning products, shampoo, dry-foam and extraction detergents. The fact that optical brighteners are actually dyes which reflect the light and eventually cause yellowing in carpet fibers. There are some legitimate reasons to use optical brighteners though they need to be used selectively.

Carpet Pooling, Water Marking, Pile Reversal

by Terry Weinheimer, The Weinheimer Group LLC
Pooling and water marking are forms of shading Read more

Carpet Delamination: Top 10 Alarms

By Terry Weinheimer

The Weinheimer Group LLC

The delamination of carpet backing is one of the

Read more

The Five Most Common Carpet Installation Mistakes

Top 5 Installation Mistakes and how to avoid them!

#5 - FAILURE TO SEQUENCE ROLLS BEFORE MAKING ANY CUTS

Many jobs are cut at the warehouse without consideration to floor layout or installation sequence.  This is a huge oversight, which can lead to bowing, skewing, dye lot variations and pattern match problems.

There is a dye lot number, as well as a sequence number, within the dye lot on each roll ticket.  In absence of the ticket, there is a time/data stamp on the backing, in military format that can be used to sequence cuts.  Allow no more than five minutes of time to lapse between cuts for a more symmetrical installation.

#4 - FAILURE TO DRY LAY THE CARPET IN THE AREA TO BE INSTALLED PRIOR TO SPREADING GLUE

This is laying all cuts in sequence, trimming seams and checking pattern match, bow/skew/etc.  This step is critical to allow the installer to make adjustments in the drops to ensure that pattern carpet runs true along perimeter walls, borders and columns.

Another advantage of dry laying is that any drops that have pattern deviations (bow, skew, elongation) can be removed from large open areas and used in offices or smaller areas where the effort required to correct these pattern deviations is minimal.

#3 -Failure to apply or improper application of seam sealer, which will result in edge ravel.

CRI 104 installation guidelines require that a 1/8″ continuous bead of seam adhesive be applied to the cut edge and sealer must be in the amount adequate to transfer to the opposite edge when seam edges are abutted.  Sealer applied to the concrete next to the edge will not prevent edge ravel.  In the eyes of most end users, 4′ of raveling in 100′ feet is unacceptable.

#2-FAILURE TO HAVE THE PROPER TOOLS ON THE JOB

This mistake includes wrong trowel notch size (1/8″ x 1/8″ x 1/8″ U-notch).  This leads to inadequate adhesive spread rates and/or the absence of a powerstretcher and Deadman - or Roberts 10 - 117 Mini-Stretcher - for pattern match and bow/skew correction.

Insufficient adhesive makes pattern matching very difficult at best and many times impossible.  The adhesive is what holds the carpet in place after the pattern has been matched or when bow/skew has been corrected.  A kneekicker cannot move or stretch carpet as effectively as a mini stretcher or powerstretcher and Deadman.  An installer on a pattern job without these tools is merely announcing his inexperience with patterned carpet.

#! -FAILURE to recognize that installing patterned carpet is much more complex than non-patterned-and therefore is more expensive to install- THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM!

Not recognizing this fact can result in delayed job completion, budget overruns and dissatisfied Customers.  Allow ample time for patterned carpet installations.

By following these simple guidelines, you are on your way to a superior installation - problem FREE.

Originally pulished the summer 2002 issue of The CFI Professional published the following Patcraft Technical bulletin by Jim Burnett, CFI Certified Installer.

Carpet Wrinkles: Ripples in installed carpet

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

Pet Urine and Carpet

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

 

Carpet Backing and Coating

 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

Identifying Carpet Shedding and Fuzzing

 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.

FloorCentral.com

Carpet Shedding: Vacuum Bags Full of Fuzz

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.

Pile Reversal - Watermarking, Shading of Carpet

 

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

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