Side Match They Said

[driftinwoods]

Or roll crush or maybe reversed the fill. Had a couple of these in a row a few months back.

VERY EXPENSIVE nylon cpts. Wow I was shocked that a few hundred yards of this stuff is like 4 or 6 grand.

Yeah so both called side match of course. Blame the mill. Problem is it wasn't. There's a very simple solution to both of the claims. Can you guess what it is?

Hint, installers are told to lay runs out like this. It's in the book. I stopped doing it when I was installing crapets and never had another call back for this

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[JPfloor]

6K for 300 yards of carpet is actually kinda cheap...

I don't like light shining directly across my seams if I can help it but what really bothers me is it looks like they're gonna install the base molding on top of the brand new carpet.... That's just silly...

And is that an exterior door opening right on to the white (ish) carpet??

 

[Floorist]

6K for 300 yards of carpet is actually kinda cheap...

I don't like light shining directly across my seams if I can help it but what really bothers me is it looks like they're gonna install the base molding on top of the brand new carpet.... That's just silly...

And is that an exterior door opening right on to the white (ish) carpet??

The light is the main problem, and sometimes the color runs off a little, but not enough to tell until you have two cuts side by side.

 

[C.J.]

Peaked seam will do that too.

 

[highup]

I quit having that problem when I combined thermo sealing and pre-stretching the seams ....and my own version of the SeamerDown. Prestrech the length of the seam about 1/2 as much as what you'd do during a full stretch. Stretch about 3 feet on each side of the seam. The seam will bow inward, towards itself, but that's why God invented stay tacks. (formerly called drywall nails) Let the seam cool completely before pulling it off the strip and starting the install.

 

[DarisMulkin]

It don't help when the seam tape is profiling, showing right where it is . I don't know what tape you are using, but I think if you used a urethane tape it would be less.

 

[C.J.]

I quit having that problem when I combined thermo sealing and pre-stretching the seams ....and my own version of the SeamerDown. Prestrech the length of the seam about 1/2 as much as what you'd do during a full stretch. Stretch about 3 feet on each side of the seam. The seam will bow inward, towards itself, but that's why God invented stay tacks. (formerly called drywall nails) Let the seam cool completely before pulling it off the strip and starting the install.

I’ve only seen one installer that would stretch an entire house first then go back and burn all his seams at the end. No peaking or anything.

 

[MSLI]

Hint, installers are told to lay runs out like this.

Run the length of the Carpet, the length of the room ?

 

[DarisMulkin]

The hallway determines how the carpet is laid out, causing most seams to be at the front wall. Then they came out and said perpendicular to the light source. So that kind of puts seams as you enter the hallway. Sorry I stuck with the hallway determining my layout.

 

[Floorist]

Run the length of the Carpet, the length of the room ?

Yep, even though it can be a bad idea.

 

[JPfloor]

There's always variables involved. Sure perpendicular to the light source is ideal but not always practical. The room in the picture has a light source on both walls.... Then what?

Run with the length? What if the room is 18' 6" X 23' 6"? Gonna waste all that carpet?

Patterns are also a consideration. I had a floral pattern once, small room. Installed it walking into the nap, as per "the book". Customer wanted it turned 180 degrees...

Furniture placement is another consideration. I always discussed seam placement with the customer, designer, or architect. Explain what "the book" says, give them the pros and cons, give them my advice, and then let them decide.

 

[driftinwoods]

The problem is..... running the grain towards the entryway.
See the pic taken from the back of the room? No visible seam.
There was a slight roll crush towards the side as well but with the box over top the seam no sidematch is visible at all
After I had one call back like that I stopped running the knap down towards the main entry.

 

[JPfloor]

Or just enter the room walking backwards…

 

[driftinwoods]

Or just enter the room walking backwards…

LOL yes. We're told to run the knap towards the entry so as to "kick" the knap up instead of walking it down. But, what goes in must come out so x-nay that idea right quick.
The shadow box does not lie. Neither does the pencil test.

It was 85 yards. I remember the designer ranting about how much the carpet cost and how the seam was unacceptable and how could anyone make a seam that bad.
Steam it and shut up! Course the peaked seam does not help. It was sealed. I always stretched both sides of the seam prior to making it. Then finish off with another couple tugs on it, then the rest of the room.

 

[driftinwoods]

Peaked seam will do that too.

Thats why the halogen light is used. To show a peaked seam.

 

[C.J.]

So how do you write up that report? If CRI 105 was followed for recommended layout then does the unacceptable seam fall on the installer? Or is the customer just being too picky. Was 6” tape used? I’m just curious cus I’ve always seen it thrown back on the installer if there was no other obvious reason for the problem. It’s ALWAYS the installers fault, right.

 

[MSLI]

The problem is..... running the grain towards the entryway.
See the pic taken from the back of the room? No visible seam.
There was a slight roll crush towards the side as well but with the box over top the seam no sidematch is visible at all
After I had one call back like that I stopped running the knap down towards the main entry.

It’s Amazing how us poor little installers need to have an awareness ( a six sense)
‘ that first impressions are Everything ‘ to a designer / customer. Maybe, like driftinwoods, we need to acknowledge this rule with everything we do ?

… Case in point: I ran 3ea. breadths of 13’2” down a long hallway, because the widthwise pattern appearance was more pleasing than its length, even though it was sold to go length. It’s risky going against industry standard practices, or even the designer, BUT ! First Impressions Rule, and if we know ahead of time, the standard way Or customers way will yield a poor impression, then don’t we have the ‘Executive Privilege ‘ to go or propose going against said standard ?

I’m impressed that driftinwoods made a connection with seam visibility as it relates to the rooms Pile Sweep direction. I always tried to master the art of knowing how the seam would look before committing to one direction over the other, but with all the different variations of product and room configuration, I never felt confident enough to know for sure.

Personally speaking now ! The first impression of that job driftinwoods inspected IMHO WAS PREMATURE !
A wall to wall carpeted room is only complete when its friends, drapery’s and furniture are with him, then call the inspector.

 

[driftinwoods]

So how do you write up that report? If CRI 105 was followed for recommended layout then does the unacceptable seam fall on the installer? Or is the customer just being too picky. Was 6” tape used? I’m just curious cus I’ve always seen it thrown back on the installer if there was no other obvious reason for the problem. It’s ALWAYS the installers fault, right.

Well the concern said side match so I always stick with the main concern and not bother with lesser things like 6" tape. It was all about color. And lighting I suppose.
With all windows on the one side its going to highlight a peaked seam just like the halogen light does. To me a peaked seam is not a installation issue. It's the dynamics of stretching and plus you got some tape under it. Is any seam really perfectly flat? NO!
I had two in a row like this one. Easy ones.

 

[driftinwoods]

6K for 300 yards of carpet is actually kinda cheap...

I don't like light shining directly across my seams if I can help it but what really bothers me is it looks like they're gonna install the base molding on top of the brand new carpet.... That's just silly...

And is that an exterior door opening right on to the white (ish) carpet??

Ain't no base going on this. It's carpet to the sheetrock out here in lots of custom homes. Typical cheap ass builders and designers. Door going out to the pool from the master bedroom. Yup.

 

[JPfloor]

Ain't no base going on this. It's carpet to the sheetrock out here in lots of custom homes.

Must look nice after the vacuum hits it a few times...

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