Side sweep seaming issues
- Thread starter MSLI
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Help Support Flooring Forum - DIY & Professional:
You gotta ditch the star roller for a flat roller. Did you row cut or straight edge the seam. The first pic looks like maybe some fibers were cut and the seam edge jumps a row. Kinda like you straight edged it or the row cutter got wild on you.
One thing I had to be careful of was the tips of the nap getting sheared off if I straight edged the carpet. Pressing down on the straight edge squished the carpet and if the nap got squished to the left or the right (depending) you would end up shearing off just a hair of fiber from the tips of the carpet when you cut the seam and it would show when you put the seam together.
One thing I had to be careful of was the tips of the nap getting sheared off if I straight edged the carpet. Pressing down on the straight edge squished the carpet and if the nap got squished to the left or the right (depending) you would end up shearing off just a hair of fiber from the tips of the carpet when you cut the seam and it would show when you put the seam together.
Thanks C.J. the 
️ Roller is bad, but in this case, imho, is necessary for blending/ disguising. ( it’s my helpers tool 
)
That seam was straight edged on both sides, but I typically row cut. The problem is not sheared yarns as far as I know, old eyes with cheeter glasses
are not full proof, but I’m very aware of the dreaded shearing effect. Sorry for poor photo quality 
The problem is the sweep flips back and forth from smooth to rough and with that seam we got stuck with rough sweep against rough sweep
️ Roller is bad, but in this case, imho, is necessary for blending/ disguising. ( it’s my helpers tool )That seam was straight edged on both sides, but I typically row cut. The problem is not sheared yarns as far as I know, old eyes with cheeter glasses
are not full proof, but I’m very aware of the dreaded shearing effect. Sorry for poor photo quality The problem is the sweep flips back and forth from smooth to rough and with that seam we got stuck with rough sweep against rough sweep
The image with the cord in it, and the seem not done yet, it almost looks like on the lower side of the seam more of the backing needs to be trimmed off on that side.
Do you seal with hot glue?
By the way, a star roller is the only type I've ever owned. I'll use the star roller then sweep or brush over the area with my hand before sliding my weight / seamer down onto the area. Never a problem.
Do you seal with hot glue?
By the way, a star roller is the only type I've ever owned. I'll use the star roller then sweep or brush over the area with my hand before sliding my weight / seamer down onto the area. Never a problem.
Star roller is all I ever used.
You have good eyes 
High, yes ! A little more backing then I would like. I’ve been wet sealing lately to get into the nooks and crannies.
High, yes ! A little more backing then I would like. I’ve been wet sealing lately to get into the nooks and crannies.
A little trick when straight edging, shift the carpet against the grain just before you put the straight edge on it and that will make it lay back, and if possible don't put your knee on it.
Me too, but one of the last seams I ever made........maybe ten/15 years ago or so was on a very low, dense, cut pile. It was virtually white carpet and my seam didn't come out all that great. Using the iron/roller/seam weight is something that takes practice and patience. So there's the direction of the sweep, heat setting, speed of moving the iron, timing of the "tractor" and sliding of the seam weight. Worst thing it was an executive suite of Farmer's Insurance on Wilshire Blvd.-------very high profile office. It was a night job that started at 6PM and it took me forever to get the tack strip into the concrete against the high end stained wood base. By the time I finished strip and pad I was losing my patience and rushed the seam. I think I did everything wrong------overheated and moved too slow, too much pressure on the tractor and probably ran against the sweep. I can never remember which way you're supposed to run that damn iron every 5-10 years when I was asked to stretch carpet.
I think I maybe did one job after that and when the shop asked if I could do stretch carpet I'd find some sleazy excuse to avoid the job. They never stopped asking a couple/three times every few years. I was never THAT GUY who thought he could do everything. I'm quite critical of my own work, probably more critical than I am of others. As I aged my standards went down quite a bit. EVERYTHING didn't have to be 100% all the time.
But that job with the white carpet was when I understood why a lot of guys don't like the tractor/spiked roller. I finally sold my iron for $25. I think I paid $25 for it 30 years ago used. So I got my money's worth. On pretty much every seam I ever did before that I couldn't imagine what the problem was with the spikes as they all pretty much came out invisible.
I had one of those flexy headed star tractors. It messed up the fibers so I couldn’t see what the seam really looked like until after the fibers settled and I vacuumed. By then a bad looking seam is too late to adjust, I need to be able to adjust it while the glue is still hot.
I picked up a 6” Bigfoot roller and that thing worked great for all kinds of carpet.
https://www.craintools.com/carpet/seaming/437
I picked up a 6” Bigfoot roller and that thing worked great for all kinds of carpet.
https://www.craintools.com/carpet/seaming/437
Everyone uses whatever works best for them.
For that side sweep issue you might try a fabric steamer. A steam iron can work in a pinch if you’re careful. With enough time and patience you can change the direction of the carpet.
I used a star roller 95% of the time with good results but never on a velvet. It can leave visible depressions in the heat tape and make a mess of everything.
I used a star roller 95% of the time with good results but never on a velvet. It can leave visible depressions in the heat tape and make a mess of everything.
A pile lifter might do the trick also. If you call the mill they will usually send someone out who has that kind of equipment.
kwfloors
Well-Known Member
I have only straight edged a carpet once in 15 years. These soft fiber plush carpets are hard to cut. I see in your pic some extra backing spots that would leave a void of fiber. I run a shap knife shaving that off as I want close-close carpet edges after the cut. Also use a koolglide with seamer down now 99.9%. May help it some.
I find myself straight edging most plush carpet these days ( I do as little carpet as possible)
I have every row finder known to man and can’t part a straight line on a lot of the carpets I run into.
I used to try to row cut everything.
I have every row finder known to man and can’t part a straight line on a lot of the carpets I run into.
I used to try to row cut everything.
The rows are not straight on many of them.
Thanks guys ! ….. this is apartment grade goods, you shave off that extra backing and your in trouble. The lamination adhesive is mostly crushed marble dust and light on Styreen + Benzene…… All and all, seam photo # 3 imho is not to shabby for a joined seam where side sweeps are opposite from each other.
You can only do so much when dealing with crap. I remember installing some that was like "fuzzy cardboard".
That explains a lot. One of those backings that becomes loose if you fold it back and forth two times?
Oh…..Then forget what I said about the pile lifter. Probably tear it apart…
You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
