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We mentioned the beauty of wall hangings and their practical uses in an earlier post. Here we would like to highlight one of the most beautiful and mysterious tapestries ever created: The Hunt of the Unicorn. This is a series of seven tapestries, and their origin dates from between 1495 and 1505. In its entirety, it’s considered to be one of the greatest artworks in existence. Despite it fame, many mysteries persist about The Hunt of the Unicorn, including who designed it, where it was woven, and what its panels are intended to symbolise.

Woven with wool, silk, and metallic thread, there are 5 large pieces, one small piece, and one piece that survives only in fragments. Each large tapestry is 12 feet tall by 14 feet wide. The seven tapestries are:

• The Start of the Hunt
• The Unicorn at the Fountain
• The Unicorn Attacked
• The Unicorn Defending Himself
• The Unicorn is captured by the Virgin (in two fragments)
• The Unicorn Killed and Brought to the Castle
• The Unicorn in Captivity

Together, the tapestries tell a tale of noblemen who, with their huntsmen and hounds, pursue a unicorn through a beautiful forest. They track down the unicorn, capture it, take it to a castle, and kill it. In the final tapestry the unicorn is resurrected and shown resting in a garden enclosed by a circular fence.

Unicorns are, of course, magical, pure creatures, and unicorn lore was popular in the medieval period when the tapestry was made. They represented wisdom, immortality, lovers, and marriage. People believed that unicorns could heal wounds and purify water and that only a virgin could tame a unicorn. These themes are woven into the individual tapestries of The Hunt of the Unicorn. A virgin leads the unicorn into an enclosed rose garden where it is sacrificed.

There is entirely another meaning to these tapestries, however. The unicorn at the center of The Hunt of the Unicorn is also clearly meant to represent Jesus Christ, and the virgin is meant to be his mother, Mary. There are many clues hidden within images of the tapestries to indicate this. The unicorn is wounded on his right side, as was Christ. The unicorn is sacrificed and resurrected. In the final tapestry the unicorn sits in a beautiful garden paradise. The piece as a whole was clearly designed to be meaningful and relevant on two levels: both secular and religious. The people of this age would have understood both messages.

Scholars believe that The Hunt of the Unicorn was of French design and woven in Brussels, but more than that is unknown. The initials AE appear over and over in the tapestries, but who AE was, if AE was a person, is another mystery. For centuries they were owned by the La Rochefoucauld family of France. John D. Rockefeller purchased most of the set in 1922 and displayed them in his own house until he donated them to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1938 along with the missing pieces he had tracked down. The Met has housed The Hunt of the Unicorn since then in the Cloisters where they are on permanent display for the public to view (above image theirs).

The Hunt of the Unicorn shows the intersection of art and everyday objects, of the sacred and the secular in a very beautiful way. It’s art that serves as more than art, but a reminder of the Easter message as well.

Bond Products offers AAT1132 latex custom rug compound for customers who work with rugs, either making custom rugs or repairing antique rugs. This product is available in either 1-gallon or 4-gallon buckets.

What Is AAT1132?

AAT1132 is a latex compound that can be used to help stabilize or repair carpets and rugs. AAT1132 has a flexible formula that enables it to dry fast and clear so that it will not cause the rug to discolor in any way. It does not yellow over time and ages extremely well on the rugs it is applied to. AAT1132 typically takes between two and a half hours and 6 hours to dry, depending on the humidity of the environment and how much compound is applied to the rug or carpet. AAT1132 is shelf stable for 12 months after its manufacture date.

How Is AAT1132 Used?

This product can be applied to custom area rugs and carpets to laminate secondary backings to them in order to add stability to a rug as a whole. It is used to attach backing to carpet as well. Our customers use it to attach our Grey Felt Secondary Carpet Backing, our MOVENOT Secondary Felt, Double Grip Rubber Backing, or any other backing that can be attached to area rugs or carpets. It can also be used to repair the backings of antique carpets.

Many antique or oriental rugs may have sustained damage over time. This can be repaired in order to extend the life of the rug and make it beautiful again. Some amount of wear in an antique rug will not take away from its utility or beauty, but many older rugs, if they are to continue in use, must be fixed. Applying a latex compound like AAT1132 will strengthen the backing of the rug and keep it from fraying further or otherwise coming apart.

To use AAT1132, pour a workable amount of the compound on the back of a carpet and spread it in one of four different ways:

• Using a flat trowel
• Using a fine notched trowel
• Using a paint roller (long nap ½” minimum roller needed)
• Using a sprayer

Make sure to apply AAT1132 evenly across the back of the entire carpet. Do not allow it to glob or pool. Then add the backing and rub it down in order to ensure that it fully attaches to the carpet.

Since AAT1132 is easy to apply and dries clearly,  it should be on the radar of anyone with an interest in repairing rugs. Bond Products sells AAT1132 in 1-gallon jugs for $46.25 or 4-gallon buckets for $132.50. No rug backing job is too big or too small!

If you make custom rugs or repair antique rugs and are looking for a product that will stabilize the backings of these rugs, AAT1132 is a great product to use. Call us today at 1-888-800-BOND to place your order.

When it comes to installing or maintaining a metal roof, one of the most critical components that often gets overlooked is the humble screw. Metal roof screws play a pivotal role in the longevity and effectiveness of a roof, holding the entire roofing system together and ensuring it stays secure and weatherproof. In this blog, we talk about the metal roof screws we offer at Bond Products and what jobs they are best suited for.

The Importance of Metal Roof Screws

The integrity of a metal roof is only as good as the quality of its installation and the materials used, especially the screws. These screws must withstand various stresses, including thermal expansion, moisture, and wind uplift. Using the right screws is crucial for preventing leaks, rust, and ensuring the roof’s structural integrity over time.

Types of Roofing Screws

The roofing screws we offer are commonly used to install roofing on a house, porch, airplane hangar, shed, pole barn, shop, barn, or lean-to. They are ideal for attaching roofing panels and siding on post-frame and residential metal roof applications. Other common applications for these roof screws are for HVAC, steel stud framing, gutters, and register vents. 

Our screws have hex heads which are popular for their durability and ease of installation. They provide a firm grip and are less likely to strip. The 3-inch length comes in Midwest Green, and the 1-inch lengths are available in steel, white, and tan. 

The length and diameter of the screw should be chosen based on the thickness of the metal roofing panels and the type of substrate to which they are being attached. It’s crucial to ensure the screws penetrate sufficiently to secure the panels but not so deeply that they cause damage to the underlying material.

Roof Screw Installation Best Practices

• Proper Placement: Screws should be placed at the designated points to avoid damaging the metal panels.
• Avoid Over-Tightening: Over-tightening can strip the screw hole or damage the washer, compromising the waterproof seal.
• Consistent Angles: Screws should be driven in at a consistent angle to ensure an even, secure attachment.

Regular inspection of metal roof screws is essential to maintain a roof. Over time, screws can back out or become damaged, potentially leading to leaks or loose panels. Replacing old or damaged screws promptly helps maintain the roof’s integrity.

In the world of metal roofing, attention to detail makes all the difference, and this certainly applies to the selection and installation of metal roof screws. The right metal roof screws, properly installed, not only secure the metal panels but also contribute to the overall longevity and performance of the roof. With the proper screws in place, a metal roof can provide decades of reliable, aesthetically pleasing protection for any building.

If you are not sure which type of roofing fasteners would best meet your needs, please call us at 1-888-800-BOND. We would be happy to talk over the specs of each screw type and advise you. 

Next week from January 31 to February 2, 2023 Brian Milnes will be representing Bond Products at Surfaces or The International Surface Event (TISE) in Las Vegas, Nevada. He will be displaying a variety of our products in Tool Alley in booth #4360. If you’re planning to be at Surfaces, please stop by and say hello!

Surfaces is the largest North American event for the floor covering, stone, and tile industry. Flooring professionals go every year to purchase products related to the flooring trades and learn about what’s up and coming in flooring. 

If you will not be in Las Vegas next week but would still like to take advantage of our Surfaces 2023 sale, you’re in luck! 

Shop Bond’s Surfaces Sale! 

For the duration of the event, shop the entire inventory on our website using the discount code TISE23 and save 10% on any order you spend over $50 on. We offer a wide variety of high quality flooring products in our Pro Drive HD™ line of supplies. Tested with professionals in mind, our flooring products are sure to serve your needs – and at a competitive price. This would be a great time to stock up on staples, staple guns, mallets, mallet caps, L-cleats, or finish nails for your professional or DIY flooring project. 

If you’re in the market for a machine to expand your business’s capabilities, now is the time to invest. Save on our carpet binding machines, portable binders, tapestry binders, and sergers. Don’t forget about our Instabind styles and the other binding and serge tapes we offer too.  We sell all the products that you need to work any of these machines to their full capacity. We’d love to show you what they can do at our booth at Surfaces.

If you have any questions about our catalog or which products would be best for your needs, do not hesitate to call us at 1-888-800-BOND. Shop now and save!

Carpet binders, cutters, and bevelers are handy tools in the arsenals of carpet and rug professionals. They do have a tendency to clog, however, because they all work with fibers. This makes their maintenance important. To keep yours working smoothly when you do not have an available air compressor, we recommend using Bond’s E-Z Duster. 

E-Z Duster: Your Portable Air Compressor

Each aerosol can of Bond’s E-Z Duster contains 12 ounces of pure difluoroethane which is 100% ozone safe. Its air blast exceeds 70 psi, and it has a variable pressure trigger which allows you to control the release of clean, filtered, odorless air wherever you want to direct it. 

Despite its power, it’s safe to use and will not damage metal, plastic, glass, computer hardware, or mechanical equipment when used as directed. The 12-ounce can is the perfect size to carry with you and also small enough to store anywhere – at home, in your garage, in your car, in your toolkit, or at work. 

What Does It Clean? 

The high-pressure propellant E-Z Duster uses will quickly blow away dust, lint, dirt, sand, sawdust, moisture, and debris from any delicate surfaces like keyboards or printers, computers, cameras or other electronics, and, of course, carpet binders. It can be used to clean hard-to-reach areas too.  

If you need to dust items that are hard to wipe like plants, decorations, or craft materials, the E-Z Duster is your solution. Squeeze the trigger and you control how much moisture-free air pressure comes out. This is a hand-held air compressor that works for any use, no matter how delicate. 

At Bond Products we make E-Z Duster available in 12-ounce cans either singly or by the case. Because it’s an aerosol product, we can only ship it domestically within North America, so please choose the UPS Ground shipping option at checkout. 

We also carry other maintenance products that keep your carpet binding equipment in top condition like sewing oil and spray lube. For all of your carpet binding and installation needs, call us at Bond. We are here to help! 

 

We’ve talked about some recent carpet trends, including waterproof carpet and recycled carpet. These are trends that focus on reducing waste and making life easier for families with children and pets. Another carpet trend that does the same is the carpet tile. Carpet tiles are easy to install, easy to replace, and useful in areas that are more prone to water damage and other hard use.

What Are Carpet Tiles?

Carpeting tiles are similar to other tiled floor options like ceramic or vinyl tiles. Typically carpet tiles come in squares that are 12 inches by 12 inches or 18 inches by 18 inches. Some carpet tiles have peel-and-stick backing that makes them a cinch to install yourself or pull up and replace. With traditional wall-to-wall carpet, a big stain can mean pulling the whole thing up and discarding it. That is a huge cost and a huge waste of carpet – even carpet that will be recycled. The same is true for pet stains. It’s basically impossible to get cat odor out of carpet. Even if your cat has only ruined one small area, the whole thing is a loss. Carpeting tiles solve this problem nicely.

Carpet tiles come in a variety of patterns and colors and can be mixed and matched for greater designer flair. They give you built-in flexibility in the future as well. Where you may have kept a hated armchair because it matched the rug, now you have the freedom to alter the rug and match a new design element to that alteration. Area rugs can be very expensive, and if you’re spending the money on one, you’re making a commitment. Carpeting tiles give you options.

If you’ve hesitated to carpet part of your basement because once in a while it gets wet, carpet tiles may be the solution. Waterproof carpet comes in tiles too.

What are Carpet-tile Rugs?

With so many different designs, it can be hard to choose which carpet tiles you love most. But you don’t have to! With carpet-tile rugs, you can create your own favorite rug simply and easily and fit it to your space. One option for carpet-tile rugs is to use the sticky back tiles to make a “permanent” pattern on your floor space. Another is to attach your tiles together and bind the whole thing with Instabind. This kind of rug can be moved around to any spot where it fits your decor.

Using carpet tiles or carpet-tile rugs looks to be a trend with legs. Homeowners will embrace any practical solution that decreases cost and increases their options in terms of design and repair. Check out the variety of carpeting tiles online if you’re curious about what’s available to work with now.

 

This week Brian Milnes is representing Bond Products at Surfaces or The International Surface Event (TISE) in Las Vegas, Nevada. He’s displaying a variety of our products in Tool Alley with Tools 4 Flooring. If you’re not in Las Vegas but would still like to take advantage of the Surfaces 2020 Sale we are running during this convention, you’re in luck!

TISE is the largest North American floor covering, stone, and tile industry event. It’s where flooring professionals go every year to learn about current and upcoming trends in the flooring industry and purchase products related to the flooring trades. Not everyone is able to go to Surfaces 2020, however. If you aren’t, but you’re interested in the products we carry, we encourage you to order through our site using our Surfaces 2020 discount code TISE2020 now. With this code, you will save 10% on any order you spend over $50 on. 

If you are looking to invest in a machine to expand your business’s capabilities, now is the time to buy. Save on our carpet binding machines, portable binders, sergers and tapestry binders. If you need carpet binding tapes, carpet machine parts or carpet binding supplies to go with a new machine purchase, Bond Products has got you covered as well. We sell all the products that you need to work any of these machines to their full capacity. 

If you are considering purchasing a machine and would like to be ready to put it to work right out of the box, we offer a variety of machine package deals. These deals are not subject to the TISE2020 discount code because they are already and always on sale. What kind of deals are these? Well, with the DEAL #1 Bond Model PBB-1X Bobbinless 2×2 Binder 7/8″ Package, you get: 

1. BOND Model PBB-1X Bobbinless Portable Binder w/ 13/16″ folder
2. 25 gr of our top 7/8″ veltron colors (works with 13/16″ folder)
3. FREE Veltron Binding Color Chart
4. 1-1/4″ Serge Tape Folder
5. Folder Bracket & Guide Plate for serge tape folder
6. 5 Pks of our top 1-1/4″ Serge tape colors
7. FREE Cotton Binding & Serge Tape Color Chart
8. 1 box of #25 needles that fit this machine – 100 needles / box
9. Size 75 Cleartone 1.5 LB top thread with canister
10. 12/4 Glazed Cotton bottom thread
11. Bond Spray Lube
12. Bond Sewing Softener
13. Canned Air

As you can see, this is everything you would need to put this machine to work and to maintain it and keep it working well over time. We have 5 different deals for 5 great carpet binding and serging machines. 

Of course, the Surfaces 2020 Sale would be a great time to stock up on all of our Instabind styles and the other binding tapes we offer. For staples, staple guns, mallets, mallet caps, L-cleats, or finish nails for your flooring project, shop our Pro Drive HD™ line of supplies. We have a very large inventory designed to meet all of your needs as a carpet flooring professional or a DIYer. If you have any questions about our catalog or which products would be best for your needs, do not hesitate to call us at 1-888-800-BOND. Shop now and save!

 

In the past several weeks Americans have watched with fear and horror as Southern states have taken on numerous natural disasters. Hurricane Harvey caused previously unheard of flooding in Houston and surrounding Texas, and Florida has taken a beating from Hurricane Irma. The damage from Hurricane Harvey alone could total $180 billion dollars. It’s almost unimaginable.

From the standpoint of individuals and families, however, the cost of these disasters is not calculated in billions of dollars, but in a multitude of smaller problems like deciding how to dry out an entire house, what to clean, what to replace and what must be thrown in the dumpster. In some cases, if the right decisions are not made, these people will have further problems in the future. One of these involves flooring.

When your house experiences a flood, what do you do about your flooring? It’s a good question because there are many kinds of flooring. What are the safest and best choices for different types of waterlogged floors? If this happens to your home, this is what you should know:

Indoor carpet – If the flooding isn’t too extensive or doesn’t last too long, wet carpet can be dried out with aggressive emergency management. The biggest problem is that the carpet pad under the carpet will absorb lots of water, and if it’s not pulled up and replaced, it can become the perfect breeding ground for mold and bacteria. There’s about a 24-hour window of time to get professionals to treat a carpet before it becomes unsalvageable.

Outdoor carpet – Outdoor carpet that is installed on a concrete subfloor can be cleaned, and saved if it is made of water-resistant plastic such as olefin. Outdoor carpets made from natural fibers like jute will be far more likely to mold and decompose.

Hardwood floors – Wood buckles when it’s exposed to water. If the water exposure and buckling is minimal, you may be able to sand them down and refinish them after they are thoroughly dry. They will have to be pulled up to examine the subfloor for water damage and mold, however. Laminate floors are much flimsier and will not survive a lot of water.

Vinyl floors – Watch for moisture bubbles between the subfloor and the vinyl tile. Again the subfloor will have to be cleaned and bleached in order to stop the growth of mold in your home. Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) can handle limited exposure to standing water and individual tiles can be replaced if they are damaged by a flood without have to replace the entire floor.

Ceramic and porcelain tile – This type of flooring can be cleaned and kept. Stone tiles absorb little water. They are the most waterproof flooring option.

We’ve been keeping the Americans who’ve suffered the loss of their homes and belongings in our thoughts and prayers. If you are also concerned and would like to do something to help, here is a list of charities that will be helping victims of Hurricane Harvey and another for Hurricane Irma. Click for further information.