Tom Damitio

Previously we’ve talked about how to turn a carpet remnant into a rug and also automotive uses for Instabind, but today we’d like to highlight the work of some our customers. There are a number of tutorial sites online demonstrating their beautiful work. These are people who have been so pleased with how simple and affordable carpet binding with Instabind can be that they’ve made their own tutorials or written down their experiences and triumphs. Let’s highlight some of the best Instabind feedback, with their comments, for inspiration.

Mom Writes Life (Adventures in Binding a Carpet Remnant/Rug) enjoyed the process of binding the carpet with her husband: “When we were working on the binding it was probably the most quiet we’ve been in a long time because we were in tune with each other’s pace of glue and sticking the binding down!”

House185 (How to Turn a Carpet Remnant into a Rug): “I used Instabind from Bond Products. They offer affordable DIY binding options plus how-to videos that make the process a breeze and provide a professional looking edge. Before I ordered anything from them, I purchased a color card and picked out the binding color I liked best for the rug.”

Carpet Edging (Instabind, the Ultimate Carpet Binding Tape) : “The main advantage of carpet edging is the fact that it helps in turning waste carpets to efficient rugs that can be used for a number of purposes around the house. This in turn helps in reducing wastage of worn out carpets. Instabind carpet edging also aims at enhancing the interior décor of a house.”

Karl’s Place (DIY Carpet Binding): “We’re pleased with the results of using Instabind to protect the edge of a carpet remnant that we bought for our basement.”

Jalopy Journal (Home Brewed Carpet) on installing carpet in his restored car: “I was about to give up when my wife told me that she had found a product on the internet that claimed that their process would allow you to easily bind any carpet with professional looking results. After reading a lot of positive reviews I decided to give it a try. It proved to be very easy to work with and the results on my opinion look great.”

If you’d like more ideas or help on using Instabind, Pinterest has an Instabind page. Of course there’s always our YouTube instructional video too.

Remember, Instabind is simple to use. Once you’ve trimmed your carpet remnant to size, there really are only three things you need in order to bind it. They are:

• A hot glue gun
• Scissors
• Clear tape

If you have a carpet project you’ve done that worked out beautifully, we at Bond Products would love to hear about it. Contact us any time. We would love to see your pictures too!

 

Have you ever wondered where braided rugs come from? This is a fabric art with a uniquely American history, but braided rugs can be made or adapted to complement many different styles of decor. Let’s talk about their history and construction.

You may know the story of Plymouth Rock, but the actual circumstances of the “Pilgrims” who came to settle in what was eventually Massachusetts is rather complicated. They didn’t intend to travel there; their ship was headed for more southern climes closer to Jamestown, and it got lost in the Atlantic and then redirected because of the onset of winter and harsher conditions at sea. Before everything was covered in snow, they had to choose a spot, and Plymouth was it. Unfortunately for them, they arrived in November, well past the time they could grow anything. To survive they ate corn they found in an empty Wampanoag village and hunted game.

The Massachusetts climate is much colder and snowier than the one they’d left behind in England, even though it’s further south. England has a moderate, maritime climate, but New England was intensely cold. In the beginning, the Pilgrims built and furnished their homes exactly like they had in England. It’s what they knew. Over time, however, they adapted to their new surroundings and made changes for comfort. This is how the braided rug came into being.

Cold floors, whether dirt or wood, take a toll on health, and this was long before the advent of central heating. A steady fire was their only heat source. A floor with a rug is warmer and insulated. The early settlers didn’t have large looms or flocks of sheep, but they were thrifty and inventive. They bought bolts of wool from England and made their clothes from it, and any scraps they had they used to make other things, like braided rugs.

Braided rugs are comparable to quilts in this way. The settlers who sewed them used the bits and pieces from other projects to make interesting patterns that were pleasing to the eye. The material they used had a number of wonderfully practical properties to use as a floor cover as well. Wool is warm and naturally repels water because of the lanolin the sheep produce, and even when damp, wool will still hold warmth. Dust mites dislike wool, and sparks from fire will most often smoulder and die when they land on wool. Wool is also mildew and stain resistant. It’s an excellent fabric for many purposes.

Because these rugs were both beautiful and practical, the settlers used them in their homes, their churches and public buildings – anywhere that could use some warmth and color. They also bartered rugs with the Wampanoag and other Indian tribes for tools and other goods. These rugs were hand sewn by women and were found throughout the colonies as a preferred rug choice in the homes of the working and middle class. With the Industrial Revolution and the advent of large looms other types of rugs eventually came into fashion, but braided rugs remain popular because they are still attractive and warm.

Braided rugs are all one piece and do not need to be bound, but like any other rug, they can be a slip hazard. Fortunately, Bond Products has what you need to keep your braided rugs safe and well maintained.

Last February Bond Products’ Brian Milnes had a televised interview with Michael King, the Cajun Contractor, and a few weeks ago the HomeTalk host aired his radio interview with Brian.  The show is dedicated to the American consumer, and the two took some time to discuss DIY carpet binding.  

As you may already know Bond Products makes and carries all varieties of narrow fabrics necessary for carpet binding – including cotton and polyester tapes and Instabind  for the DIYer. Bond Products has been manufacturing narrow fabrics since 1910 when John Milnes opened what was then known as National Tapestry Company and began producing woven high-­end upholstery fabrics with intricate designs on jacquard looms. We are proud of our company’s history and the fact that our products are still made in America by American workers.

Today Bond Products also manufactures the binding equipment to sew tapes onto the edges of carpet, as well as serging yarns and equipment, seaming tapes and equipment, and rug backings and underlayment. We have everything that the weekend DIYer would need to tackle home projects, and we also have the equipment an energetic entrepreneur would need to start or grow any company involving the installation or binding of carpet.

We often sell to businesses who already service or install carpets and seek to add other income streams. Carpet installers often have their garages full of carpet remnants, for instance. If they purchase the equipment and tapes from Bond Products, they can easily sell fully finished carpets and make a profit from what might otherwise be discarded.

If you have a minute, check out Brian’s interview with Michael King, and let us know what you think and how Bond Products can help you with either your project or your business.

Bond Products is excited to announce its Instabind app is now available in the iTunes App Store and for Android. We’ve designed this app to be as simple and convenient as possible for our customers to use anytime, not just at a work or home computer.

Once you’ve downloaded this free app, you’ll be able to easily access our video tutorials, order carpet binding supplies, browse our selection of binding tapes, find out about our specials, and get help directly right from your smartphone, iPhone, iPad or iPod. It’s simple to install, and literally puts all of our products and services at your fingertips. Search for “Bond Products” in the App Store, or go to any of the below direct links and get started today.

iPhone

iPad

Google Play

Bond is also pleased to offer a new webpage for Bond’s certified refurbished equipment. If your company is looking to add further capability to its service offerings, check out our deals on carpet binders, bobbinless binding machines, puller serger, bevelers, and much more. What we have available changes all of the time, so stop back frequently for reliable, useful equipment at wonderful discounts.

We are dedicated to making our customer’s experience as easy and positive as possible so that carpet installation, binding, and repair is as accessible and possible for the weekend DIYer as it is for carpet professionals. Contact us today if you have any questions or need help with your current carpet project.

 

Bond Products is proud to introduce our new PBL-TXB zig-zag wide-tapestry and narrow-tape portable binder combo machine.

Bond Products offers a variety of carpet binding and serging equipment to allow for binding of any size carpet on site anywhere. These machines are a great addition to your workroom or retail-business store, allowing you to make extra income. Charge $7 to $12 dollars per linear foot to add wide tapestry borders to rugs and carpet. Simply blind stitch the wide border on, flip, and glue it to the back side of the rug.

If your current binder only has one-stitch ability, the PBL-TXB will be a definite upgrade. This extra heavy-duty construction machine does the work of three machines, allowing you to go from a straight stitch to a zig-zag stitch easily. Its zig-zag lockstitch binds ¾” to 3” widths of tape in a single pass. It also has a tapestry blind stitch up to 6 ½ inches wide, adjustable stitch length, variable speed, a walking-foot top and feed-dog bottom for consistent pulling power, and a high lift needle for thick rugs. The PBL-TXB binds over 10 feet of carpet per minute, uses regular portable style A, HD bobbins, and is available in either 110 or 220 volts. An optional 3-inch sisal tape folder is also available with this model.

This portable binding machine has four heavy-duty caster wheels for stability, an 8-foot cord, and is, of course, backed by Bond Products’ 90-day limited warranty as all of our equipment is. It comes with a tapestry guide and your choice of a narrow folder.

If you’ve been looking to invest in a portable binding machine to expand your business’s portfolio of abilities or allow you greater flexibility in your work load, now is the time to take a look at our inventory. Bond Products has all of the binding machinery and products you need to get any carpet job done either in your shop or on site. Call us today to discuss which binder option would work best for you.

 

 

As the days fly past and we approach Memorial Day, it’s now the time of the year when porches and patios become rooms in our houses that get good use again. We take our outdoor furniture out of storage, set up our grills, breathe the warm spring air, and listen to the insects hum as we enjoy our meals alfresco again. The homemakers and decorators among us get to flex their creative muscles and extend the indoors to the outdoors, so it’s a good time to talk about outdoor carpets and which ones work well in these types of spaces.

For decorative purposes there are any number of rugs and mats that can be used to add color or spruce up a space. They are made from natural materials like jute or bamboo or from man-made fibers like nylon, polypropylene, or acrylic. Because these rugs are smaller and can be picked and moved or put into areas that are more protected from the elements, you have a large variety to choose from. Remember that rugs made from natural fibers can be very beautiful, but they are also far more vulnerable to staining and mold growth.

Of course, if the space you want to use will be open to the elements and the carpet will be regularly exposed to rain and moisture, it’s a good idea to use a marine outdoor carpet or an indoor/outdoor carpet. This type of carpet has an olefin top layer and a rubber backing. Olefin fibers are the only type of carpet fibers that will float on water. This is because they are made to resist moisture absorption and not only water, but dirt, fading, stains, and mold. It’s ideal for boats, but it’s also great for patios, garages, pool areas, and basements. Many olefin-fiber carpets can be hand washed with a mild bleach solution as well which makes for easy cleaning if they do get mildew or mold.

Grass carpet is another option for sports applications like an backyard putting green or for homeowners in drought-stricken areas who still enjoy seeing some green in their recreation space. Grass carpets are available in a number of grades, but if your space will be getting wet, look into getting a high-grade grass carpet with a marine backing. It will last longer and remain in place better.

If you already have your rugs in place and are concerned about maintaining them, Bond Products offers a marine-style Instabind product that is ideal for boat interiors and outdoor carpets. If you notice damage when you pull your outdoor carpets from storage this year, don’t fret. Like other carpets and rugs, outdoor carpets can be rebound simply and easily. Check out our catalog for options or call us today with your questions. We will be happy to help.

Our TV and Radio Segment is tentatively scheduled for an airing on April 2^nd, 2016, with HomeTalkUSA with The Cajun Contractor Michael King.  You can catch your radio interview LIVE on the Lifestyle Talk Radio Network (www.lifestyletalkradio.com) at 11:00am EST and your TV segment at 11:00am EST on the BIZ TV Network (www.biztv.com).

Click here to go to Bond Products’ page on HomeTalk’s website.

Many of our customers are looking to express themselves creatively, whether that is something as simple as binding their own carpet remnants or exploring interior design. Since what is popular for decor and carpet changes all of the time, we thought we’d mention some of the more recent trends.

Contrast – Pulling the old and new together is a recent aesthetic trend. In terms of carpet, this could mean adding a luxurious bound carpet to a distressed floor in a warehouse apartment or laying an antique rug over spotless tile.

Texture – Designers are pushing fabrics that people yearn to touch. This may mean faux fur upholstery or natural fiber rugs made of seagrass, jute, or sisal – anything that makes you want to run your hands over it when you’re looking at it is in.

Layered area rugs – If one rug on the floor looks fabulous, how great would stacking multiple rugs look? One of them, of course, needs to be fairly simple to pull this look off. Nicole Gibbons of So Haute recommends starting with a simple sisal rug and allowing 12 to 18 inches of size difference to allow for proper framing and contrast.

Natural fibers – Besides the aforementioned sisal, nubby wool rugs offer a soothing color scheme when other design elements are brighter and more intense.

Bringing the outdoors indoors – If you haven’t noticed, going green is all the rage these days, and architects and designers are currently excited about ways to incorporate natural elements into indoor settings. This goes beyond just buying houseplants or using recycled materials – like reclaimed barn wood – for flooring or furniture. The idea is to highlight life, whether that is indoor waterfalls, plant walls, greenhouse or conservatory space, or choosing bright area rugs with florals or leaves to position strategically on those hardwood floors.

Do you sense a pattern to the above suggestions? That’s right, the natural look is in. If it’s organic or – even better – alive, that’s what the people seems to have an desire for in 2016. Goodbye nylon, and hello wool and seagrass.

Of course, if none of the above types of design trends appeal, you should always feel free to find any rug that will enhance your surroundings and make your space feel more beautiful or more comfortable. Trends are fun to follow, but they change all of the time, whereas most of us do not redecorate entire rooms on a yearly basis. Still, it’s fun to incorporate something different into your decorative scheme, and one way to do that is to switch out your area rug!

 

Bond Products’ own Brian Milnes recently flew down to New Orleans to tape a spot on Home Talk TV with the Cajun Contractor Michael King. Home Talk USA is a weekly Q&A format talk show that provides useful and timely information about the specifics of home improvement to contractors, homeowners, and DIYers. Brian is also planning a follow-up radio interview with Mr. King. The television spot will air this Saturday on February 27, so set your DVR or watch it on Vimeo here after it airs.

Brian will be talking about all the ways to use our carpet binding tape, Instabind. It’s always exciting for a company when its product sells itself, and that has been the case with Instabind. A quick Google search will reveal how many DIYers have used our products and recommend it to others for:

DIY carpet binding

Car and truck floor mat projects

A vintage Jalopy interior

Boat interiors

Carpet remnant projects

and many other uses. Instabind is simple to use, inexpensive, and versatile, and we are proud that it has proven so helpful to our customers that they want to tell other people about it on their own blogs and within their own crafting communities.

Finally, Bond Products has a new catalog. Take a moment to go through our full line of helpful products. If you need staples, staple guns, mallets, mallet caps, L-cleats, or finish nails for your flooring project, shop our Pro Drive HD™ line of supplies. When it’s too cold outside to enjoy mother nature, it’s just the right temperature indoors to start or finish a DIY project. Happy crafting!