Brian’s Blog

Spring is a wonderful time of year. Better weather makes many people want to clean their living space inside and out. When you can finally open your windows without worrying about heating the outdoors, you notice how stale the air in your house is and want to freshen everything up. You want clean walls, clean floors, and clean carpets. 

Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning isn’t the huge endeavor it once was. In the old days when people heated with wood or coal fires, ash and soot would build up on the walls and ceilings during the cold months. Floors could be swept in winter, but many housewives would take all of the furniture out of the house in spring, beat the rugs, and then whitewash everything inside and out. Whitewash was an inexpensive paint choice, and it not only covered dirt and soot, its slaked lime content disinfected as well. By the time the house had been emptied, cleaned, and whitewashed, people could feel satisfied that their home was clean and presentable again. It was a real fresh start for the nicer half of the year.

Americans often find staying on top of housecleaning to be stressful, and clutter provokes anxiety too by reminding us of all thing we still have to do. This is why spring cleaning increases productivity and improves mood. Today psychologists agree that spring cleaning boosts creativity, lowers stress, and improves happiness.

Clean Carpets: So Much Easier than It Used to Be

Nowadays it’s much easier to achieve that feeling of clean. Many people concentrate on airing out their bedding and cleaning off surfaces made dusty by forced-air furnaces, but it’s important to remember floors and carpets as well. They’ve taken a beating from crushed leaves, dirt, oil, salt all winter and need some TLC. If you have wall-to-wall carpeting, it’s time to use a wet vacuum on it. If you have hardwood floors, you need to remember to clean both the floors and the carpets thoroughly. Area rugs are exposed to the same ground in dirt that wall-to-wall carpet suffers, and beating a rug is not enough to keep it in good condition. Antique or Persian rugs should be cleaned by a professional, of course.

For an additional fresh smell, mix 10-20 drops of an essential oil like lavender or lemongrass into a box of baking soda, then sprinkle it over your carpet. Wait five minutes and then vacuum it out. The baking soda will remove bad odors, and the essential oil will leave them smelling great.

While you are cleaning your carpets this spring, it’s a good idea to look them over for damage. Do the fringes of your rugs need repair? If the bindings have come loose, you can either repair or replace them. Are they are prone to slipping on your hard floors?  If so, take the time to add a slip-free rug product for both safety and aesthetic reasons.

If you have questions about the condition of your area rugs or carpets, please contact us at Bond Products. We have all the products you need to keep your rugs both beautiful and in good repair, and we’d be happy to help you find what you need to keep your carpets and rugs well maintained.

 

 

Bond is celebrating 76 years of being family owned and operated from 1947-2023 at our 7th annual Spring Open House!

Join us Thursday and Friday, April 20-21, 2023, from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. We will be offering:

• Free labor* on portable binder repairs (you just have to pay for the parts)*
• Free instruction on maintaining and servicing your binder
• Free training on binding, serging, beveling and fringing techniques
• A 10% discount on all Bond equipment and supplies
• Trade evaluations on your old equipment if you want to “trade up”
• …and not to mention… FREE FOOD AND DRINKS!

Learn from the pros! This is an excellent opportunity to see our state-of-the-art carpet workroom and to take advantage of free service and training.

NOTE : appointments are required ; no walk ins allowed at this time. Thank you!

*Free labor is limited to portable binders only, with a limit of two per customer. If you would like to take advantage of this service, please call (888) 800-2663 and schedule an appointment ahead of time. We require an operator to be present to view the service performed and get training and tips on running/maintaining the binder being repaired. Repairs are limited to basic tune ups. Any extensive work needed beyond 30 minutes free service is subject to additional billing.

 

Bond Products, Inc.

4511 Wayne Ave.

Philadelphia, PA 19144

1-888-800-BOND (2663)

 

The Milnes family and carpet have a long, interconnected history. It’s not just a phrase to say we go “way back.” A Milnes family Bible was presented to John Milnes over 130 years ago as a wedding gift. It still remains in the family’s possession as of 2023, and contains birth and death records. What we know about their involvement in the history of carpeting in England and America is as follows:

In 1856 George and Freedy Milnes came to this country from Bradford, England. This village is located in Yorkshire which is in the northern part of the country near Scotland. They raise sheep in those colder climes, and Bradford was known as a woolen town, meaning that it was an area that manufactured woolen yarn and fabric products. So it was natural for the family to continue in the textile trade in their new country.

George and Freedy’s son John started the family business in 1910. It was then known as National Tapestry Company and produced woven high-­end upholstery fabrics with intricate designs on jacquard looms. During the lean years that followed, including the Great Depression, the company diversified and began making narrow tapes used in the garment industry, in particular for military uniforms. John’s son, Wesley Milnes, Sr., was born in 1889, and he continued the mill very successfully along with his brother-­in-­law, Ralph Shaw. Wesley and his wife, Minnie Bond Milnes, had 10 children, and the fifth child, Kenneth Bond Milnes, started the present Bond Products, Inc. in 1947 as a proprietorship, then incorporated in 1953.

Bond Narrow Fabric Co. began as a distributor of “narrow fabrics.” This is defined as fabrics less than 6″ wide: woven, knitted, braided, non-woven or other construction. Kenneth’s brothers, Wesley, Jr. and Arthur Milnes, were active in Bond Products during the 1950s, When Arthur’s son, Richard Milnes, began working in the family business as a shipping clerk at 17 in 1960, the company sold a small amount of cotton carpet binding tape, mostly 1-1/4″ and 1-1/2″ width. This was made at a local mill in Philadelphia.

In 1963 Bond introduced the first “one-pass” narrow binding tape in 13/16″ width. This binding was applied by a zigzag stitch sewing machine using clear monofilament thread on the top side, and a conventional filament bobbin thread. The machine was introduced that year by a company named Broadloom Speedbinder, Inc. A few years later they introduced a portable version of this machine. By the late 1960s, Bond was the leading producer of this new style of carpet binding tape.

In 1966 Bond was the second company to manufacture hot-melt carpet seaming tape. This was a major item in our product line for a long number of years, and continues to sell today.

Bond Products was acquired in 1974 by the family business, National Tapestry, which was known by that time as Wayne Mills Co. In 1980 we added a non-woven synthetic binding tape that became very popular. In 1987 we opened our sewing equipment division and entered the machine market. Our line of machines has evolved to include carving and cutting equipment and a wide variety of specialty products used in the creation and installation of carpet and rugs.

When Richard Milnes retired from full­-time employment in 2002, it was sold to his son, Brian Milnes, the present owner, who was already working for the family business at that time. So the family that brought their textile background here in 1856 continues to progress in this very competitive industry and now specializes in products for the floor covering trade.

Over 76 years and under four generations of Milnes guidance, Bond Products continues to offer innovative products and accessories to the floor covering trade, remaining in tune to the needs of our loyal customers and the carpet business as a whole.

 

 

Bond Products’ ironless peel-and-stick seaming tape is the perfect solution for your seaming needs. This ironless tape is designed to make any seaming project super simple, with its easy-to-use peel-and-stick application. It’s perfect for home renovation projects or DIY repairs. 

How Do You Use Ironless Tape? 

You do not have to apply glue or heat anything. Simply peel off the protective backing and stick the seaming tape to your desired surface. There’s only four steps to follow if you are seaming carpet: 

1. Place your carpet on the floor, butt the edges to be seamed, and adjust the tape to the correct position. 
2. Fold back the edges of the carpet, then place the tape under the carpet length of the seam with the brown side down. Be sure the carpet edges are centered on the tape. 
3. Lift the carpet edges on one end and pull up the light-release paper from the tape while pushing the edges into the glue. Continue to press carefully along the entire length of the seam. 
4. Walk over the seam a few times or place a heavy weight along the seam length to press the carpet into the glue.

That’s all! This tape can be used on new carpet or for doing repairs on seams that are splitting. This product is not designed for stretch-in wall-to-wall carpet installations that put tension on the seam, however. 

If you want to avoid using heat, glue, or complicated tools in your seaming project, our Cool Stic ironless carpet seaming tape is the answer. This tape is versatile and can be used for so many applications, including carpet seaming, upholstery, and crafts. It’s the ideal solution for any project that requires a strong, reliable bond without the hassle of traditional seaming methods.

The tape is made of high-quality materials that are durable and long-lasting, making it perfect for seaming. It comes in 15-foot rolls, and right now is on sale – so why wait to purchase? If you have any questions about our ironless tape or other products used in carpet seaming or installation, please call us at 1-888-800-BOND. We are always happy to help match you with the right products for your needs and make useful suggestions on your home or professional projects. 

 

Do you have questions about carpet binding tape? We have the information you need. Below are some frequently asked questions that Bond Products gets about carpet binding tape – with our answers.

What Is Carpet Binding Tape?

Carpet binding tape is tape that is used to bind the edges of carpets, area rugs, runners, and staircases to make them more attractive and prevent them from fraying or unraveling. Binding tape is also used in cars, boats and recreational vehicles. It’s made of cotton or polyester and comes in a variety of colors to better match the color of carpet it’s trimming.

How Do You Bind Carpet Edges?

There are two ways to bind carpet edges: by machine or by hand using an “instant” carpet binding tape like Instabind. 

Carpet professionals bind carpets using cotton or polyester binding tape, depending on the fabric material of the rug. They push the carpet through a binding or serging machine that can be either stationary or portable. Portable binding machines are designed to allow for carpet binding when the carpet is being installed on site. A stationary binding machine is what a carpet store will use. These machines work very well, but they require a large table and workspace to turn the carpet on as it’s being bound.

Instabind™ regular style carpet binding has a similar appearance to standard or traditional binding but without showing any stitching. It’s not stitched – it’s glued. Instabind is available in 22 stock colors and a variety of styles. It’s more durable than traditional carpet binding and actually helps reinforce the carpet backing along the cut edges. 

For specific instructions about how to use Instabind to bind a rug or a carpet, click here. Or watch our instructional video:

 

How Much Does It Cost to Bind Carpet Edges?

The cost of having a carpet bound by a professional will vary from place to place, but expect that it will be at least $2 dollar per linear foot (measure the perimeter of your carpet) if you use polyester carpet binding tape which is the least expensive kind. 

If you want to bind your carpet yourself using Instabind, you can purchase it in standard 54 or 216 ft rolls (priced by the roll) or custom size lengths with a $.40 per foot up-charge (priced by the foot). Please note the diameter is estimated to be 9/32″ wide. We recommend that you use latex-based hot melt glue sticks for a long-lasting strong hold. 

If you have any further questions about carpet binding tape, please call us at 1-888-800-BOND. We are always happy to answer questions about carpet binding, whether you need help with your small carpet project as a first time DIYer or whether you have your own carpet binding machine and need assistance keeping it tuned and maintained. Call us! We are here to help.

Bond Products now 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 $44 or 4-gallon buckets for $126. 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.

Bond Products offers our ProDriveHD line of well-made, durable tools for our customers who work with carpet and flooring or enjoy DIY projects. One of these is Bond’s heavy duty hand-binding stapler. Let’s talk about how this handy tool is made and what it can be used for. 

Carpet Binding 

Carpet does not come with finished ends. When it’s cut to fit a space, it needs to be bound to both look nice and to keep it from wearing out or unraveling over time. Carpet binding is the art of applying stitching, or fabric and adhesive to the ends. There are three common ways of doing this: binding, serging, and fringing. 

Carpet professionals cut very large pieces of carpet down to size and then use a carpet binding machine to bind the edges to create a beautiful area rug, runner, or mat that matches the needs of their customers’ taste and space. 

Watch Brian demonstrate Bond’s “One size fits all” PBB2X bobbinless carpet binder in action: 

Bond’s Hand-Binding Stapler

Bond’s hand-binding stapler is an ideal stapler for binding area rugs or carpet samples. It is excellent for tagging the tabs underneath the end of the binding when they come off the edge of the machine. It can also be used for hand binding like a little blind stitch. You can staple at any angle on fabric, paper, or other materials, and its curved handle is designed to eliminate the soreness that can result from using a heavy-duty hand stapler for any length of time. 

This stapler uses our premium quality 5/16” galvanized 24/8 staples, and it’s a simple and quick job to fill its rear-loading magazine with them. 

This is a well designed tool that is made to stand up to daily use for years. 

As always, if you have any questions about our carpet binding products or any items we sell, please call us at 1-888-800-BOND. We will be happy to help you find what you need to get your home project done or make your carpet binding work easier and faster to do. 

 

Our Instabind product has a number of creative uses our customers write to tell us about, including crafts, classic car restoration and even yacht remodeling, but the #1 use for Instabind is, of course, rug binding. It’s a great way to make a carpet remnant into an area rug. You don’t even have to be a carpeting professional to do it! Instabind makes rug binding into a fun weekend project for any DIYer or crafter.

How do you turn a carpet remnant into a rug? It’s simple.

Step 1 – Assemble your tools. These will be a hot glue gun, scissors, and clear tape.

Step 2 – Trim off any strings or irregularities along the sides of the carpet and make sure that its sides are straight. You may find using a carpet cutter and straight edge helps.

Step 3 – Take the style of binding you’ve chosen to complement the carpet and make a clean cut. There are so many colors and styles of Instabind available, including:

• Regular binding style
• Cotton binding style
• Synthetic serge binding style
• Cotton serge style
• Cotton rope style
• Rope edge style
• Outdoor marine style
• Safety edge style
• Faux leather style

We even sell an Instabind Starter Kit if you’d like to try your hand at carpet binding with a number of projects and styles. Our rule of thumb for selecting a binding is: if it’s a cotton or wool rug or carpet, use a natural (cotton) binding or serging style. If it’s a synthetic rug or carpet, use a synthetic binding or serging style. Of course, the highest quality look will still be the cotton one, but our synthetic binding will look great too.

Step 4 – Pull back the paper on the binding and begin applying it to the carpet in the middle of one cut edge. Extend the Instabind past the corner of the carpet, and using the corner as a guide, snip the flat part of the Instabind, stopping at the piping. With the paper turned back, overlap the backing while rounding the corner. Continue around the carpet until you return to the beginning. You can readjust if necessary at this stage in the project. Using your starting point as a guide, make the finishing cut with your scissors and trim any excess strings.

Step 5 – Seal the beginning and ending pieces of the Instabind together with a bead of hot glue. Now apply a ⅛” bead of hot glue between the edge of the Instabind and the carpet and hold in place a few minutes to let the glue set. Continue this process all the way around the carpet. For a more finished looking back, trim the Instabind backing at a 45 degree angle.

Step 6 – Place your beautiful new bound piece of carpet in any place it complements your decor.

If you have a rug you’d like to repair, or a remnant piece of carpet that could serve as a rug, what are you waiting for? Using Instabind to transform either is much less expensive than the price of an area rug, even an inexpensive one, so what have you got to lose?

 

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!

Binding corners is a more challenging part of the process of binding carpets and rugs. It can be tricky to bind something with a 90-degree corner and make it look completely professional. Fortunately, we at Bond Products have several tips for making it easier to create great looking finished carpets no matter how many corners they have. 

Binding Corners Using a Carpet Binder

In this video Brian demonstrates how to bind a piece of carpet that has an inside corner using a Bond Model TMB1 Double Puller carpet binder. Many stair runners have inside corners that have to be bound and so do carpets that are cut and installed around fireplace corners and other decorative room elements.

The way you accomplish this is to bend and crease the carpet corner into a straight line so that you can sew the binding on right through and make a perfect looking corner. You can do this with a table model carpet binder or a portable binder.

Blind Stitching a Carpet with a Mitred Corner

If you need to blind stitch a carpet with a mitred corner, we have a video that shows you how to do that too! 

Here the carpet binding is sewn to the rug using a PBL-TX tapestry binder, and then it’s wrapped around the edge using Bond PSA Double-sided EasyTape and a hot glue gun for a beautiful look. You can use either glue or our SSTGU81 Pro-Drive Heavy Duty Hand-binding stapler to tuck the binding tabs under the carpet at the corners. 

You may think binding corners looks difficult, but with the right tools and a little experience, it really is not hard at all. If you have questions about what products you need for any carpet job, please call us at 1-888-800-BOND, and our customer service team will be happy to help you get exactly what you need. 

 

The holiday season is upon us, and for most families that means some change ups around the house and decorative gifts. Some people go all out for Christmas and switch out their decor completely, while others like to put up a tree and focus on a pretty accent piece like a holiday themed area rug. There’s quite a selection of holiday rugs to choose from. 

A new area rug is also an excellent gift idea for someone with either bare floors or an appreciation for fine craftsmanship. One question that this all raises, however, is: What do you do with your old rug when you’ve replaced it with a new one? The two most common solutions would be to either donate it to charity or a friend or throw it away. There are other ideas, though. Let’s go through a few of them.

Hang an antique rug on the wall. People from many other cultures hang rugs as decorations, not just because they are beautiful, but because they offer further insulation against cold or heat. A smaller area rug hung on the wall can be just as much of a conversation piece as a painting or other original piece of art because fiber art is fine and intricate.

Use the rug as a canvas. Do you have creative impulses? Here’s a new opportunity. You can paint a rug, stencil it, attach glitter or beads to it, or cut patterns into it to add interest. Damaged larger rugs can be cut down to make smaller rugs, welcome mats, or even floor mats for the car. If the alternative is throwing it away, you’re not taking a risk by experimenting on it first. Your kids may need to be entertained during the holiday break from school, and they might love the chance to deconstruct a rug and make it into something else.

Keep your old rug in your trunk. It’s a real hassle to clean out a car’s trunk. There are all kinds of little crevices that dirt and small objects get trapped in. Putting an old rug inside the trunk interior will help to keep it cleaner. It’s useful in other ways too. That rug can be taken out and used to make the ground more comfortable and pleasant – like when you go for a picnic or to see the fireworks. A rug offers better protection from the damp or cold than a blanket.

These are just a handful ideas for what you might do with an old rug, but there are many more online. If you do get a new rug this Christmas, think twice before you throw out the old one. It may have possibilities you never considered!

Bond’s customer service representatives often about how to finish off or bind a carpet project. For many types of rugs, including ones made from carpet remnants, the answer can be, “Use Instabind.” For the question of how to bind a latch hook rug, it’s a little more complicated. There are at least two methods for binding a latch hook rug, and we will go over them here. 

Making a latch hook rug is an easy and fun project that even young children can enjoy. There are many types of beautiful rugs. Designing and hooking a latch hook rug is a good introduction to the art of rug making for all ages. When the hooking part of the project is finished, then it’s time to bind it to make sure it looks neat. 

The Hand Sewn Method of Binding a Latch Hook Rug

One way to bind a latch hook rug is to hand sew the edges. To do this you will need scissors, a tapestry needle, and yarn or strong thread as well as the latch hook project itself. 

Typically, latch hook projects will leave about an inch of unhooked space around the edges. To bind the rug, fold this inch of rug canvas down along the back of the rug. Then thread the tapestry needle with the yarn or strong thread and, using a whip stitch, sew the folded rug canvas to the back of the project at the edges. When you reach the corners of the project, you will want to cut out the small square of rug canvas where the edges overlap and keep stitching. When you have stitched all four sides of your rug, break your thread or yarn and knot it tightly. 

Because the yarn on latch hook rugs is long and often shaggy, the edges will be hidden by the length of the yarn. If you use the hand sewn method, the yarn will remain the visual focal point, but the project will not look as neat as if you bound it with binding tape.

Binding a Latch Hook Rug with Binding Tape

If you want your latch hook rug to look more finished and neat, you can bind it with binding tape. To do this, trim the edges of the finished rug. Leave space on the canvas two complete grid squares deep. This will be about a half an inch of canvas, and you will use it to attach the binding. 

Choose a binding tape that matches the rug. Press the edge of the tape as close to the edge of the finished rug as you can and pin it to one side of the canvas. Then, using a sewing machine, sew the binding tape to the canvas. Use a new strip of binding tape for each side of the rug, and sew each of them in place. 

The next step is to take the unsewn edges of the binding tape and pin them to the bottom of the rug. This will hide the edges of the canvas grid. From here you will hand sew them in place using an overcast stitch. When you have sewn all four edges, make a tight knot, and voilà, you’re done!

With the binding of your latch hook rug complete, you can use it either as a floor covering or a wall hanging. If you intend to use it as a regular rug, you may want to browse Bond’s selection of rug backing products. These include products that protect your flooring from scratches as well as one that keep rugs in place to prevent slipping accidents. 

Enjoy your beautiful latch hook rug! 

 

 

 

In the past couple of years when people have spent more time at home, the concepts of nesting, coziness, and mindfulness have become more popular. When winter comes, these seem all the more compelling. The Danes have a word for this: hygge. Let’s take a look at what it means. 

What Is Hygge? 

The Danish concept of hygge (pronounced “hoo-ga”), refers to finding comfort, pleasure, and warmth in simple, soothing things like drinking coffee before a warm fire, snuggling under a soft blanket, putting on soft socks, or spending time pursuing simple pleasures with friends and family. In fact, this is not just a Danish concept. Other Scandinavian cultures like Norway and Sweden also have come up with many practical ways to emotionally and physically sustain themselves through their long, cold, dark winters. 

What Is a Hygge Rug?

There is no specific hygge rug, but there are plenty of different kinds of rugs that can be used to make a room feel like a warmer and cozier place to be. Rugs have that transformative character. They can make a cold, tiled room feel softer and more inviting. They can add artistic interest to any space. If you’re looking to create a hygge atmosphere in your home, here are several types of rugs that work well for this purpose: 

Wool Rugs 

Wool, because it’s animal fleece, is perfect for keeping out both cold and damp. It both looks and feels warm, acts as a natural insulator, and even helps to control allergies. There are so many wonderful kinds of wool rugs that you may have difficulty choosing between antique Persian rugs and wool contemporary ones. Take your time and choose well – wool rugs last a long, long time. 

Shag Rugs

The long, long strands of shag rugs feel like they are hugging your feet when you walk on them barefoot or in your fleece socks. Shag rugs were a design phenomenon in the 1960s, but now they can be used in a variety of settings to create a funky, hygge mood.

High Pile

Besides shag, there are many other types of high-pile rug choices that will give you the same soft, buoyant feel when you walk or sit on them. Is it a rug or a place to take a winter nap? You decide. 

Handmade Rugs

Braided rugs, hooked rugs, hand-woven rugs…all of these are fiber art that add a cozy, personal touch to a room. Hygge is all about feeling comfortable and content. Homemade art like quilts and knit throws go well with handmade rugs for a layered aesthetic. Bonus points for adding plenty of color, because winter days can be very gray.

If you want to create a hygge feel in your home, remember that hygge is not a specific style, it’s a mindset. If the rug you choose helps you to relax and lower your stress level, it’s a hygge rug. 

For all your rug and carpet needs, remember to call Bond Products at 1-888-800-BOND. We can help you find what you need to bind, serge, or replace your worn out carpet bindings and fringes. 

 

News commentators and economists have been discussing the possibility of the R word – recession – for some months now. As with any recession, it’s always good for a company to take a hard look at what is working and what can be added or changed to become more profitable and efficient. Investing in equipment to increase product or service offerings can be useful. Right now Bond Products has a number of quality reconditioned used or refurbished carpet binders for sale. If you want to expand your business and are looking for a more affordable way to do it, take a look at our used carpet binding equipment. 

New Strategies for Success 

While economic downturns are never fun for businesses, they can be weathered if companies look for ways to trim and transform themselves. Adding another skill to your business’s portfolio by purchasing a carpet binder or serger can increase income for your flooring business. Customers will typically pay $7-12 per linear foot to add wide tapestry borders to carpets and rugs. 

With training, skill, and the right carpet binding equipment, you can create attractive, fully finished rugs ranging from functional to art either on location or on site. This is a simple and straightforward way to expand your customer base.

Quality Used Carpet Binding Equipment

Bond Products offers both new equipment and quality reconditioned used or refurbished equipment to our customers. If you have not yet checked out our clearance outlet page, what are you waiting for? The right machine may be waiting, and we include a 60-day warranty with every used machine we sell. 

Our used equipment inventory changes all of the time, so if you don’t see what you need right now, keep checking back. You never know what kind of great deal may be available. 

As always, if you have any questions about which type of equipment would be best to invest in, call our customer service professionals at 1-888-800-BOND today. Whether you’re interested in new or used carpet binding equipment, we will be happy to help you make the perfect choice for your business. 

As with any other tool, it’s important to remember best safety practices when you use your glue gun to adhere objects together. In this blog we will go over some advice on glue gun safety so you do not have to worry when you use yours for work jobs or hobby crafts. 

Glue Gun Risks

Glue guns are designed for a number of uses and by people of all ages. There are even glue guns for children. This is possible because both the guns and hot-melt adhesive glue are generally safe to use. Poor quality glue guns can pose a safety risk, like the Crafter’s Square glue gun recalled by Dollar Tree earlier this year. It’s worth the extra money to purchase a high quality glue gun that you can use without worry. 

The tip of the glue gun can get very hot, and the glue in its molten state can also burn skin, so injury is possible. However, by taking the right safety measures, these risks can be avoided.

Glue Gun Safety

• Most hot glue gun injuries are burns to the fingers and hands. To avoid burns, use your glue gun carefully along with protective safety gear like gloves, long-sleeved shirts, and safety glasses. The hot glue can also damage surfaces like tables, so using a drip mat is advised. 
• Before you plug in your glue gun, check to see if there is any damage to the casing or fraying of the cord. Keep it away from flammable materials, and use it in a clean, dry, well-ventilated work environment. 
• Only run your glue gun at the recommended temperature which is designed to avoid overheating the glue and creating toxic vapors. 
• Do not lay a hot glue gun on its side or tilt a hot glue gun upward. Use the safety stand to keep it upright when you are not using it. 
• Do not leave a hot glue gun unattended for the same reason. This is a fire hazard. Unplug it if you are not using it right away. It doesn’t take long for a glue gun to heat up, and it’s not worth risking a fire for convenience if you need to step away from your task..
• To remove the nozzle, unplug the glue gun and allow it to cool down until warm, but not cold. Do not touch the warm nozzle without protective gloves. 
• If you get hot glue on your skin or in your eyes, rinse or submerge the area in cold water immediately. Do not try to remove the melted glue from the skin as it might open a deeper wound. Seek medical attention if serious injury has resulted. 

A high quality glue gun used in the correct way is a great tool for flooring, woodworking, decorative crafts, household repairs, and more. Safety first is always the way to go, though. If you have any questions about the right glue gun for your project, call Bond Products at 1-888-800-BOND. Our customer service representatives will be happy to help you find what you need. 

 

  

 

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!