Brian’s Blog

One of the most frequently asked questions we get is: What binding or serging machine is the right choice for my business? With that inspiration we want to discuss and clarify our recommendations for each model machine in our line.

Portable vs. Stationary – the Pros and Cons

Portable machines are exactly that – portable. They are generally smaller machines on wheels that only require a small space to operate. They “roll” around the perimeter of the area rug either in your warehouse or right on the job site. They are considerably less of an initial investment than stationary machines and are generally recommended for those just getting started in the binding business or for those who simply do not have the space or budget required for stationary binders/sergers.

The benefits of portable machines are:

• They require less space to operate
• They are easily conveyed to the job site
• They require a smaller initial investment

Stationary machines, or table models as they are often called, require more space to operate as you will have to pass the carpet through on a set of rollers or an air table. You’ll need a minimum of twelve feet both in front and in back of the machine. If using a set of conveyor rollers, we like to set them up preferably double width and twenty feet front and back along a wall space to handle the rolled carpet, and then re-roll it three more times to bind/surge each edge. An air table that is both long and wide enough does not require re-rolling as the carpet will “float” and “turn” easily, reducing the handling time and effort. At Bond Products we have an air table in house that is 16’ x 32’ that does a great job handling the majority of the larger rugs we finish.

The benefits of stationary machines are:

• They run using foot pedals that free up both hands to maneuver the carpet more easily (especially when sewing on fringe).
• They are faster and more powerful than most portables
• They are heavy duty machines and require less maintenance
• They spare the operator physical stress because kneeling isn’t required

Binding vs. Serging

Binding is the traditional way to finish a carpet edge, using a binding tape in either polyester or cotton. The most common width is 7/8” although 1-1/4”, 3” & 5” widths are options.

Serging is actually attaching or whipping a yarn over the edge of the carpet. Serging yarn is available in synthetic or cotton (i.e., oriental carpet edge).

Real serging requires a special serging machine, although a properly fitted binding machine can attach serging tape that closely mimics real surging without the expense of an additional machine.

One More Option…

Not ready to invest in a binding or serging machine? Consider the option of our DIY Instabind. You can easily apply a binding, serging, or rope edge using only a pair of scissors or a glue gun. We offer nine styles and many colors to choose from.

Bond’s Lineup includes:

HDS & HDSB Stationary Sergers

Our Union Special 81200 heavy duty wrap around table serger with binder. The most heavy duty serger on the market, bar-none.

• Uses one spool of tex 210 bonded nylon and the serging yarn of your choice
• Binds and serges in one pass operation
• Also available without the binding attachment (stk# 21990x)
• Comes complete with table, motor, and thread stands, etc.
• Built on another quality Union Special head and backed by over 55 years of family owned & operated craftsmanship
• Charge 5-7 dollars a foot and up for unmatched profits

Bond Alpha Mini 2000 Serger

Bond’s Alpha – mini 2000 has the best value of any portable carpet serger available!

• Comes with no. 138 tex size 135 nylon thread  & cone of cotton yarn for starting up.
• Great for all carpet, rugs, & mats
• Utilizes the latest technology
• Handles large range of carpet thickness & backings
• Wraps perpendicular on the edges, not at an angle
• Wraps evenly around edge, on both top & bottom
• Maneuvers swiftly on its ball bearing wheels
• Serges outside & inside corners, curves, or scallops with ease
• Speed controlled electronically
• Digital meter registers the volume of serging
• Stand-up handle available
• Lightweight & easy to transport
• Designed for heavy duty use
• Comes with spare needles, tool kit, & operation manual
• Increases productivity
• 90-day warranty against manufacturer defects

Bond BBL-1 Table Binder

Built on the highest quality Union Special head, our BBL-1 is our best-selling commercial base binder.

• High speed, bobbinless, self-lubricating, low maintenance
• Combines with Bond’s portable cove base cutter and winder for optimum efficiency
• Priced complete with table, motor, thread & light stand

Bond BBL-2 Table Binder

The new Bond BBL-2 bobbinless carpet binder features 2 pulling wheels for a more positive feed. Perfect for binding carpet base, mill samples and high-speed production work. Self-lubricating, maintenance free and reliable, this machine is the choice for carpet workrooms with a high volume of work.

Features a 1/2 HP variable motor and will handle any width binding with a properly sized custom folder. This is a table model machine, perfect for adaptation to air tables and roller conveyor systems.  A cove base attachment is available as an option (runs carpet base hands free).

HDB-1 Table Binder

All new Heavy Duty Bobbinless Table Binder.

• Sews through the toughest carpets effortlessly
• Heavy berber, sisal and even bamboo cannot slow this beast
• Binds with 1-1/4 up to optional 5 inch width tapes in a single pass or attach our tapestry guide for even wider applications
• Heavy duty ½ hp variable speed motor
• Self -oiling
• Backed by Bond’s superior customer & technical support & service, it’s an investment that will pay for itself over and over

PBB-1X Portable Binder

Most economical, heavy duty,  high speed binder available. Variable speed to over 30 feet per minute. Glides through even tough unitary backings with ease. Put it on the floor and bind any size rug right where it lays. Also a terrific machine for binding carpet base with an optional cove base guide. Features include:

• Bobbinless portable “no more changing bobbins”
• High speed / variable speed with fingertip control
• Extra heavy duty construction
• Runs various widths of tape with optional folder attachments
• Lightweight & portable
• 110V, 60W, 8000 rpm HD motor
• Binding over 30 feet per minute
• Uses large spools of thread
• Easy to thread with full access removable front access panel
• Low maintenance / user friendly
• Backed by Bond’s 90-day limited warranty

PBB-2X Portable Binder

With the most pull through power to tackle the thickest & hardest carpet backings and the high speed to run volumes of carpet cove base and area rugs.  Best of all, no more bobbin is required, so there’s no more stopping every 50-60 feet to replace a bobbin. Features include:

• Bobbinless – no bobbin required
• Extremely powerful and high speed
• Adjustable speed trigger switch
• Double puller 4 x 4 (top and bottom driven pullers both front and rear)
• Independent rear puller lifter (run like a single puller for circles etc)
• Binds up to 3-inch tapes with optional folders
• Optional cove base guide
• Easy threading accessibility & tension adjustments
• Independent front & rear clutch pullers
• Heavy duty casters
• Lightweight
• 8-foot cord
• Holds large thread spools
• Low maintenance / user friendly
• Easy threading with full access removable front panel
• Super heavy duty needle & looper
• Straight chain stitch
• Extra high lift of needle height
• 110V standard heavy duty motor
• Non-slip belt system
• 90-day warranty on parts and service
  • Note: Bobbinless binders are straight stitch only!

PBL-TX Portable Tapestry Binder

Get up to date with our PBL-TX Tapestry Binder. Now you can put on the wide tapestry borders (up to 6-1/2″ on the face). Simply blind stitch the wide border on and “flip & glue” to the back side of the rug. Charge $7 to $9 and up per linear foot. A great additional income to your workroom or retail store business.

PBL-TXB Wide Tapestry & Binder Combo

All new Bond Model PBL-TXB Zigzag Lock-Stitch Tapestry Portable Binder. Comes with tapestry guide & your choice of a narrow folder. Why buy three different machines when one can do the job? Now available with a zigzag lockstitch that binds ¾ to 3” widths of tape in a single pass (with optional folder attachments) or tapestry blind stitch up to 6-1/2 inches wide.

• Portable
• Straight or zigzag stitch
• Adjustable stitch length
• High lift needle
• Uses regular portable style A, HD bobbins
• Binds over 10 feet per minute
• Walking foot top and feed dog bottom for consistent pulling power
• Optional 3-inch sisal  tape folders available
• Four heavy duty caster wheels for stability
• 8-foot cord standard
• 220v motor optional
• Backed by Bond’s 90-day warranty
  • Note: When using as a regular binding machine, it’s only intended for light to medium weight carpets, also ideal for upholstery work.

 

While it would be great to install one piece of carpet in a room, avoiding any seaming, in most cases, this is not possible. Fortunately, correctly seaming carpet using carpet seam tape can produce the same seamless effect. Here’s how you go about achieving it.

Unroll the carpet in the room you will install it. Measure the width of the piece that you will need to add to the main piece in order to fully carpet the room. It’s important to measure in more than one place along the length of the room. Some buildings aren’t really square, and you know the saying, “Measure twice, cut once.” It doesn’t just apply to wood.

With a carpet cutter or utility knife, trim the edge of your carpet against a straight edge, carefully measuring as you cut. If you do not do this correctly, your finished seam may show. When cut right, your carpet pieces will both have a straight, smooth edge on them, and they will fit together perfectly. Make sure the nap of the carpet on both pieces is going in the same direction, and then you can insert the seam tape.

Cut the carpet seam tape to the length of the cut seam and place it centered under the two cut edges with the adhesive facing up. The seam tape is marked to make this easier.

Prior to heat seaming, using a seam sealing latex. As the CRI Carpet Installation Standard states, “most carpet requires an edge protective material be introduced between the edges to be joined…Failure to properly prepare seam edges often results in: edge ravel, edge delamination, tuft loss, seam separation, safety concerns.”

After you have sealed the seam, pull back the carpet and put your pre-heated seaming iron down on the tape. When the glue on the tape has warmed and is starting to bead, press the two sections of the carpet back down on that section of the tape, slowly moving the seaming iron forward to heat the next section. Make sure the backing of the two pieces of carpet you are connecting are exactly together, tightly.

Use a carpet tractor or a weighted object to push the melted glue into the grid backing of the carpet so it will fully adhere to the tape. Repeat these steps along the entire length of the carpet until it is fully seamed. Allow the glue on the tape to fully cool before you move the carpet into position for its final installation. Smooth the surface of the seamed pieces with your hands and trim off any stray pieces of string or carpet fibers. Unplug your seaming iron and clean it with a piece of scrap carpeting.

Following these instructions should result in a nice uniform looking piece of carpet. Connecting carpet seams in the direction of the primary light source of the room will also help hide the seam visually.

Bond Products offers everything a DIY weekend project warrior or a professional installer will need for seaming and carpet installation. 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. Let us help you find and purchase the right items for your job!

 

How dangerous are slip-and-fall accidents? It depends. Small children fall all of the time, get back up, and keep on trucking, but one spill can do a great deal of damage to the wrong person, particularly people over the age of 65. The National Institutes of Health conducted an analysis of injuries treated in emergency rooms from 2001-2008 in order to track slip-and-fall injuries, where they occur, and the pain and decreased mobility that resulted. Here is what they found:

Every year within this time period American emergency rooms treated approximately 38,000 adults ages 65 and older for injuries sustained with carpets and rugs. In the majority of cases (72.8%) these injuries occurred at home. Women were much more likely to be treated than men.

The most common site in the home for falls was the bathroom (35.7%). Typically people fell when they were passing over spots where carpets met rugs or rugs met flooring, where there were wet spots on rugs or flooring, or while they were hurrying to the bathroom. Other problems associated with injuries included rugs or carpets with curled edges or fold, but loose area rugs were a bigger problem than carpets.

The most reported injuries were in people ages 75-84, and the injuries were most commonly to the head or neck. While older people often worry about falls because they so often result in fractures or breaks, they worry especially about hip fractures because they lead to complications and lesser mobility. Not only is a hip fracture painful, one in five people who suffer one will die within a year of their injury. Even following a successful recovery after a fall, older people will go out less and take fewer chances out of lingering fear.

Previously we talked about things you should do to keep your rugs from slipping and creating hazards in your home. Using products like non-slip rug pads, or rug backings will help to keep your rugs in place and therefore create less of a hazard in your home. If you haven’t secured the rugs in your home, now would be a good time to tackle that job – before winter presents us with even more slip and fall opportunities. Consider safety proofing the rugs in the homes or apartments of your older relatives or friends as well. A small investment in safety could mean years more of health and independent living for your loved ones and priceless peace of mind.

Call us at Bond Products if you need help or advice about the products necessary to make the rugs and carpets in your home safer to traverse.

Bond Products will be hosting our annual Fall Open House from 8 AM to 3 PM on October 26, 2023. This event, like previous open houses, will be open to the public and will offer our customers a chance to observe carpet binding skills from the professionals at Bond and ask questions about how it’s done. Whether you’re a carpet professional or this is your first time binding a rug, everyone is welcome!

Bond sells everything to finish carpet edges and make custom area rugs. We offer a variety of equipment and supplies, as well as parts and accessories, including thread, needles, bobbins, machine parts, and different types and qualities of tape. We also have tapestry equipment to bind wider borders. If you have valuable carpets that need restoration, we work with rug cleaning people to re-fringe/re-serge and restore them to their original luster.

This fall we are celebrating with savings. We are discounting all of our equipment and supplies 10% and will do a half an hour’s free labor on portable machine repairs. If you’re having a problem with your machine, bring it in! We will be happy to look at it. You just need to call and make an appointment to reserve a time slot.

As always, Bond offers clearance items, including certified refurbished equipment, parts, and machines, to our clients who want to have more advanced carpet working capabilities without paying new prices for equipment. Browse our used equipment page for deals! We do trade evaluations on older equipment too, if you are interested in trading up to a new binder with more capability.

Each of our open houses offer our customers to watch our professionals doing what they’re great at, so come on in on the 26th and see everything Bond Products has to offer to the flooring community.

 

Upselling is a major plus in any sale. When someone is buying a new home, a car, or carpet, it may be the initial price or sale offer that gets noticed, or it might be the initial hook — but it’s the add-ons that push up profits. In the carpet world, that’s custom carpet edges.

Custom Carpet Edges Pricing

Many folks offer a standard binding edge service, and that’s a terrific profit center, but why stop there? Whereas standard binding usually brings $.80 to $3.50 per foot, offering a more upscale edge can double or triple the profits.

Here is some current market pricing for custom carpet binding:

………………………………Cost per foot……Retail charge…………………….Profit per foot

Standard Binding              $.07/ft                  $1.75/ft                                   $1.68/ft

Cotton Binding                  $.12/ft                  $2.50/ft                                   $2.38/ft

Serge Binding                    $.23/ft                  $4.25/ft                                   $4.02/ft

3” Wide Binding                $.40/ft                  $6.00/ft                                   $5.60/ft

5” Wide Binding                $.60/ft                  $8.00/ft                                   $7.40/ft

Note: Prices roughly based on costs as of September 2023 and profits will depend on your local market pricing.

With these very basic examples, you can see that the profit per foot rises exponentially and dramatically if you offer additional binding options. If you already own a binding machine, your move towards more profits could be as simple as investing in a custom attachment. The other option is to use a DIY product called Instabind that doesn’t require any initial investment. The only tools needed to apply Instabind are a pair of scissors and a hot glue gun!

Invest in Carpet Binding Equipment for Greater Profits

Give it some thought. For just a small investment that will pay for itself quickly, (or none at all if you use Instabind), you can see your business realize a greater profit margin in no time.

Bond’s customer service department is always available to answer any carpet binding questions you may have, so please feel free to call us at 1-888-800-BOND.

Have you thought about investing in new equipment in 2023? One useful tool we recommend solid hardwood flooring and engineered flooring professionals have is a pneumatic stapler or finish nail tool. If you don’t know why a pneumatic stapler is great to have, we will go through its uses here. 

What Is a Pneumatic Staple Gun?

A pneumatic staple gun is a tool that is often used in the construction industry and to install hardwood and engineered flooring underlayment. It looks like a gun and has a trigger and a cartridge for staples. The staple gun uses compressed air to drive staples into a hard surface like wood flooring. It’s simple to use and improves stapling accuracy, limiting damage to the object being stapled. 

In terms of efficiency, a pneumatic staple gun accomplishes a task much faster than a manual or even an electric stapler. Pneumatic tools require less maintenance than other kinds of tools as well. Using compressed air rather than gas or electricity keeps costs down too. 

What Does a Pneumatic Stapler Do?

People use pneumatic staple guns to attach materials that might become easily dislodged if they were attached with a small nail. These include: insulation, house wrap, roofing felt, and hardwood flooring or engineered flooring underlayment. These pneumatic staplers use a variety of crown widths, depending on the fastener application’s requirements. They range from narrow to wide crown. The choice of staple will depend on the material you’re fastening or your holding power requirements. 

Pneumatic staple guns are serious equipment, so if you invest in one, you should also commit to wearing safety glasses and ear protection while operating it. Also: use your pneumatic stapler according to directions at all times. 

The Pneumatic 18GA Narrow Crown Professional Underlayment Stapler

The pneumatic stapler Bond Products carries and recommends is the Pneumatic 18GA Narrow Crown Professional Underlayment Stapler. This stapler weighs only 2.8 pounds, has a fast jam release and a 360° adjustable exhaust. It’s operation is bump/single fire, and it has an operating pressure of 70-100 PSI. 

This underlayment stapler uses 18 GA staples from ⅞” to 1-½”. You may have heard that the U.S. Commerce Department has recently increased duties on all Chinese producers and exporters by 301.64%. This definitely applies to staples made by Chinese manufacturers, including 18 GA staples. Fortunately, the ProDriveHD® brand staples we offer at Bond Products are not subject to fluctuating prices because of tariffs. 

If you are in the market for a pneumatic stapler, we at Bond Products have you covered. Call us today at 1-888-800-BOND to place your order for your stapler and any staples you require. 

 

 

Bond Products is pleased to announce the debut of a brand new Instabind product, a sew-free carpet binding option for our customers: Instabind Fringe Style. This DIY peel-and-stick fringe is high quality and can be applied quickly and easily to replace old or damaged fringes on your area rugs. All that you will need to apply it is a glue gun, glue, and a pair of scissors.

Do You Have Damaged Rug Fringes? 

Sooner or later, most rug fringes get dirty or damaged. It just happens. Vacuuming is hard on them, and they pick up all the dirt that gets dragged into the house on shoes or paws. Unfortunately, most people don’t know what to do with the fringe when it gets nasty looking, except to take it to a rug professional or throw it out. 

With Instabind Fringe Style there is one more option: Remove the damaged fringe and replace it with a new one! A new binding makes a real difference in the appearance of an older rug. Bond Products offers many different types of bindings for rugs, including sew-on replacement fringe, but Instabind makes this task much, much simpler. 

Here’s what you will need:

• Your area rug
• Instabind Fringe Style
• A hot glue gun
• Glue sticks
• A pair of shears

Apply Your Instabind Fringe Style

Your first step will be to trim the old fringe off the rug and cut the edges so they are straight. A straight, precisely cut edge will look best, so take your time here to get it looking just right. 

Then measure the Instabind Fringe to the edges and cut off what you need for the length of the rug. Peel the paper away, and press the rug onto the sticky edge where you want the fringe to be. Use a hot glue gun, preferably with a long-nozzle tip, and latex-based glue sticks to apply a 1/8th-inch bead of glue all along the edge of the carpet. Continue the gluing process until the entire edge has been glued. This will give you a permanent bond between the rug and the fringe, and it will seal the edge of your cut carpet at the same time. 

Let the glue dry, cut any unused Instabind Fringe off, and then seal that cut part of the Instabind with a bead of glue. If you want to further reinforce the bond, you can also glue the flange on the back of the rug to the rug as well. This is especially important for older, Oriental rugs. 

And voilà! Your carpet is good to use again!

For more help, watch Brian apply Instabind Fringe Style to a small Oriental runner here:

Instabind Fringe Style is great for finishing off runners and for repairing Oriental carpets with damaged fringe. If you have any questions about our Instabind products or any of our other carpet binding and flooring products, please do not hesitate to contact us at 1-888-800-BOND. We are always happy to be of service to our customers. 

 

We always appreciate it when our customers love our products so much that they share their personal experiences with them, so we want to highlight a review from Mod Home Ec Teacher on how to bind a carpet remnant to make a custom-shaped area rug with Instabind. DIY carpet binding has never been so easy!

“Carpet binding has always seemed to be something for which the DIY-er needs a professional. Well, not anymore!”

Can You Bind Carpet Yourself?

If you’re wondering how to do your own DIY carpet binding, it really is quite simple. You do not have to send area rugs away to a carpet binder to create your own beautiful custom area rug from a remnant. With Instabind, this can be a fun weekend project. You simply cut your carpet remnant to size, measure your Instabind and attach it to the raw carpet edges. No sewing necessary! 

You will need the following: 

• A hot glue gun
• Scissors
• Clear tape
• Instabind

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
• NEW Fringe binding style

We even sell an Instabind Starter Kit to make using it even easier. If you’re wondering which style of Instabind to choose, 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. The highest quality look is the cotton one, but our synthetic Instabind options look great too.

Let’s Get Started!

First, you trim off any strings or irregularities along the sides of the carpet and make sure that all sides are straight. It may be easier to use a carpet cutter and a straight edge to achieve straight lines and sharp corners.

Take the Instabind, and make a clean cut. Pull the paper on the binding back, and apply it to the carpet in the middle of one cut edge. Then extend the Instabind past the corner of the carpet, 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 this process around the carpet until you reach where you started. You can readjust the Instabind if you need to 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.

Next, seal the beginning and ending pieces of the Instabind together with a bead of hot glue. Use your glue gun to apply a ⅛” bead of hot glue between the edge of the Instabind and the carpet. Hold this in place a few minutes to let the glue set. Continue gluing all the way around the carpet. For a more finished looking back, trim the Instabind backing at a 45 degree angle.

Now you have a beautiful carpet you can use in your home. Using Instabind to transform a remnant or fix a damaged rug is much less expensive than the price of an area rug, even an inexpensive one. Why not try this project for yourself?

Call Bond Products for All of Your DIY Carpet Binding Needs

Always feel free to contact us or call us at 1-888-800-BOND if you have any questions about the products you may need for your carpet binding or flooring needs. We are happy to help.

It’s no secret that times are tough. Inflation has been hitting consumers and small businesses hard in the pocketbook for the past few years, and we’ve all had to tighten our belts. It’s for this reason that Bond Products has been working hard to save our customers money by offering more economical choices on our carpet supplies like threads and bobbins. 

Introducing Our New Economical Threads and Bobbins!

We always recommend that our customers who purchase our binding and serging machines also purchase needles and thread, and other carpet binding supplies from us as well. With the right materials, our binders and sergers will operate better and last longer, and their output will be higher quality too. If you need to order thread or bobbins, here are some of our most economical thread and bobbin products: 

Imported Size 21 Style A Bobbins for Portable Binders – Each of these bobbins contains 106 yards of thread. They are priced per 1 gross box (144 bobbins per package).

Imported Heavy Duty Style A Bobbins for Portable Binders – These bobbins come in Size 35 and contain 76 yards per bobbin. They are sold in 1-gross boxes of 144 bobbins per box. Note: If you are using HD bobbins for the first time, you may need to adjust the tension on your bobbin case.

Imported Heavy Duty Style F Bobbin for Table Model TMB-1 & Heavy Duty Portable Model HDP-2 – These bobbins come in Size 35 and contain 68 yards of thread per bobbin. They are sold in 1-gross boxes of 144 bobbins per box.

Imported Style F Bobbin for table model TMB-1 & Heavy Duty Portable Model HDP-2 – These bobbins come in size 21 and contain 95 yards of thread per bobbin. They are sold in 1-gross boxes of 144 bobbins per box.

Imported #52 8-ounce Spool Cleartone Monofilament for Portable Models PBL-1 & 2 – These bobbins come in cases of 10 spools, and their thickness is .010. 

Imported Size #63 – 8-ounce Spool Cleartone Mono-filament Thread for Portable Models PBL-1x & 2x – These bobbins come in cases of 10 spools

Imported Size 69 Natural/White Nylon 16-ounce Spool – Tex size 70, these bobbins  are made for Models BBL1 & 2, 81200 Sergers, and Bobbinless Portable Model PBB’s. They also come in cases of 10 spools with 5,500 meters of thread per spool. 

​​As always, if you have any questions about the binding supplies you need for your machines, please contact us or call us at (888) 800-2663 (BOND). We are open Monday to Friday from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM to provide these answers and any other customer service you may need. We look forward to serving you. 

Bond Products offers a variety of binding and serging machines for professional use. We always recommend that our customers who purchase and use these machines also purchase specific needles and thread, and other carpet binding supplies from us as well. With the right materials, our binders and sergers will operate better and last longer, and their output will be higher quality too. Below is a list of our machines and the needles and thread, bobbins, and other products we recommend purchasing with them.

 

For the PBL-1 and PBL-2 portable carpet binders, use:

Needles:

#21022 22 DP Diamond Point needles (box of 100 or pack of 10)

#21023 23 DP Diamond Point needles (box of 100 or pack of 10)

Top thread:

#08054 52 [.010] 8oz Cleartone Monofilament thread

#08056 63 [.011] 8oz Cleartone Monofilament thread

 

For the PBL-TX and PBL-TXB Wide Tapestry carpet binders, use:

Needles:

#21024 24 DP Diamond Point needles (box of 100 or pack of 10)

Top thread:

#08078 White, #08079 Black size 69 Bonded Tex 70 Nylon 16 oz. spool

#08056 63 [.011] 8oz Cleartone Monofilament thread

Bobbins:

#08052HD Style A-Heavy Duty bobbins

 

For the BBL-1 and BBL-2 Bobbinless table binders, use:

Needles:

#21024 24 DP Diamond Point needles (box of 100 or pack of 10)

#21025B/M 25 DP Diamond Point needles

Top thread:

#08016 Size 63 [.011] Cleartone Monofilament Canister (1.5 lb. approx.)

Bottom thread:

#08078 White, #08079 Black size 69 Bonded Tex 70 Nylon 16 oz. spool

 

For the PBB-1 & PBB-2 Bobbinless portable binders, use:

Needles:

#21025 25-UY143GS needles (box of 100 or pack of 10)

Top thread:

#08017 75 [.012] Cleartone Monofilament canister (1.5 lb. approx.)

Bottom:

#09012 12/4 Glazed Cotton Tex 135 in Maple, Chestnut, Natural, Olive Drab

OR #08078 White #69 NYLON 16 oz. spool (#08079 black, etc.)

 

For the HDB-1 & HDB-2 Heavy Duty Bobbinless table binders, use:

Needles:

#21027C 250-9848 Needles (pack of 25)

#21027B 230-9848-1975G Needles (pack of 25) OR #21028 *250-1975G

Top thread:

#08017 Size 75 [.012] Cleartone Monofilament Canister (1.5 LB approx.)

Bottom:

#08078 White, #08079 Black size 69 Bonded Tex 70 Nylon 16 oz. spool

#08082 White, #08083 Black #138 Tex 135 Nylon 16 oz. spool

 

For the TMB-1 Lock Stitch table binder, use:

Needles:

#21023 23 DP Diamond Point or Titanium needles (box of 100 or pack of 10)

Top thread:

#08015 52 [.010] Cleartone Monofilament canister (1.5 lb.)

#08016 63 [.011] Cleartone Monofilament canister (1.5 lb.)

Bobbins:

#08051 Style F bobbins, or #08051HD Style F-Heavy Duty bobbins

 

For the HDS-1 & HDS-2 Heavy Duty sergers, use:

Needles:

#21026HD (250-9844GS) needles (25 each) or #21031HD (230-9844) needles (25 each)

Top thread:

#08084 White, #08085 Black #207 Bonded Tex 210 Nylon 16 oz. Spool

Yarn

 

For the Alpha Miniket portable serger, use:

Needles:

#MKG002@ EACH & PACK #MKG002PK (10)

Top thread:

#08084 White, #08085 Black #207 Tex 210 Nylon 16 oz. spool

Yarn

Sku #28000 1.29lb cones, 100% cotton yarn

An added note for all of our customers: All 1-1/4” folders should be used with Long Shank needles. (Portables – PBL’s, PBS, PBT, GMC Commander)

As always, if you have any questions about the binding supplies you need for your machines, please contact us or call us at (888) 800-2663 (BOND). We are open Monday to Friday from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM to provide these answers and any other customer service you may need.

 

Have you ever considered investing in carpet binding equipment? Do you want to add another skill to your portfolio of services? Carpet binders and sergers are a great way to add extra income to your flooring business. Add one to your workroom or retail business store, and you can charge $7-12 dollars per linear foot to add wide tapestry borders to carpet and rugs. With some training, skill and the right equipment, you can create attractive, fully finished carpeting ranging from functional to art either on location or in your own facility. This is a simple and straightforward way to expand your company’s services and customer base.

Carpet Binding Equipment Options

Bond Products’ catalog includes a variety of carpet binding and serging equipment, both stationary and portable, that will allow you to bind any size carpet on site anywhere. What types of machines do we offer?

Portable Binders

You can take a portable machine wherever you go because it moves around the perimeter of the carpet which remains in place. Portable binders are great tools for on-site carpet work like building construction or commercial remodeling projects. They can also be used in the shop. These machines are fast. Bond’s PBL-XB Zig-Zag Portable Binder offers both a straight or a zig-zag stitch and binds over 10 feet per minute.

Bond’s PBB-2X Bobbinless Portable Binder tackles the thickest and hardest carpet backings while running high speed so you can bind high volumes of carpet cove base and area rugs. The PBB-2X can bind 7/8 to 3” wide tapes with the proper tape folders.

Stationary Binders

Stationary machines work like a portable binder in reverse: they remain in place while the carpet moves through it. Binding a large carpet with a stationary tool requires a large workspace and a large table or a set of conveyor rollers, so it can only be done in house by a professional. Machines like Bond’s BBL 1 and BBL 2 are high-speed, self-lubricating machines that are built to last a lifetime.

The PBL-TXB is an extra heavy-duty construction machine that 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.

Single vs. Double Puller Carpet Binders

Typically for commercial work (light weight / low pile) carpet, a single puller is sufficient 90% of the time or more. You can always pre-bevel thicker carpet for easier binding. If you are doing mostly residential plush and berber carpets of 40 to 50 ounces and up, a double puller will track through these rugs more easily and also help keep the work more square on the  way through.

Bond recommends all of the machines we sell for the different tasks they are designed for. It’s important to choose the right machine for your job. If you would like to enter the carpet binding industry at a lower price, Bond also offers a number of refurbished machines in our clearance section. If you have questions about which type of carpet binder or serger would best suit your needs, please call us at 1-888-800-BOND. We would be happy to advise you on what carpet binding equipment could best expand your business’s capabilities.

 

 

 

Rug trends are always a fun topic to explore as they reflect evolving modern style and intersect with ever-changing ideas about the role of comfort and practicality in home decor. In an earlier blog we talked about how popular vintage rugs are becoming. A related trend is the Bauhaus rug. If you don’t know what Bauhaus style is or why you might appreciate a Bauhaus rug, read on! 

What Is Bauhaus Style?

Bauhaus was a design movement that emerged from the Staatliches Bauhaus, a famous German art school, in the early twentieth century. This school focused on combining functionality, aesthetics, and craftsmanship, with its most basic principle that “form follows function.” The style that emerged from this design philosophy was minimalist, featuring clean lines, asymmetry, and geometric shapes and forms instead of the more traditional decorative elements, based on the belief that “less is more.” It aimed to integrate these elements into mass-produced, everyday objects like furniture and rugs as well as building architecture. 

The result was a new, very modern look that was strikingly different from established European decoration and architecture. The Bauhaus school operated in various locations in Germany from 1919 until it was forced to close by the Nazis in 1933, after which its teaching staff and students fled to other countries where they would later introduce Bauhaus to the world. 

Bauhaus became the cornerstone of the modern Scandinavian design movement that emerged in the 1950s, and the Mid-century Modern movement owes a great deal to Bauhaus as well. Think of the Mad Men working aesthetic, and you will have a good sense of what Bauhaus has to offer, design-wise. 

What are Bauhaus Rugs? 

Bauhaus rugs feature design elements in primary colors and are characterized by clean lines, asymmetry, and geometrical shapes with little embellishment. This type of rug is ideal for people who want something that is stylish but versatile because of its simplicity. They are often made using natural background colors like light brown, gray, or white. This makes them suited for almost any space, home or office. Because they’re designed to be more durable, they work especially well in office environments, in fact. 

Designed for functionality and durability, Bauhaus rugs can be combined with a wide variety of modern styles or used in tandem with other rugs.

If you have a Bauhaus rug that you love but needs some repair, we have all of the carpet binding or backing supplies you might need to get it looking good as new again. Call Bond Products at 888-800-BOND to talk to one of our friendly team members today. 

Changes in the seasons often bring rain and damp. Humidity has a number of damaging effects on carpet that homeowners need to be aware of. How should you care for your rugs and carpets when they’re under more stress?  

First of all, water and dirt go together. When it rains, not just water gets tracked in. Dirt and debris trapped in carpets looks and often smells bad, and moisture will cause mold to grow and weaken the carpet fibers themselves. Additionally, a wetter environment is more welcoming for bacteria and other pests. Insects like fleas need a certain level of humidity for their eggs to hatch, and molds and dust mites proliferate in humid places. If any of your family members struggle with allergies, a humid house will make them worse.

Humidity isn’t just bad for area rugs, over a longer period of time it can cause installed carpets to buckle. If you want your carpets to remain stretched and flat, it’s best to maintain a more consistent temperature and humidity in your house. Both moisture and heat will cause the carpet to swell, and then during winter when it’s cooler and dryer, it will contract. This pulling can loosen installed carpet and result in unattractive rippling.

What can you do to avoid damage to your carpet and rugs?

• During rainy days set up a humidifier in your house to maintain optimum humidity. Experts estimate that this is between 40-50%. Dryer air inside will allow the carpets themselves to dry more quickly, but stick to the recommended humidity range. If the humidity is too high, your carpets will never completely dry and, therefore, be clean. If it’s too low, your carpets will be dry, but so will your skin and your lungs.
• During dry days, open the windows and allow the air to flow between the inside and the outside. Getting fresh air in the house is also good for your health and will make everything smell fresher.
• Keep the temperature in the house within a certain range by setting the thermostat to regulate the furnace and air conditioner when the weather outside fluxuates.
• Use fans if the humidity gets out of control or if there is a water problem that affects your carpets. It’s what water restoration pros do in emergencies, but you can easily set a fan out yourself if things get damp. Remember, it only takes between 24-48 hours for mold spores to become active.

Water is something everything needs to live, but it can also be incredibly damaging. If you want your carpets to continue to look nice, smell nice, and not shelter mildew or fleas, you need to keep the humidity in your home under control. Don’t let it ruin your carpets and rugs.

 

If you’ve spent much time in your RV, how closely have you looked at your RV carpeting? Is it dirty and outdated? Worn? If you have an older model RV or one with carpet, replacing it with carpet that will wear better and look cleaner can give your vehicle an instant update. It’s not very expensive, so the bang per buck can be quite large for a small investment of money and time.

Why would your carpet need replacing? Newer RVs have relied less on carpet for a number of reasons, including the fact that traffic in RVs tends to be heavy. When you’re camping in dirty, sandy areas, a lot of what’s on your shoes and sandals will wind up in your carpet. It’s also really easy for carpet to get sun faded and mildewed when it is exposed to the elements.

Carpeting also goes through style cycles, and what looks fresh today can look dated very quickly. There are so many different styles of indoor/outdoor carpet that might work better in your RV space than what some manufacturer picked out decades ago.

Why stick with carpet? There are, of course, other options for flooring that might be suitable for your space. Carpet, however, is:

• Inexpensive, especially when you take into account the price of remnant carpet
• Quick to install
• Long lasting; the new carpet should last at least as long as the previous one
• Forgiving – a good multicolor or flecked carpet will hide a lot of stains

At Bond Products we’ve seen people get handy and creative replacing the carpet in their recreational vehicles. And we’re happy to help our customers if they need assistance making their carpet look professionally done. We would advise our customers to choose their new carpeting wisely. There are so many options now, but not all of them will take heavy traffic, dirt, and water as well. For RV use, 100 percent nylon rugs are much better than carpets with natural fibers. If you are on a budget, check out the remnants section of local carpet stores. There are plenty of good deals to be had. Because the floor space in an RV is limited, you will not need very much.

To bind your remnants, we offer marine style Instabind which is made using solution dyed acrylic material and is available in four colors – black, navy, gray and beige. Because it’s UV protected and mildew resistant, it’s perfect for RVs, boats, cars, and outdoor carpets. It’s easy to bind a remnant with Instabind. All you need is the carpet, Instabind, scissors, and a hot glue gun. We recommend using our Hi-Temp polyamide glue sticks when applying our Outdoor Marine binding.

If you want to give your RV a new, updated look this summer, replacing old carpet is an inexpensive and quick way to go about it. Summer is here. Is it time for a change?

 

It’s May, and you may be busy doing your spring cleaning and sprucing up your home. Don’t forget to examine your carpets while you clean them to see if they are damaged or could use some TLC. You can use Instabind to replace old worn carpet edges. How? Let’s go over what you need to apply Instabind and get your carpets and rugs looking fresh and beautiful again. 

Worn Carpet Edges

When people appreciate carpets they notice the pattern, the weave, or the quality of the materials used to make them. But it’s really the carpet binding that pulls the whole thing together and makes it look finished. If the bindings on your rugs are dirty or worn, they look tired and sad. Fortunately, you can easily improve them with Instabind. Here’s how: 

Get your tools: a hot glue gun, scissors, and clear tape.

Measure the length of the carpet edge that needs to be replaced. You can then calculate how much Instabind to purchase. 

Select the right color and type of Instabind for your job. Instabind comes in a wide variety of colors and 9 different styles, including: 

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

Choose the Instabind option that best matches your rug and your needs. 

Clean the carpet edge. Before applying the Instabind, remove the old carpet binding, trim off any strings or irregularities along the sides of the carpet, and make sure that its sides are straight.

Apply the Instabind. Once the carpet edge is trimmed, it’s time to apply the Instabind. Simply peel off the backing from the tape and carefully apply 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 to apply the Instabind around the carpet until you return to the beginning, adjusting as necessary. Using your starting point as a guide, make the finishing cut with your scissors and trim any excess strings. Make sure to press the tape down firmly to ensure that it adheres properly.

Apply glue with a glue gun. 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. There will likely be some excess tape hanging off the edge of the carpet. Use a pair of sharp scissors to trim it to the desired length at a 45-degree angle. 

That’s it! Your Instabind is applied, and you can return your refurbished rug to its original place in your home. 

Order Instabind Today

Using Instabind, you can replace old, worn carpet edges. The combination of Instabind and hot glue provides a strong, professional-looking finish that will help prevent fraying and keep your carpet looking great for years to come. To order, call us at Bond Products at 1-888-800-BOND. We will be happy to ship you what you need for any carpet or rug issue you have. 

 

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.