In our previous blog we talked about seam peaking, and in this blog we’re going to talk about another unsightly carpet seam issue: seam splitting. Both of these are visible problems and will ruin the look of your carpet. Any good carpet installer knows that one of the most important things about laying carpet is to make sure it looks smooth and unbroken, as if the carpet were one big piece, only trimmed around the edges to fit the room.
Of course, that isn’t how carpet is made. It’s not woven to be 15 or 20 feet wide. This is why careful seaming is crucial. The placement of the seams is also very important. Every room has traffic patterns, and those should be carefully considered when you’re deciding where to put the seams. Foot traffic on an already more vulnerable area will result in pulling and splitting.
Time and hard use are two enemies of carpet seams, the other is poor quality carpet or seaming tape. Choose your materials carefully – it’s less expensive to buy better carpet than to replace it when it wears out early. Also use a carpet pad with a higher density cushion. It will help the carpet to withstand traffic longer.
Another tip to keep a carpet seam from splitting is to use a seam roller during the installation to create pressure against the seams and force the backing of the carpet into the melted adhesive. You want to make sure that the glue fully adheres to the carpet backing, so putting weight on the carpet while the glue dries is also crucial.
Of course, a split seam doesn’t have to be the end of the world. If the carpet itself remains in good condition, you can measure the length of the split seam and then cut a length of peel and stick seaming tape to fit. When you have the correct length of seaming tape, pull back both sides of the carpet and draw a line down the floor where one side of the carpet ends. Then pull both pieces of carpet back and carefully lay the tape down the middle of the line you drew. Remove the tack paper from the front of the tape. Roll both sides of the carpet down slowly on the carpet tape, and place a heavy weight on top of the seam so that the carpet backing will adhere to the tape.
Carpet tape is sticky, so take your time when you are working with it. You don’t want to have to cut it and cut it again because you got it stuck to your fingers instead of the carpet. It should be noted that double-sided sticky tape is not intended for stretched carpet. The tension will pull it apart. A hot melt seam is needed and all old glue should be removed when re-seaming.
Good luck! Remember, take your time and invest in good materials. For staples, staple guns, mallets, mallet caps, L-cleats, or finish nails for your flooring project, shop our Pro Drive HD™ line of supplies. If we can help you find any products to make either installation or repair of your carpets easier, give Bond Products a call.
