| Have you decided to put Berber carpet in your home? Installing Berber carpet is one of the most important steps as it is important that the carpet is installed correctly to help it last longer. Incorrectly installed carpeting wears out quicker, which will cost you more money in the long run. That is why you want to make sure that you have a professional installer install your carpeting. You will get your money back many times over in the use of your carpeting. |
Is it an easy task to install carpet?:
Many people think that it is no big deal to install carpeting, but once you get into it you realize that it takes quite a bit of work to install your carpeting correctly, especially on stairs and other hard to fit areas. You can install Berber carpet on stairs, but it takes quite a few cuts and some finessing to get it to lay right and look beautiful; that is another reason to turn to a professional carpet installer.
Selection Of The Right Tools:
If you have your heart set on do-it-yourself Berber carpet installation, make sure that you research the subject carefully and that you rent (renting is usually cheaper) or purchase the correct tools. The right set of tools will go a long way to helping you lay your Berber carpet, but if you do not know the proper way to use them you will still be at a disadvantage. Check your local home improvement store or flooring store to see if they offer classes on how to lay carpet. Many times these classes are free or low cost, which can be a great benefit and can save you money over professional installation.
A technique which helps installation:
Another way that you can undergo your Berber carpet installation yourself is to purchase Berber carpet tiles. They provide the complete flooring solutions for various spaces. These tiles have the padding already on them and all you need to do is to line them up and lay them down. They can be laid on any clean and dry surface and if one gets stained, you just replace it with an extra tile. This is great for most rooms, but if you plan to carpet your steps, then you will have to go with regular roll carpeting. Berber carpet tiles are a great option for those do-it-yourselfers. It is manufactured in many types of fiber, each having its own independent qualities..
Details Of The Types Of Fibres Used:
Olefin and nylon are the very common types of fibres used for Berber Carpet. The following are the details of the two fibres: Olefin: It is a synthetic polypropylene material. Inspite of being the low cost fiber, it uses petrochemicals and it is acknowledged as the least viable option for carpet fiber. It is a popular choice for Berber carpet, as it is generally stain resistant, colorfast and strong. There is always being a debate between the clients and the installers, as it has some environmental impact even inside the home and also during the process of manufacturing. Nylon: It is also synthetic and finds the same characteristics of Olefin, like stain resistance and durability. It leans to withstand well under regular use and might become much less dirty than Olefin. Moreover, nylon 6 used in this process is recyclable and is again used as the raw material for the manufacturing of carpets. It is also a good option for it’s sustainability, durability and cost. Many of the large manufacturers provide the recycling programs for old nylon carpets which includes the likes of Shaw and Mohawk.
Choosing The Right Person For Carpeting:
Installing Berber carpet can make your home feel instantly warmer and more welcoming. If your carpet is installed correctly, you will enjoy years and years of enjoyment. That is why you need to make sure that the professional that you choose has experience in laying Berber carpeting. A great place for you to find a good carpet installation professional is from friends and family. Ask your flooring store who they recommend. Once you have a few names of installers then call them and ask for references. Berber carpet is an investment and you will want to be sure that you will get the maximum value from your investment. With just a little work and research, you will be on your way to having beautiful Berber carpet installed in your home.
How do I connect the carpet at the seams?
A six-inch seam iron to minimize seam peaking, a glue-gun to eliminate raveling, and a seam roller will do the trick. When the seam tape adhesive is melted move the seam iron forward about 1/2 the length of the iron. Then apply a bead of hot glue on one side at the base of the yarn at the backing. Once that’s done you can press the two sections of carpet onto the melted seam tape adhesive.
Be sure the aperture of the glue gun is small so you can control exactly where and how much glue is applied. Be careful to not put too much glue on the fibers and backing so you don’t get a hard seam that looks bad and feels rough to bare feet.
With your thumbs on either side of the seam, about 1/4″ from the edges, work the loops together by pressing your thumbs toward each other. Work the length of the seam in both directions before using the seam roller.
i dropped a hot pan on my burber capret and it melted it, im pretty sure its from a roll not a panel but im not sure how to tell the difference, i cant seem to see anywhere that the 2 different rolls were joined either but due to the large ares and awkwardness of it, im pretty sure it was. i was just wondering if im going o have to replace the entire carpet or is there a way to replace a strip where the burn is and stll make it look normal
A good carpet installer should be able to cut out the melted area and patch in a replacement. If you have scraps left from the installation you’ll have a better patch job too.
how do yu make sure the berber is cut correctly
at the seams
Hi Monica,
In my opinion, Berber carpeting is the most difficult carpeting to cut correctly. You have to make sure you cut it between the rows with row cutter to prevent raveling of carpet the fibers along the cut. In addition to seaming tape, a seam sealer is applied like glue along the seam to assure a good seam and to further prevent raveling. There is not such thing as a completely invisible seam with Berber, but taking these steps will help.
My entire house was carpeted with a nice Berber patterned carpet 3 weeks ago. The installers cut the seam down the middle of my living room where the most traffic is — the seam is noticable and stands up like a tent top..okay, maybe not that bad but for the price, it should not be noticable. It could have been seamed near the wall where furniture would cover it. I am told that I owe an extra 4,000+ on the carpet because the employee quoted me the wrong price.
I do not feel that I owe another red cent if they are not going to fix my carpet to my satisfaction and I know it can’t be “perfect” but the seams should NEVER be in the middle of a room! What are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Gayle
Hi Gayle,
I agree 100%. I also feel that you shouldn’t have to pay one dime more than what you were quoted. Too bad the employee quoted the wrong price, I say. Was the quote in writing by any chance?
My dog scratched on the carpet the other day in the middle of my new berber. What is the best approach to getting the loops to shrink without cutting then metling them a little as suggested by installer?
Hi Gary,
Here is a method of repairing snags yourself:
http://www.wikihow.com/Repair-a-Snag-in-Berber-Carpet. Please let me know how this works for you if you try it!
I really need some help. I have an “executive” split entry home – 20 yrs old and I am having hardwood installed on the upper and lower level but have opted to put carpet on the steps. I really like the look of Berber and would like to go for a nylon Berber but the salesman told me that you will most likely be able to notice the seams when it is cut to put around the ballisters. I also have some samples of a nice hard twist but I keep going back to the berber. Any suggestions? Thank you
Lynn,
Berber is difficult to install correctly, and does need to be cut along the rows to prevent raveling. I could see that going around the balusters would be difficult. If that is definitely what you would like on your staircase, maybe there would be a way to make it more of a runner where the balusters would not be an issue.
Consulting the professional installer is the best thing to do.
My brother has been wanting to get new carpets in his home and we’ve been wanting to help him do it. I liked that you had mentioned that it can be important to know the proper technique to install the carpet. We’ll have to start looking around for a carpet company in the area since we probably wouldn’t be able to handle it ourselves.