Commercial Carpeting

A commercial carpet is a great purchase because it has the ability to withstand the wear and tear associated with a high-traffic area. While this type of carpeting is used in businesses, it is also possible to install it in your home. Although carpeting is often considered one of the easiest types of flooring to install, the process still requires time and patience. Below, we provide an overview of the process.

Surface Preparation

If you want the best results when installing commercial-grade carpet, the surface needs to be smooth, clean, dry, and structurally sound. If you’re trying to lay the carpet on an even concrete floor, it should be screeded, and the surface should not be loose or powdery. It is also important to make sure the subfloor is free from excessive moisture and the surface is completely without contaminates like grease, dirt, or paint, as they will affect adhesion.

Tack Strip Installation

Start installing the tack strips around the room, and make sure there is a half-inch gap between the strips and the wall. Install the strips tightly against each other in the corners of the room, and don’t place any in front of a doorway. While tack strips lined in one row is often enough, heavily woven commercial carpet may require more, so install two rows side-by-side.

Stretching the Carpet

Unroll the commercial carpeting flat on the padding, and use a knee kicker to force the carpet into the right position against one of the walls. Hit the kicker with your knee until all the wrinkles and slack in the carpet has been pulled out. Pull the carpet tightly against the wall with a stretcher activated by a lever, and press the carpeting onto the tack strips. Make sure the carpeting overlaps the floor area by a few inches on each side.

Trim the Edges

Once the carpeting is secured properly against one wall, use a carpet edging tool to start trimming the edges. You can use a utility knife if you don’t have the edging tool, but it is essential to use a brand new blade and to change it out as soon as it begins getting dull. Make sure the excess carpeting is not attached to any point before pulling on it; if you pull on a strip while it is even slightly connected, you may unwind a fiber from the carpet.

Work your way around the room and stretch the carpet over the tack strips while cutting away the excess with your edging tool or utility knife. Complete the job by tucking the carpet between the wall and tack strips, and install a door edge strip, which helps hide any gaping.

Seaming Edges

In order to seam two pieces of carpet together, you will need a roll of heat-activated seam tape, an electric seaming iron, and a seaming weight. Allow the iron to heat up, and place the two edges of the carpet together but don’t allow any overlap. Lift one of the edges and fold it back before sliding the tape beneath it. Run the tape along the full seam, and make sure it is placed halfway underneath the carpeting.

Take the folded-back piece of carpet and lay it flat while checking for a tight fit along the seam. Slip the heated iron into the seam and glide it between the two pieces of carpet. This will activate the tape, which binds the carpet together. You will need to occasionally stop and close up the seam using the knee kicker.

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