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Default Shrinking a carpet?

The carpeting in my house was installed during the winter, and they
apparently didn't bother heating the area and letting it expand before
installation.

Over the last few years the carpet has developed substantial wrinkles.

Can anything be done to get it to contract? I've already priced having a
reputable company come and trim it, and it's more than I feel like
spending to cure the problem.

Thanks
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On Wed, 14 Aug 2013 11:20:04 -0600, DaveT159
wrote:

The carpeting in my house was installed during the winter, and they
apparently didn't bother heating the area and letting it expand before
installation.


My guess is it was not stretched (kicked) in very well.

Over the last few years the carpet has developed substantial wrinkles.


My last new house did the same after a few years. The cure was to
stretch it again and trim it. You can rent a "knee kicker" or ones
with poles that will span the room (caution with that one - you can
tear the carpet)

Can anything be done to get it to contract? I've already priced having a
reputable company come and trim it, and it's more than I feel like
spending to cure the problem.


Nothing I've ever seen. How old is this carpet?
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On 8/14/2013 11:33 AM, Oren wrote:
On Wed, 14 Aug 2013 11:20:04 -0600, DaveT159
wrote:

The carpeting in my house was installed during the winter, and they
apparently didn't bother heating the area and letting it expand before
installation.


My guess is it was not stretched (kicked) in very well.

Over the last few years the carpet has developed substantial wrinkles.


My last new house did the same after a few years. The cure was to
stretch it again and trim it. You can rent a "knee kicker" or ones
with poles that will span the room (caution with that one - you can
tear the carpet)

Can anything be done to get it to contract? I've already priced having a
reputable company come and trim it, and it's more than I feel like
spending to cure the problem.


Nothing I've ever seen. How old is this carpet?

Ten years old, I bought the house new, and the carpet was tight when I
moved in.

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On Wed, 14 Aug 2013 11:51:45 -0600, DaveT159
wrote:

On 8/14/2013 11:33 AM, Oren wrote:
On Wed, 14 Aug 2013 11:20:04 -0600, DaveT159
wrote:

The carpeting in my house was installed during the winter, and they
apparently didn't bother heating the area and letting it expand before
installation.


My guess is it was not stretched (kicked) in very well.

Over the last few years the carpet has developed substantial wrinkles.


My last new house did the same after a few years. The cure was to
stretch it again and trim it. You can rent a "knee kicker" or ones
with poles that will span the room (caution with that one - you can
tear the carpet)

Can anything be done to get it to contract? I've already priced having a
reputable company come and trim it, and it's more than I feel like
spending to cure the problem.


Nothing I've ever seen. How old is this carpet?

Ten years old, I bought the house new, and the carpet was tight when I
moved in.


In my case the carpet was about 5 years old when it wrinkled and
became a trip hazard. It was only in the MBR. Using the tools above
it was fixed tight, and freshly trimmed.

If you trip and fall it could cost more than having Carpet Joe stretch
it in again.
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DaveT159 wrote:
On 8/14/2013 11:33 AM, Oren wrote:
On Wed, 14 Aug 2013 11:20:04 -0600, DaveT159

wrote:

The carpeting in my house was installed during the
winter, and they
apparently didn't bother heating the area and letting it
expand
before installation.


My guess is it was not stretched (kicked) in very well.

Over the last few years the carpet has developed
substantial
wrinkles.


My last new house did the same after a few years. The
cure was to
stretch it again and trim it. You can rent a "knee
kicker" or ones
with poles that will span the room (caution with that
one - you can
tear the carpet)

Can anything be done to get it to contract? I've already
priced
having a reputable company come and trim it, and it's
more than I
feel like spending to cure the problem.


Nothing I've ever seen. How old is this carpet?

Ten years old, I bought the house new, and the carpet was
tight when I
moved in.


As Oren said, rent a power stretcher or a knee kick(if ya
got good knees) and take it loose on 3 walls and just
restretch it.
You might be able to get away with just stretching 2 walls,
just depends how loose it is
Oh yeah, rent the wall trimmer too. It will properly trim
the carpet after you've got it to hang on the tack strip,
then just use putty knife(wide) or a cold chisel to tuck the
carpet in




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Dave:

The carpet didn't expand due to temperature change; it stretched with use.

I installed all of the carpets in my 21 living rooms, except for one that I paid to have installed because I had sprained my ankle and couldn't do the work at the time. And, that carpet was the ONLY one to ever need restretching.

If the carpet is loose on the floor, you should be able to restretch it with just a knee kicker. Even though you're supposed to use a power stretcher on each installation, I wouldn't bother using a power stretcher for something like this. Also, I wouldn't bother renting a wall trimmer either because the amount you'll be cutting off probably won't be enough to even use a wall trimmer. You need the carpet to run up the wall a few inches at least to be able to use a wall trimmer. Otherwise the carpet just twists and binds in the wall trimmer.

I'd just pull the carpet back along one wall and cut 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch or so off along it's entire length with a razor knife, straight edge and a piece of thin plywood so as not to damage whatever's under the carpet when you cut. Then just use the knee kicker to kick the carpet back in.

Now, if you're right handed, you'll be kicking with the right knee, and so that means you start on the left end of the wall and move to the right as you kick the carpet back into place. If you're left handed, start at the right and work your way to the left.

Then, pull back the carpet out along an adjacent wall (perpendicular to the first wall) and do an encore performance.

The carpet should be tight then.
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You need to stretch your floors to the carpet size.


Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org


"DaveT159" wrote in message
...
The carpeting in my house was installed during the winter, and they
apparently didn't bother heating the area and letting it expand before
installation.

Over the last few years the carpet has developed substantial wrinkles.

Can anything be done to get it to contract? I've already priced having a
reputable company come and trim it, and it's more than I feel like
spending to cure the problem.

Thanks



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Dave:

The carpet didn't expand due to temperature change; it stretched with use.

I installed all of the carpets in my 21 living rooms, except for one that I paid to have installed because I had sprained my ankle and couldn't do the work at the time. And, that carpet was the ONLY one to ever need restretching.

If the carpet is loose on the floor, you should be able to restretch it with just a knee kicker. Even though you're supposed to use a power stretcher on each installation, I wouldn't bother using a power stretcher for something like this. Also, I wouldn't bother renting a wall trimmer either because the amount you'll be cutting off probably won't be enough to even use a wall trimmer. You need the carpet to run up the wall a few inches at least to be able to use a wall trimmer. Otherwise the carpet just twists and binds in the wall trimmer.

You need to move the furniture out of the room before you stretch the carpet. It's best if the room is empty except for you and the carpet installation tools.

I'd just pull the carpet back along one wall and cut 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch or so off along it's entire length with a razor knife, straight edge and a piece of thin plywood so as not to damage whatever's under the carpet when you cut. You cut the carpet from the back, not from the pile side. Then just use the knee kicker to kick the carpet back in over the "tack strip". (See PS below) If the carpet is 20 feet long, you can easily stretch it 1/2 inch, and 3/4 inch with some effort using a knee kicker. You can stretch a 20 foot carpet a full inch easily with a power stretcher. So, if the dimensions of your room are 10 by 20, cut 1/4 to3/8 inch off the 10 foot dimension of the carpet and 3/8 to 3/4 inch off the 20 foot dimension of the carpet.

Now, if you're right handed, you'll be kicking with the right knee, and so that means you start on the left end of the wall and work your way to the right as you kick the carpet back into place. If you're left handed, start at the right and work your way to the left. That way, your body weight isn't on the part of the carpet that will be moving. When you stretch carpet, it behaves somewhat like a fishing net in that the area right in front of the knee kicker head will stretch the most and the stretch will diminish as you get further away from the head of the knee kicker. You want to kick the carpet every 12 inches or so. Don't try to stretch the carpet near the perpendicular walls because it'll be held down by the tack strips along those walls. You can start and stop stretching within a foot or two of the adjacent walls.

The knee kicker will have a dial on it's head which rotates to lower steel pins. You want those pins to just go into the backing of the carpet, but not deeper so that they jab into the underpad. There will also be a finger release on the underside of the knee kicker by which you can make it longer or shorter, depending on what feels comfortable for your body size. Place your hands on each side of the head of the knee kicker with your thumbs pressing downward on the head and the tips of your fingers about 2 inches away from the wall and pressing down on lightly on the carpet. When you kick with your knee, try to hold the head of the knee kicker down with your thumbs. The carpet will jerk forward and your finger tips will press the carpet down on the tackstrips as it snaps back. Do that until the cut edge of the carpet butts up against the wall or baseboard.

If the carpet is 20 feet long, you can easily stretch it 1/2 inch

Do one whole wall first, and then, pull back the carpet out along an adjacent wall (perpendicular to the first wall) and do an encore performance.

The carpet should be tight then.

PS: The correct term for "tack strip" is actually "tackless strip". That's because when the Robert's Company first came out with "Smoothedge" in the 1950's, it eliminated the need to use tacks to nail the carpet down around it's perimeter as had been the custom prior to then. So, "tackless strips" eliminated the need for carpet tacks. Nowadays, people don't even know what carpet tacks are, so they call those strips "tack strips". You know someone knows his history when he calls it a "tackless strip".

PS: In the first Blues Brothers Movie, Jake Blues (John Belushi) throws a box of carpet tacks out the window of the Bluesmobile to evade the dozen or so police cars that are chasing him and Elwood.

Last edited by nestork : August 15th 13 at 03:41 AM
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the OP reports the carpet is 10 years old. aggresive stretching may rip it.....

at this point live with it, stretch it a little and live with it.....

or replace the carpet. 10 years is a long time for carpet..
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On Wed, 14 Aug 2013 19:38:13 -0700 (PDT), bob haller
wrote:

the OP reports the carpet is 10 years old. aggresive stretching may rip it.....

at this point live with it, stretch it a little and live with it.....

or replace the carpet. 10 years is a long time for carpet..

We just replaced 20 year old carpet - still in good condition but
went to hardwood. Good carpet can last a LONG time. Cheap "berber",
not so long


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It depends a lot on what the carpet is made of.

Nylon is the strongest fiber that carpets are made of, and so nylon carpets are the longest wearing carpets. 10 years is not old if it's a nylon carpet.

Olefin is the least expensive fiber that carpet is made of. My experience with Olefin carpets is that they last about 15 years, give or take 2 or 3 years.

You should be able to get 30 to 40 years from a nylon carpet in a residential setting if it's vaccuumed regularily. Not cleaning your carpet is the single biggest thing that will shorten it's life because road grit (if you live near a graven road) will get into the carpet pile and literally cut the fibers to shreads when you walk on the carpet.
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Nestork,

What is a graven road?

Dave M.


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On Wednesday, August 14, 2013 1:20:04 PM UTC-4, DaveT159 wrote:
The carpeting in my house was installed during the winter, and they

apparently didn't bother heating the area and letting it expand before

installation.



Over the last few years the carpet has developed substantial wrinkles.



Can anything be done to get it to contract? I've already priced having a

reputable company come and trim it, and it's more than I feel like

spending to cure the problem.



Thanks


I suggest emptying the room out in the house on a nice hot muggy day. That way the carpet will stretch easier. Be careful else you may have to redo seams.

Then kick the **** out of it.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by US President is the Enemy View Post
Be careful else you may have to redo seams.
Hot melt taping a carpet together is not a job for an amateur. I used to do that, but now when I have to install carpet in a 14 foot by 14 foot room, I buy a 15 foot long, 15 foot wide Berber instead so that I don't have to do any taping.

I'd tell anyone in this forum that they can restretch their own carpet, but I'd tell them to hire a pro to hot melt seams back together if the tape lets go.


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On Wed, 14 Aug 2013 11:20:04 -0600, DaveT159
wrote:

The carpeting in my house was installed during the winter, and they
apparently didn't bother heating the area and letting it expand before
installation.

Over the last few years the carpet has developed substantial wrinkles.

Can anything be done to get it to contract? I've already priced having a
reputable company come and trim it, and it's more than I feel like
spending to cure the problem.

Thanks


It would be far easier to just make the house bigger. Just move all 4
walls outward about 2 inches.
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On Thu, 15 Aug 2013 22:41:57 +0200, nestork
wrote:

Be careful else you may have to redo seams.



I've never had a seam rip.

Hot melt taping a carpet together is not a job for an amateur. I used
to do that, but now when I have to install carpet in a 14 foot by 14
foot room, I buy a 15 foot long, 15 foot wide Berber instead so that I
don't have to do any taping.


What if the carpet transitions into another room with carpet? It
needs a seam (doorway).

I'd tell anyone in this forum that they can restretch their own carpet,
but I'd tell them to hire a pro to hot melt seams back together if the
tape lets go.


I learned as a teenager to seam carpet. Easy to learn - but one needs
to learn from a pro. There is more to a good job than just melting
glue

Carpet at one time was sewn together at the seam - now that would be a
skill to have.
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On Fri, 16 Aug 2013 09:02:17 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Thu, 15 Aug 2013 22:41:57 +0200, nestork
wrote:

Be careful else you may have to redo seams.



I've never had a seam rip.

Hot melt taping a carpet together is not a job for an amateur. I used
to do that, but now when I have to install carpet in a 14 foot by 14
foot room, I buy a 15 foot long, 15 foot wide Berber instead so that I
don't have to do any taping.


What if the carpet transitions into another room with carpet? It
needs a seam (doorway).

I'd tell anyone in this forum that they can restretch their own carpet,
but I'd tell them to hire a pro to hot melt seams back together if the
tape lets go.


I learned as a teenager to seam carpet. Easy to learn - but one needs
to learn from a pro. There is more to a good job than just melting
glue

Carpet at one time was sewn together at the seam - now that would be a
skill to have.

Actually a less technical skill - easier to do right, harder to do
wrong - but more time consuming and more labour intensive.
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On Thu, 15 Aug 2013 03:24:38 +0200, nestork
wrote:

PS: The correct term for "tack strip" is actually "tackless strip".
That's because when the Robert's Company first came out with
"Smoothedge" in the 1950's, it eliminated the need to use tacks to nail
the carpet down around it's perimeter as had been the custom prior to
then. So, "tackless strips" eliminated the need for carpet tacks.
Nowadays, people don't even know what carpet tacks are, so they call
those strips "tack strips". You know someone knows his history when he
calls it a "tackless strip".


Okay. But I can still ask for "tack strip" and get what I want
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On Wed, 14 Aug 2013 18:13:43 -0500, "ChairMan"
wrote:

rent a power stretcher or a knee kick(if ya
got good knees)


Yes sir. Carpet installers often have knee, hip, and back problems if
they spend any real time at the job.


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Quote:
Originally Posted by Oren[_2_] View Post
I've never had a seam rip.
Oh, I'm not concerned about the seam tearing. I'd be concerned about getting the tape down the middle of the seam. I was always concerned that the tape would move and by the time I got to the other end of the seam, there wouldn't actually be any tape under the seam.

And, I was always concerned about pulling the seaming iron out from under the carpet at the end of the seam, and having it come out like a great piece of pizza with glue stringers coming off all over the place just like mozzarella and getting all over the carpet pile.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Oren[_2_] View Post
What if the carpet transitions into another room with carpet? It
needs a seam (doorway).
I'm chicken. I'd either butt two pieces of naplock front to front under the door, or use aluminum track and push a vinyl molding down between the two carpets.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Oren[_2_] View Post
I learned as a teenager to seam carpet. Easy to learn - but one needs
to learn from a pro. There is more to a good job than just melting glue.
The truth is that there isn't a single thing on this Earth that doesn't seem easy once you have enough experience to be proficient at it. I just never had anyone to learn from, and so I figured it out as best I could on my own, but I learned that berbers were available in 15 foot wide rolls before I ever became proficient at it.

In my building, there are only 3 apartments that have living rooms wider than 12 feet, and I find it easier to install a 15 foot wide carpet than to seam together a 12 foot wide carpet to fit a 14 foot wide room.

One adapts to one's situation as best one can. My situation is completely different from a carpet installer. If the prospective tenant doesn't like the fact that I installed a 15 foot wide carpet instead of seaming together a 12 foot carpet, he can go rent somewhere else. I'm not the only saloon in town.

Last edited by nestork : August 17th 13 at 01:30 AM
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On Sat, 17 Aug 2013 01:24:44 +0200, nestork
wrote:


'Oren[_2_ Wrote:
;3108089']
I've never had a seam rip.

Oh, I'm not concerned about the seam tearing. I'd be concerned about
getting the tape down the middle of the seam. I was always concerned
that the tape would move and by the time I got to the other end of the
seam, there wouldn't actually be any tape under the seam.

Adjust the forward tape before the iron melts the glue. No hurry. The
piece of tape has color, designated the end of the roll. IDK if it
changed.

And, I was always concerned about pulling the seaming iron out from
under the carpet at the end of the seam, and having it come out like a
great piece of pizza with glue stringers coming off all over the place
just like mozzarella and getting all over the carpet pile.


Flip the hot iron upside down , then set it into the cradle.

'Oren[_2_ Wrote:
;3108089']
What if the carpet transitions into another room with carpet? It
needs a seam (doorway).


I'm chicken. I'd either butt two pieces of naplock front to front under
the door, or use aluminum track and push a vinyl molding down between
the two carpets.


YMMV

'Oren[_2_ Wrote:
;3108089']
I learned as a teenager to seam carpet. Easy to learn - but one needs
to learn from a pro. There is more to a good job than just melting
glue.


The truth is that there isn't a single thing on this Earth that doesn't
seem easy once you have enough experience to be proficient at it. I
just never had anyone to learn from, and so I figured it out as best I
could on my own, but I learned that berbers were available in 15 foot
wide rolls before I ever became proficient at it.


I just fixed my auto AC, Cool!

In my building, there are only 3 apartments that have living rooms wider
than 12 feet, and I find it easier to install a 15 foot wide carpet than
to seam together a 12 foot wide carpet to fit a 14 foot wide room.


Agree. Do what makes youse guys happy.

One adapts to one's situation as best one can. My situation is
completely different from a carpet installer. If the prospective tenant
doesn't like the fact that I installed a 15 foot wide carpet instead of
seaming together a 12 foot carpet, he can go rent somewhere else. I'm
not the only saloon in town.


!0-4! Roger that.
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On Wednesday, August 14, 2013 8:41:55 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Wed, 14 Aug 2013 19:38:13 -0700 (PDT), bob haller

wrote:



the OP reports the carpet is 10 years old. aggresive stretching may rip it.....




at this point live with it, stretch it a little and live with it.....




or replace the carpet. 10 years is a long time for carpet..


We just replaced 20 year old carpet - still in good condition but

went to hardwood. Good carpet can last a LONG time. Cheap "berber",

not so long


When you say"good carpet" do you mean wool or synthetic?

HB

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On Sat, 17 Aug 2013 19:21:49 -0700 (PDT), Higgs Boson
wrote:

On Wednesday, August 14, 2013 8:41:55 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Wed, 14 Aug 2013 19:38:13 -0700 (PDT), bob haller

wrote:



the OP reports the carpet is 10 years old. aggresive stretching may rip it.....




at this point live with it, stretch it a little and live with it.....




or replace the carpet. 10 years is a long time for carpet..


We just replaced 20 year old carpet - still in good condition but

went to hardwood. Good carpet can last a LONG time. Cheap "berber",

not so long


When you say"good carpet" do you mean wool or synthetic?

HB

Both. Good wool or good Nylon can both last a long time. Polyethelene
is crap.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by View Post
Good wool or good Nylon can both last a long time.
Polyethelene is crap.
NEWBIE ALERT!!!

NEWBIE ALERT!!!

NEWBIE ALERT!!!

I'm calling a newbie alert so that the newbies in here don't get the impression that carpet is actually made from polyethylene.

Carpet is made out of three synthetic fibers; nylon, POLYESTER and Olefin.

The kind of polyester used to make carpet is called polyethylene terephthalate or (PET for short) because the plastic consists of repeating pairs of terephthalate groups bonded to ethylene groups like this:

-ethylene-terephthalate-ethylene-terephthalate-ethylene-terephthalate-

so, it's realy poly(ethylene-terephthalate), which is a totally different animal than polyethylene which looks like this:

-ethylene-ethylene-ethylene-ethylene-ethylene-ethylene-ethylene-

Poly(ethylene-tereaphthalate) is a polyester because each terephthalate group consists of a benzene ring with a carboxylate ester on each side and it's those ester groups that make PET a polyester.

poly(ethylene-terephthalate) is the plastic that soft drink bottles are made of, and much of the polyester carpet that's manufactured in the US today is made from recycled soft drink bottles.

http://chemsrv1.uwsp.edu/macrogcss/pet.html

Last edited by nestork : August 19th 13 at 07:31 AM


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I have an 11 year old house & carpet,
with really light use

what would be a cost "range" to stretch my carpet?
maybe 1500 sq ft of carpet

thanks
marc
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On Mon, 19 Aug 2013 07:22:55 +0200, nestork
wrote:

Carpet is made out of three synthetic fibers; nylon, POLYESTER and
Olefin.


What do casinos, restaurants and other public high-traffic places use?
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On Mon, 19 Aug 2013 07:22:55 +0200, nestork
wrote:


;3109077 Wrote:

Good wool or good Nylon can both last a long time.
Polyethelene is crap.


NEWBIE ALERT!!!

NEWBIE ALERT!!!

NEWBIE ALERT!!!



Smartass alert!!!!
Smartass Alert!!!!


I'm calling a newbie alert so that the newbies in here don't get the
impression that carpet is actually made from polyethylene.


Sorry - PolyPropylene. AKA Olefin was the one I was thinking of - drag
a chair across an "olefin" berber and you have a permanent drag mark
melted into the fibre. It has pretty good colourfastness, mold
resistance, and a lfew other good qualities - but it makes a crappy
carpet for living spaces because of it's high friction and low melting
point. It also attracts dirt like a dog attracts fleas. Skin oil from
walking barefoot leaves tracks, and it is terrible stuff to clean -
and it is not nearly as wear resistant as nylon.


And you forgot PTT, or Triexta, or Sorona
Carpet is made out of three synthetic fibers; nylon, POLYESTER and
Olefin.

And you forgot PTT, (or Triexta, or Sorona) ( poly (trimethylene
teraphthalate)
The kind of polyester used to make carpet is called polyethylene
terephthalate or (PET for short) because the plastic consists of
repeating pairs of terephthalate groups bonded to ethylene groups like
this:

-ethylene-terephthalate-ethylene-terephthalate-ethylene-terephthalate-

so, it's realy poly(ethylene-terephthalate), which is a totally
different animal than polyethylene which looks like this:

-ethylene-ethylene-ethylene-ethylene-ethylene-ethylene-ethylene-

Poly(ethylene-tereaphthalate) is a polyester because each terephthalate
group consists of a benzene ring with a carboxylate ester on each side
and it's those ester groups that make PET a polyester.

poly(ethylene-terephthalate) is the plastic that soft drink bottles are
made of, and much of the polyester carpet that's manufactured in the US
today is made from recycled soft drink bottles.

http://chemsrv1.uwsp.edu/macrogcss/pet.html


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$.01 to $1,000,000,000.00 range.

Lot of factors to consider.

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On 8/19/2013 11:34 AM, wrote:
I have an 11 year old house & carpet,
with really light use

what would be a cost "range" to stretch my carpet?
maybe 1500 sq ft of carpet

thanks
marc



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Over 80 percent of the commercial carpet made in the USA is made out of nylon. Compared to Olefin and Polyester, Nylon is the strongest fiber and makes for the longest wearing carpets. You can get even longer life if you choose a LEVEL LOOP nylon carpet because of the natural resiliency of a loop.

In casinos and restaurants, you can get an even better carpet by buying a "SOLUTION DYED" commercial nylon carpet. Solution dyed carpets get their colour from coloured particles (called "pigments") added to the plastic before drawing it into a fiber. The result is that the pigments are suspended in the nylon very much like the raisins in raisin bread. This makes for a superior carpet in a restaurant or bar because it allows you to use bleach straight out of the jug to remove otherwise impossible stains (Kool-aid or red wine, say) without affecting the colour of the carpet. The carpet colour isn't affected because unlike conventionally dyed nylon, the pigments that give the carpet fiber colour are encased in nylon plastic, and not sitting on the surface of the fiber like you have in a conventionally dyed nylon carpet. So, almost no matter what gets spilled on the carpet, you can remove that stain with bleach without harming the carpet, and that makes for a longer lasting carpet in a setting like a restaurant or casino cuz you can keep it looking good for longer.

I buy commercial level loop solution dyed nylon carpet for my living rooms.

Clare Snyder is being a little too hard on Olefin carpets. I used to install Olefin carpets in my living rooms before I switched to soluton dyed nylon, and I have never had permanent marks on the carpet pile where furniture was moved, or anything like that. If Olefin fiber was so easily damaged, knowledgeable people wouldn't choose it to make carpets out of.

What I found in switching from Olefin to solution dyed nylon was:

1. Nylon carpets last much longer. Typically, I found I was only getting 10 to 20 years out of the Olefin carpets, whereas nylon would be closer to 30 years. The problem with Olefin carpets is that they tend to matt down unevenly, gradually giving the carpet a "blotchy" look. So, Olefin carpets don't wear out, they "ugly-out" as they tend to look more and more blotchy with wear. Nylon is a much stronger fiber and tends to have much better resiliency so that it doesn't matt down nearly as much.

2. Olefin carpets are particularily good when it comes to removing stains. Since you cannot dye Olefin by conventional dying techniques, ALL 100% Olefin carpets are made from solution dyed fiber, and that means that you can use bleach to remove stains from them, too.

3. Olefin are the least expensive carpets because Olefin fiber is the least expensive fiber used to make carpet.

4. DuPont spent a king's ransom over the years trying to make their Antron nylon more stain resistant in their "Stain Master" carpets. It just goes to show you how even the largest corporations can be dumb. A far better option would have been to make their carpets out of solution dyed nylon and let the carpet get stained. It's easier to remove that stain with bleach than it is to make nylon resistant to stains. So, right now the situation is that DuPont is still selling their Stain Master carpets made out of their most stain resistant Antron 6,6 nylon for $60 per square yard, and I'm buying Shaw solution dyed level loop nylon carpet for $12 per square yard, and I'm happier cuz I know that no matter what gets spilled on my solution dyed carpet, I can remove any stain with bleach. But, if I had a Stain Master carpet, I wouldn't have that option cuz Stain Master carpets are conventionally dyed, and the bleach would wreck the carpet. So, it's smarter to buy a solution dyed nylon carpet for under $20 per square yard than a Stain Master for $60 per square yard. Or, it makes more sense to me, anyhow.

Last edited by nestork : August 19th 13 at 10:30 PM
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On Mon, 19 Aug 2013 13:21:01 -0400, wrote:

NEWBIE ALERT!!!


Smartass alert!!!!


Eh?!
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Confused Canadian alert!

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On 8/19/2013 3:19 PM, Oren wrote:
On Mon, 19 Aug 2013 13:21:01 -0400, wrote:

NEWBIE ALERT!!!


Smartass alert!!!!


Eh?!

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On Mon, 19 Aug 2013 09:38:55 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Mon, 19 Aug 2013 07:22:55 +0200, nestork
wrote:

Carpet is made out of three synthetic fibers; nylon, POLYESTER and
Olefin.


What do casinos, restaurants and other public high-traffic places use?

Almost exclusively Nylon. High end hotels may use wool.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stormin Mormon[_10_] View Post
Eh!
"Eh" doesn't count if not said by a Canadian.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stormin Mormon[_10_] View Post
Confused Canadian alert!
No, I'm sorry, the answer we were looking for was:
"I was born confused and this is NOT helping!!!!!"

A true story:

Did you know that in Buckingham Palace, the traditional home of the British monarch, they have carpeting in the hallways. But, only the Royal Family, visiting dignitaries and their staff, and the British Prime Minister and his staff are allowed to walk down the middle of the hallway. Servants, butlers and maids are to walk on the outer edges of the carpet near the hallway walls.

Apparantly, the Queen is frugal and she feels that having the "help" walk on the edges of the hallway carpet helps to extend the lifespan of the carpet by distributing wear uniformly over the entire carpet.

Kinda like improving driving economy by rotating car tires, only applied to hallway carpeting.

Last edited by nestork : August 20th 13 at 06:36 AM


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a related question

what should be done First - carpet shampooing, or stretching?

thanks
marc
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Quote:
Originally Posted by View Post
a related question

what should be done First - carpet shampooing, or stretching?

thanks
marc
It really doesn't matter as neither one will affect the other. Most inexpensive carpets have a polypropylene backing, and that polypropylene won't soften if it gets wet because it doesn't absorb moisture. Good quality carpets will have a latex backing that won't allow liquids to seep through the carpet to cause stains or damage in the concrete or wood below, and that latex won't be affected by shampoo'ing the carpet either.

But, if it were me, I would stretch the carpet first, and then VACCUUM it, and then shampoo it.

That way:
1.) you're not trying to shampoo a wrinkled carpet, so the work will go easier
2.) you're not kneeling down on a damp carpet when you're stretching it, and
3.) the vaccuum cleaner removes all the SOLID dirt (like skin cells, pollen, paper fibers and such) from the carpet before that stuff gets wet from shampooing. Once the carpet and the solid dirt are wet, you'll have much greater difficulty removing that solid dirt cuz of water's surface tension. Next time you're at the beach, try removing sand from wet feet and dry feet and see which one works better. It's the same with carpet. The water film on the carpet pile makes the solid soils stick like glue to the carpet pile.

Contrary to popular belief, a carpet shampoo'er doesn't clean a carpet better than a vaccuum cleaner. They are two different tools meant for removing two different kinds of soils. You need to vaccuum regularily to remove the solid soils, and shampoo periodically to remove the dried up liquid spills.

If you don't read anything else in this post, read the following three paragraphs.

Also, if you're planning on renting a carpet shampoo'er to do the shampoo'ing yourself, then use only 1/5th of the carpet shampoo that Rug Doctor or whomever recommends. That's because Rug Doctor (and that other company too, forget their name) recommend using 5 times as much carpet soap as the companies that make the carpet soaps that professionals use. And, if I was a suspicious person, I'd suspect the reason for that is because they know that if you follow their instructions, there'll be a lot of soapy water left in that carpet after you finish shampoo'ing. As the carpet dries, the residual soap will form a film over all the carpet fibers which solid dirts will stick to, causing the carpet to get dirty much faster than it otherwise would, and making regular vaccuum cleaning ineffective at removing that dirt.

Under those conditions, the ONLY thing that will remove that solid dirt stuck to the soap film on the carpet will be to shampoo the carpet again, thereby simply replacing that soap film with a new one. And, when people see how much dirt is being removed by shampoo'ing, and how much cleaner the carpet is, they're impressed with how clean the rental machine is getting the carpet. Truth is, most of that dirt wouldn't have even be in the recovery tank water were it not for the residual soap left behind the last time the carpet was shampoo'ed; it would have been removed by vaccuuming. The only reason it's there is because it stuck to the soap film on the carpet fibers.

But, if you feel compelled to follow Rug Doctor's instructions to the letter, then at least do a SECOND pass over the carpet with just clean hot water in the solution tank. That way, you remove that residual soap film from the carpet so that you break that cycle of having to shampoo all the time to keep the carpet clean.

Last edited by nestork : August 20th 13 at 06:58 PM
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I've heard that about too much soap. I can imagine
that being the case, and the reasons you state.

As for different kinds of dirt. I have seen plenty
of buckets of mud come out of carpets that were
recently vacuumed. Different kind of dirt? I can't
be sure, but I can be sure that shampooing and
extracting (one then the other) sure does remove a
lot of dirt.


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On 8/20/2013 12:29 PM, nestork wrote:


But, if it were me, I would stretch the carpet first, and then VACCUUM
it, and then shampoo it.

That way:
1.) you're not trying to shampoo a wrinkled carpet, so the work will go
easier
2.) you're not kneeling down on a damp carpet when you're stretching it,
and
3.) the vaccuum cleaner removes all the SOLID dirt (like skin cells,
pollen, paper fibers and such) from the carpet before that stuff gets
wet from shampooing. Once the carpet and the solid dirt are wet, you'll
have much greater difficulty removing that solid dirt cuz of water's
surface tension. Next time you're at the beach, try removing sand from
wet feet and dry feet and see which one works better. It's the same
with carpet. The water film on the carpet pile makes the solid soils
stick like glue to the carpet pile.

Contrary to popular belief, a carpet shampoo'er doesn't clean a carpet
better than a vaccuum cleaner. They are two different tools meant for
removing two different kinds of soils. You need to vaccuum regularily
to remove the solid soils, and shampoo periodically to remove the dried
up liquid spills.

if you don't read anything else in this post, read the following three
paragraphs.

Also, if you're planning on renting a carpet shampoo'er to do the
shampoo'ing yourself, then use only 1/5th of the carpet shampoo that Rug
Doctor or whomever recommends. That's because Rug Doctor (and that
other company too, forget their name) recommend using 5 times as much
carpet soap as the companies that make the carpet soaps that
professionals use. And, if I was a suspicious person, I'd suspect the
reason for that is because they know that if you follow their
instructions, there'll be a lot of soapy water left in that carpet after
you finish shampoo'ing. As the carpet dries, the residual soap will
form a film over all the carpet fibers which solid dirts will stick to,
causing the carpet to get dirty much faster than it otherwise would, and
making regular vaccuum cleaning ineffective at removing that dirt.

Under those conditions, the ONLY thing that will remove that solid dirt
stuck to the soap film on the carpet will be to shampoo the carpet
again, thereby simply replacing that soap film with a new one. And,
when people see how much dirt is being removed by shampoo'ing, and how
much cleaner the carpet is, they're impressed with how clean the rental
machine is getting the carpet. Truth is, most of that dirt wouldn't
have even be in the recovery tank water were it not for the residual
soap left behind the last time the carpet was shampoo'ed; it would have
been removed by vaccuuming. The only reason it's there is because it
stuck to the soap film on the carpet fibers.

But, if you feel compelled to follow Rug Doctor's instructions to the
letter, then at least do a SECOND pass over the carpet with just clean
hot water in the solution tank. That way, you remove that residual soap
film from the carpet so that you break that cycle of having to shampoo
all the time to keep the carpet clean.




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After trying a bunch of detergents and such,
I find that Ultra Tide powder works well.
About one tablespoon per 5 gal bucket of hot
water.

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Learn about Jesus
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On 8/20/2013 12:29 PM, nestork wrote:

Also, if you're planning on renting a carpet shampoo'er to do the
shampoo'ing yourself, then use only 1/5th of the carpet shampoo that Rug
Doctor or whomever recommends. That's because Rug Doctor (and that
other company too, forget their name) recommend using 5 times as much
carpet soap as the companies that make the carpet soaps that

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