Softbac carpet

[rgfloor]

I admit I am a dummy with the new backing, that said what are the recommendations for seaming Softbac?

[Floorguy]

Thermoseal it!!! They say to crank the iron up "to burn off the fleece" but I find that makes profiling/ highlighting exaggerated. I run my iron as usual, using a low profile tape, and roll it hard a couple of times(don't get carried away with the roller.

[Don Monfils]

I use thermoseal along with the Seamer Down Now.

[Lo Down]

Unless they have changed the recomendations, the heat needs to be cranked up to partially melt the fleece............. otherwise you are gluing the fleece together, not the backing. I usually run the iron close to high............ kinda scary the first time around.

[Lo Down]

SoftBac.com - Installation Tips
Seaming/Taping/Gluing

We recommend using premium quality, 4-inch tape for all seams. An iron set at 3.5 should be moved across the seam slow enough to melt the tape adhesive.

For questions regarding installation, call 1-800-441-7429.

[Daniel Wachtel]

Or you could just call Dan.

[Al Gladden]

i do the same as floor guy...........

[Daris Mulkin]

Are you talking Shaw's softbac or Beauliu's Luxurybac?
I just work with the Luxurybac for the first time and asked some questions. I was told to expect the seam to profile. Seam across the center of the room with light running across the seam. Used 6 in tape, made seam on a board, along with the SDN. The seam did not profile or peak. Also was told it would stretch much, it stretched like crazy.
But one thing that will help tremendously is use a electric leaf blower and You will be able to position the carpet a whole lot easier.

Daris

[tony lamar]

Ditto Floorguy and AL. And, ain't that leafblower trick a dandy?

[340six]

I have done a ton of Shaw soft back with a permuim 4" tape the 6" will show under it.
With the iron set on 3.5. never had any problems{also the shaw rep is a friend who tells me that other who have had problems are useing cheap tape}
The whole point of having the soft back on my jobs is i install ceramic tile as well as wood in most of the holmes i do and stick the carpets in the bed rooms. The customers always want a area rug and extra matrerials can be ordered and cut at the same time and bound localy or a custon 2-3 color rug made to go on the wood.
the local place does add the soft back to area rugs but this skips this step.

[DJ]

the same as don.i do hate softbac and all the other fleece backings the only thing they are good for is non scratching walls and base!did 167 yards of it today,cold,wet outside 32 bullnosed stairs stiff,slippery in unheated basement strip 1/4 from wall makes for a suck day!sorry just venting...dj

[340six]

I don't like that it is extra heavy to carry

[Daris Mulkin]

For the stiff carpets and stairs I have a friend who is turning me on to hairdryers running and blowing down the walls I'm working. I tease him about it but it does work great. Really softens and makes the carpet pliable and more managable. Try it you'll like it!
Also on the softbacks it iw recommended to trim as you go, especially the set walls. I also use tritack on all softbacs.

Daris

[DJ]

the hair dryer is a great idea,i like tri tack also when the strip is down on concrete i try to leave it though. thanks for the tip...dj

[rusty baker]

I see no advantage to softbac. It is too heavy, hard to seam, hard to stretch and hard to trim. The only reason for making it must be profit. If fact i have refused to install and steered customers to what I consider better backings.