commercial carpet install

[rusty baker]

It looked like a unitary.

[GoodHouse]

That is a typical commercial glue down install.

I don't see the point of all the criticism? Looks like a professional job and clean from the video. I would guess he used that table upside down to "roll the carpet". Mabe he used a roller and no one video'd it. Either way, the glue will bond.

Who cares if you mix patch on the floor, on a scrap, in a bucket, its patch; doesnt have to look pretty.

This guy obviously knows how to get a job done efficiently. I don't think hes trying to be an artist, i think hes trying to make money and have a business.

In video, job looks fine. Seams are sealed, job is clean. Double cutting is not an inferior method, but a different one. Most commercial carpets are junk and by the time your down rowing, fiddling with the bows and whips, stay nails, ets, you'd wish you double cut it and been done for the day.

[DJ]

GoodHouse said That is a typical commercial glue down install. I don't see the point of all the criticism? Looks like a professional job and clean from the video. I would guess he used that table upside down to "roll the carpet". Mabe he used a roller and no one video'd it. Either way, the glue will bond. Who cares if you mix patch on the floor, on a scrap, in a bucket, its patch; doesnt have to look pretty. This guy obviously knows how to get a job done efficiently. I don't think hes trying to be an artist, i think hes trying to make money and have a business. In video, job looks fine. Seams are sealed, job is clean. Double cutting is not an inferior method, but a different one. Most commercial carpets are junk and by the time your down rowing, fiddling with the bows and whips, stay nails, ets, you'd wish you double cut it and been done for the day.

ok i wouldn't want that clown working fur me where is that a typical commercial glue down? humor me..........after watching that i feel holy crap!! k, i'm done now

[rusty baker]

Those guys are the typical commercial installers that I see on many jobs. They have that "slap it in and get paid" mentality. I would have fired them, early on.

[DJ]

rusty baker said Those guys are the typical commercial installers that I see on many jobs. They have that "slap it in and get paid" mentality. I would have fired them, early on.

wonder what their van looks like looking at their atire i would not of even gave them a employment app

[Peter Kodner]

Goodhouse, with all due respect, on what basis are you calling this a "typical" commercial installation. I spent the majority of my career doing "typical" commercial (as well as quite a few non-typical projects) and as others have said, these "installers" would have been off my payroll the first day.

I do disagree with you on several points:

1. "It will stick without rolling." My response is not very well and look out if the cleaners have the same skill set these installers do. I decent over-wetting and it will blow off the floor.

2. "Double is not an inferior method." Flat out wrong. If this was accurate, why would it not be stated as a preferred method by manufacturers? Is the a conspiracy to make installers use practices that are slower without any benefit?

3. "Most commercial carpets are junk." If you spent much time in the specified commercial market instead of the main street end, you would have a different opinion. Cheap carpet is cheap carpet and too many qualities sold regularly are of a quality just to keep tufters running, but way too broad an indictment of the carpet industry.

Also how does double cutting pattern goods work for you? Your clients like that look? I honestly don't see where pattern issues are applicable to this plain Jane tweed installation.

[Al Gladden]

i actually worked with a guy years ago that double cut seams like that, i would run rows and he would double cut all 26 oz gluedown and to be honest both our seams where invisible..

[Darren Ramey]

I started a 600yd commercial job today, I get maybe one of these a year. The carpet is a loop with an indistinct pattern, but I'll be damned if I can find a repeat. The first seam I row cut both sides, the rows weren't straight but with a little finagling and some stay nails I got it together, it didn't look bad, but standing on one end and looking down it, you can see it.

The next seam, I tried double cutting figuring that if it didn't work, I could row cut it and slide it over. It looked pretty good so we glued it. The double cut seam ended up looking much better. I'm not saying the row cut seam was bad, but the double cut seam was even less visible. I'll try to remember to take pictures tomorrow.

In most loops double cutting will get you a better looking seam. Now there are exceptions, obviously it isn't going to work on most patterns, and if you have any sidematch issues at all it will look worse. Just my opinion, I fully expect to be told how wrong I am

[Darren Ramey]

Ok, I just watched the video and these guys are getting bum rap for the most part. Giving them the benefit of the doubt on the roller, I only have a couple nits to pick. It sounded like the guy didn't realize there was going to be a T-seam in going in to that hall until he laid the carpet out and it landed there? How does that work? That is a horrible place for it, and something I would never do.

Also, they need one of those cheapy throwaway nozzles for the cove base glue. That big old glob of glue can telegraph through the base.

Granted it is an overcompressed cell phone video, but there is no hint of any of the seams in it. I'm willing to bet they look fine in person too. The cove base didn't look great, but then again when does it ever?

I don't know where you guys live that that is a sloppy job, but around here that is way above average. Out here no seam sealer, no patch, and quarter turned rooms aren't out of the ordinary.

PS, I was knocking some patch out of my bucket today and punched a hole clean through it, so guess how the patch got mixed? I did pick up another bucket on the way home for tomorrow though.

[Chris Mha]

I also thought it may have been a unitary. If that's the case then that trowel notch was questionable. Regardless unitary or not it did not look like an adequate amount of adhesive.

[Bill Watson]

I've never double cut before, I worry that while double cutting, you're gonna cut some of the loops. It just seems that no matter how well the seam is sealed, you run the very real risk of a snag causing a wire (row, whatever )to run.

[Chris Mha]

getoverit said As far as covebase goes, I always spread the walls. I could never go very fast spreading the base or with a gun.

I learned years ago how to apply the adhesive to the wall. It's all in the way you load it on the cove base spreader to avoid making a mess. I prefer it to the tubes. Put a 4 gallon pail of adhesive on a 12" x 12" four wheel dolly and pull it down the wall with me.

I bought a 6" putty knife and cut it down just under 4" and notched it.

[getoverit]

Chris Mha said I learned years ago how to apply the adhesive to the wall. It's all in the way you load it on the cove base spreader to avoid making a mess. I prefer it to the tubes. Put a 4 gallon pail of adhesive on a 12" x 12" four wheel dolly and pull it down the wall with me. I bought a 6" putty knife and cut it down just under 4" and notched it.

I made my own spreaders too Chris. Had them for 2",4" and 6" base.It took me a while to get the hang of it but I'd never do it any other way.

[kylenelson]

Okay, regarding the floor patch, it's not the fact that he mixed it on the floor. I do that all the time. It is the fact that he added way too much water and didn't mix it well. The more water the weaker the patch.

As for double cutting, yes, you may be able to make it look good, but in 2 years will it still look good or will the seam be frayed/fuzzy? I've done many commercial jobs where we row cut one side and overlap it onto the other piece and follow the edge with the top cutter. It works fine, just not so sure of the longetivity of those kind of practices

[Chris Mha]

No double cutting here. If it will row cut, I will row cut. Same applies to residential carpet for me. If I can row cut it I will.