"Olefin sidematch," in the Flooring Potpourri forum, begins: "I often hear that polypropylenes/olefins can not have a sidematch problem. Here's a recent inspection of carpet in a church. ..."
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota - but like to travel a lot.
Posts: 573
Olefin sidematch
I often hear that polypropylenes/olefins can not have a sidematch problem. Here's a recent inspection of carpet in a church. Direct glued graphic looped polypropylene. Sure looks like a sidematch problem. First fact: Drops were not reversed.
It is not an issue of more light being reflected. It is an issue of more of the light loops exposed on the light side. Texture sidematch, tension. all the same. Tufting machine malfunction.
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota - but like to travel a lot.
Posts: 573
Re: Olefin sidematch
You guys are gooooood! Exactly on the mark. The tighter loops show more of the white design elements and the looser loops show more of the dark cranberry background. The face also shows rougher on the looser side and this will create additional shadowing.
Next question is "Do you think this could be color blended?"
It used be that olefin had to be dyed in it liquid state but I think thaey found a way to do it after it was extruded. So it may be possible to color blend it. I don't know for sure don't know that much about color blending today.
Color blending is fixing side match color problems with a carpet. You dye one side to blend to the other. There are classes for color correction if you have the eye for it. The nearest one to us is the Dyers Guild in Seattle I think. Big bucks if you can do it.
I have been known to reverse lay them when they are that bad and have to be installed. Looks like that might have been one you could reverse and who's gonna know........
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota - but like to travel a lot.
Posts: 573
Re: Olefin sidematch
cproader said
I have been known to reverse lay them when they are that bad and have to be installed. Looks like that might have been one you could reverse and who's gonna know........
Reversed drops may have worked. No way to tell from a simple visual inspection. You could actually see the difference as you scanned across the width. Be interesting to see it tried.
Color blending is fixing side match color problems with a carpet. You dye one side to blend to the other. There are classes for color correction if you have the eye for it. The nearest one to us is the Dyers Guild in Seattle I think. Big bucks if you can do it.
Thanks for the info. I've never heard of dyeing one side of the carpet. Seems like it would be quite the process haha.
Mike has my complete respect when it comes to dyeing issues (and I certainly listen to everything he has to say about other issues too !). I have yet to find anyone whose opinion I value more.
Olefin and polyester have very low absorption rates. The dyeable olefins, to my knowledge, never really went anywhere in the market and I am not even sure they are being sold. They are pigmented and not dyed. Polyesters require an entirely different type of dye than nylon, making them difficult and impractical to correct on sites.
My success rate doing sidematch corrections is not where I would like it to be, probably due to limited practice. I would love for it to be a larger share of my work.
Color blending is fixing side match color problems with a carpet. You dye one side to blend to the other. There are classes for color correction if you have the eye for it. The nearest one to us is the Dyers Guild in Seattle I think. Big bucks if you can do it.
one of my builder friend's had that done i never saw it sounds kinda....
!). I have yet to find anyone whose opinion I value more. 
i never saw it sounds kinda....
