butchered seams

[Luis Gomez]

I do reinstall and clean for a restoration company and their techs cannot cut straight. Can they use a steam irons to open the seams? or perhaps a regular iron with wet towels underneath?. How are your techs doing this without damaging the carpets? thank you for your responses.

 

[windmarkbob]

On a cut pile carpet our technicians use a crochet hook to spread the fibers then use a fresh blade to cut the seam. They also do not cut at an existing seam, but cut 2-3" to either side of it.

Mr. Coffee

 

[kmdineen]

Would someone post pictures and or a step by step procedure for the proper way to cut a carpet to remove the pad and not mess up the carpet?

 

[sweendogg]

You give us a room layout and we'll give you some procedures.

 

[kmdineen]

Maybe procedure was not the correct term. If I get a loss where the pad has a vapor barrier on one or both sides, I do the following. 1st I disengage the carpet from the tack strips using a knee kicker. Then I find the seams and press them together causing a opening at the face fiber. I use a razor or utility knife to cut the seam from the top of the carpet.
Is there a better way? Should I be opening up old seams or cutting other areas of the carpet? What is easier for the installer to return the carpet to a pre loss appearance?
I don't want to do a great job drying a structure just to have the carpet installer tell my customer I did not know what I was doing because I hacked up the carpet a little.

 

[sweendogg]

Well that all depends. As an installer. If we can get to the back of the carpet, we'll use an iron to break the seam and it generally it will go back together just find.... However I imagine in the a WD situation, the seam tape is going to be wet for the most part and that option goes out the window. If its a good seam and its been sealed with thermoplactic, you may ruin the chance for putting it back together with out problems by face cutting it. Doorways seams don't give you many options but to face cut it. Of course anytime you can avoid cutting a seam, you are better off. If you have to cut it from the face then your prescribed method above is just fine. If you can use a row finder and a rowcutter, also known as a cushion back cutter, you'll produce a better edge. This is beneficial because when the tape is dry, the installer can come back and melt the tape off with his iron, re seal the edge and seam it back together. But each situation is very unique depending on the room layout, registers in the floor, and placement of seams.