Doorway Seam Repair

[Stevea]

I thought I would share part of some repairs I have been doing lately, this one is a doorway seam.
This was a damaged seam that I found, when I opened it up, had been stapled to the sub-floor, had been damaged and had some delam to it. As you will see in the photos, there was another seam within about 18 inches from the one I was working on, so I had to stay nail to re-enforce the other seam so as to not pull it apart. There was no additional carpet to use so even though the seam had a lot of damage, I was limited to how much I could trim off, this is why I had to repair delam and other damage to the carpet backing. This was 9 year old carpet.

It was attached to a narrow hall so there was not a lot to stretch from either side, added a lot of difficulty to the repair but it was one way to complete it. Not the best of repairs but it shows what we can get into sometimes. There was a lot of other repairs but this one gives the real world view of what we deal with some times and what needs to be done to complete some repairs.

I hope this slide show works, I am trying a new hosting service for some of my photos and this is my first attempt with it. Hope some enjoy this, I thought I would share this since not all of them are as perfect as we would like but I hope ones get some ideas to add work to their services. Please be kind with comments, this was a tough one to repair.

You should be able to click on the link and it should open.

http://www.bluemelon.com/slideshow/6805

Take care all (Shorty; Ace, dgardner and John, saw your comments on the other link as to where some are; thanks Tony for the comment, enjoyed seeing you recently; hope all are doing well)

Stevea

 

[Shorty]

Nice shots Steve, thanks for sharing.

You have the knack for showing how some jobs need to be tackled.




I'm intrigued.

You say this carpet is 9 years old and it appears to have Action Backing, is this right. ??

Just how long has Action Back been available over there. ??

We are still getting carpet with jute backing laid new in Cairns. :shock:

Consequently, we get to know quite a bit about cellulosic browning.

I must admit, I have probably seen half a dozen carpets with Action Back in the last year or so.

Vive le revolution for Action Back.

Thanks,

:roll:

 

[Stevea]

Hi Shorty,

You are always most kind in your comments.

We have had action bac for 25 plus years or more, I really don't know when it started. We still get some jute backing but it is a small % of the carpets. I remember when I first started cleaning, we were always worried about shrinkage and cellulose browning, now we worry about carpets growing. When I first got started there was a fair amount of double jute backing, it was built in cellulose browning but if it was an area rug, we would just turn it upside down and let it wick into the backing and not have the browning on the face.

Take care,
Steve

 

[sweendogg]

Hi Shorty,

You are always most kind in your comments.

We have had action bac for 25 plus years or more, I really don't know when it started. We still get some jute backing but it is a small % of the carpets. I remember when I first started cleaning, we were always worried about shrinkage and cellulose browning, now we worry about carpets growing. When I first got started there was a fair amount of double jute backing, it was built in cellulose browning but if it was an area rug, we would just turn it upside down and let it wick into the backing and not have the browning on the face.

Take care,
Steve

Shorty to give you a quick history. Around 1970 to 1980, most American carpet mills began switching from Jute backing over the Action back carpets because of the increase tariffs and taxes on importing the jute backing overseas. Ergo by going to patroleum based products they could keep the price lower. Installers loved Jute backed because it seemed up well and it stretched to a point and it held tha stretch. with Action Backs only a lion share of the carpet backing today we are starting to see a few jute back tufted broadloom pieces make their way into the market. Mostly higher end but some are touting it the "green movement" while others are simply importers and bring their carpets made overseas in with these backings.
It would make sense that your country has stuck with the Jute backed carpets as the asian market was a big exporter of these materials.

I would not be suprised if we see Jute make a large appearance again in the US market because of its eco friendly flair.

Steven considering the situation. The repair looks suberb. I hate getting into those situations as you described but yet they seem to be some of the more satisfying ones to accomplish. Its good to challenge the dusty mind every so often!

 

[Stevea]

Sweendogg,

Thank you for your always good and insightful comments. It does seem to dust off the mind a little with a job like this. The nice part about being able to do this work, it gave me a lot of other work in this home. I was referred to these people because I do repairs and we wound up with a lot more to do.

I have some woven carpet to repair this next week, I hope I don't get my mind dusted off too much more, I am ready for a nice simple and smooth job.

Take care,
Stevea

 

[Jack May]

Nice work there Steve.

I find the curly ones I have a love/hate relationship with. You're part way into it and you find a buried problem and the hate side kicks in, then you settle down and overcome it and then you get the love feeling for the work you do.

I also love what you said above about being referred because you can do the repairs. I find this a bit myself too. They become very loyal customers once you fix their eyesore problem and so load you up with all the other work too.

John

 

[Stevea]

John,

You are correct about the curly little loop pile carpet like this. Not too bad when you have room to work but this was so tight. I would have loved to put my power stretcher on it but the small fill piece and seam in front did not allow that and the hallway did not have a good place nor enough carpet to really get a good stretch off of, so one just has to work with what they have.

As for referral, I find I get some of my best work due to being able to do repair work, it is a great door opener and once in they feel pretty good about letting you do everything else. This one I got to do a lot of other work and it was all due to being able to do the repair.

This coming week I have some woven carpet to repair and we are looking at doing a whole lot of other work as well, probably take all week to complete it but I love to be in one home for as long as possible. I am supposed to have an article in Cleanfax coming in the near future about using repairs to open the door to other work, already written just waiting for Jeff to put it in place.

Hope all is well in your part of the world and thanks for the nice comments.

take care,
Stevea

 

[Luis Gomez]

Nice job!!! Who makes your glue gun? and what type of tip are you using?

 

[Stevea]

I am not sure who makes the glue gun but it is from a supplier I deal with, the tip is hand made and comes from overseas from another supplier I deal with. I have a lot of varieties of glue guns, this is one that is high wattage and a variable temperature for the different glue sticks I use, great gun.

Thanks for the comment, I hope it is something that helps others to see some of what can be done when a difficult condition arises.

NIce to see you here in this room, there are many others that share absolutely great stuff with all of us.

Take care,
Stevea

 

[Shane T]

Steve, Are the guns you use available through Intelink? If not can you tell where?

 

[Stevea]

I try not to make any of what I do a sales pitch but if you want any of these items, I do help individuals get them. If you PM me I will be happy to help you get any tools you may want or need.

Stevea

 

[ACE]

Hey Steve we missed you! I find myself doing allot of doorway seams as part of a re-stretch. What would you have done there if it was on concrete?

 

[Stevea]

Hi Mike,

Glad to hear you are doing well and making repairs, got to love doorway seams. I actually had three in this home to do but this was the interesting one to me.

Had it been concrete? I carry concrete nails and I will stay nail with that as well. More difficult but it works.

Had I decided that I did not want to stay nail with concrete nails, for some reason, I would have dis-engaged the carpet along the wall, (in the bedroom portion), and I would have placed my portable flooring under there (the plywood). This would give me a surface I could still use my picks on. Then when finished, I would have taken the board(s) out and reinstall the edges. This can be a little tight sometimes but it will usually work (although not always). With the board under the second seam, I would stay nail it, then put a board under the primary seam I was repairing and when finished, slide it out as well. It is wonderful to be able to have a solid surface to make a seam on but not always practical in some areas. Still, it is surprising how many times it can be done. If need be, I would also go to the other side of the room to open the edge up and have a string tied to my work board (s) and simply pull it out the other side, whatever is needed to be able to work this seam.

I have another large repair job I am working on this week, a woven carpet that has to come up due to long term moisture problems. Some of the sub-floor also needs to be replaced. The original seaming on this beautiful carpet is very poor, so I will work this from the back when I put it back together. I also have three areas to replace small fill pieces. These I will also work from the back and hand sew as well as secure with scrim and adhesive. Started it yesterday and with all I have done so far, my camera batteries were not working (yes I did charge them first but something failed - still probably human error - me ) so I had all of this nice training stuff and not one photo. I will get some photos of the actual repair but it will all be from the back, or at least most of it.

Thank you for making me feel missed, it has been a very odd year due to a lot of personal stuff but that is life. Good to hear from you. Glad to hear you are working.

Stevea

 

[Harry Myers]

Nice post Steve . If it were concrete you can also use your powerstretcher crank it up to where you need the seam to be . Take your cool glide iron and spot weld it . Wait for it to dry move your power stretcher head over and continue. You can spot weld with the cool glide anywhere without nails. No nails required .

 

[sweendogg]

Or in smaller doorways and you happen to have it available, we will use two stretchers back to the door ways.

And ifs really just awkward to get a movable floor plant out and its feasible, you can take up the entire outside wall and wall around the door and bring the whole piece in an inch and restretch it.. so long as its action back and has that much to give. (most action backs when heated up will give you enough.

 

[GeneMiller]

That looks just like one I did recently except in reverse. Mine looked like photo 1 when done. Great job. Wish I had those skills.

Gene

 

[Stevea]

Hi Gene,

Thanks, but most of it is simply a matter of manipulation and putting it in place.

Hi Harry,

Thanks for the nice comments. This did have a Kool Glide used on it but the reason I had to stay nail it was there was a seam about 18" behind and no where to go with
it due to a narrow hallway and no where to stretch without fear of opening the other seam. But yes, a powerstretcher will place it right where one wants it and I love to do that
when possible. Hope all is well with you.

Stevea

 

[Harry Myers]

Steve Glad to see you here again and I missed you too. Any way. Im sorry I was just giving an example. I understand exactly what you are explaining. Excellent post and slide show.

 

[Stevea]

No problem Harry, I always like your comments, I always brag about your work and your certifications in my classes, so when you share a comment, I read it carefully.

We'll have to get together again in your area someday soon.

Take care,
Steve

 

[Harry Myers]

Any time steve . I would love to get together with you on any thing i can help you with or , i would like some help from you on some hand carving stuff I have .
Are you familiar with the carpet tome

 

[Stevea]

Hi Harry,

Very much so, I have had one for many years, use it for all kinds of stuff. I even got to meet the developer and inventor of it and spend a couple of different times in his shop. He is now dead but what a wealth of information he shared with me.

I will get with you and see about coming down in a few weeks if that would work for you. I can even bring my carvers if you need me to, I use an electric and an air one, which is really a neat tool. Talk with you soon.

Stevea

 

[Jack May]

It's great to see of you gentlemen active again on the forum. You both have such a wealth of knowledge to share.

John

 

[Stevea]

John,
Coming from you that is a real compliment. Seeing your work shows a real artist at work, I always enjoy seeing your posts and comments.

And Harry, he is such a master at installation, every time he posts we all learn something.

Take care,
Stevea