WO1997010921A1

WO1997010921A1 - A method for installing a lightweight carpet

Info

Publication number: WO1997010921A1
Application number: PCT/US1996/014938
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vijayendra Kumar
Original assignee: E.I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company
Priority date: 1995-09-21
Filing date: 1996-09-18
Publication date: 1997-03-27
Also published as: AU7112496A

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for installing lightweight carpets (12). Strips (11) without any upwardly projecting pins are attached to the floor around the edges of a room (20). The edges (21) of the carpet (12) are then fastened to the strips (11) by such fastening means (14) as, for example, staples, tacks, or nails. The carpet (12) may be installed over an underpad (15) located between the strips (11) in a room (20).

Description

TITLE A METHOD FOR INSTALLING A LIGHTWEIGHT CARPET

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many broadloom carpets are comprised of a top, pile layer of yarn tufts, a primary backing layer of a woven or non-woven fabric for holding the tufts and a bottom layer of a secondary fabric for additional stability. The primary and secondary backings are typically adhesively attached to each other by a polymeric latex. This stiffening and binding latex adhesive also holds the tufts to the primary backing. This carpet structure is usually heavyweight (40 to 120 oz./sq.yd.) and rather stiff, but somewhat stretchable.

This type cf carpet is commonly attached to the floor or underpad in one of two ways. In one method, the carpet may be glued to the floor, either permanently or with a releasable system. This method has the advantage of being fast, relatively inexpensive and relatively easy to hide seams where two pieces of carpet are joined together. However, it can be difficult to remove old carpets installed in this manner, the adhesives may permanently mark the flooring beneath the carpet, and the odor from the adhesives may be offensive to building occupants.

A second common method for installing carpets is via "tackless strips" . These strips are typically made of wood and are about 1 inch wide and 1/4 inches thick. The strips have two or more rows of pins embedded, point up, at an angle (about 60 degrees) in their upper surface for grabbing a carpet. The strips are nailed to the floor adjacent the walls of a room and the carpet is stretched and pushed down over the pins. A detached underpad may be included underneath the carpet to provide a cushion and more comfortable feel to the carpet. This method of installation has several advantages. For example, old carpets installed in this manner may be easily removed, and the carpet underpad may be reusable. However, this technique requires more skill on the part of the installer and takes more time than gluing.

Although relatively uncommon, a third method for installing carpets is via a "Velcro" -like hook and loop system, wherein a strip of hooks is attached to the floor or underpad along the walls and either the carpet backing itself acts as loops, or loops are attached to the carpet backing. This installation method has the advantage of being fast and old carpet is readily removable. However, it is expensive and is usually used only in commercial, as opposed to residential, installation sites.

Broadloom carpets having thin, lightweight backings such as those described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 08/513,281 filed August 10,

1995, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, are not amenable to installation via tackless strips . The tackless strip pins go through such carpet backings and are visible from above. Also, due to their unique structure, it is difficult to stretch these lightweight carpets over the tackless strip pins. These carpets are referred to as moisture- stable tuftstring carpets and are made by bonding a plurality of upright tufts of yarn to an elongated strand, preferably reinforced to make an elongated pile article, and bonding a plurality of such pile articles side-by-side to a lightweight backing substrate, preferably a moisture stable reinforced backing substrate. A variety of material combinations for the tufts, strand, and backing can be used to achieve the lightweight structure and moisture stability desired in the carpet. Preferably, nylon tufts of yarn are used as the pile, a mutifilament bundle of fiberglass coated with nylon is used as the elongated strand, and a laminate of fiberglass scrim and non-woven nylon layers is used as the backing substrate . Such carpets are referred to as moisture-stable nylon tuftstring carpets .

As described in above-referenced US Patent Application Serial No. 08/513,281, by the term, "moisture-stable" carpet, it is meant a tuftstring carpet assembly, wherein the length dimension of the assembly in both the tuftstring direction (T/SD) and the cross-tuftstring direction (XD) changes 2% or less in response to a change in the humidity from 100% to 3% or less at a temperature of 40°C. These carpets are also "lightweight", since the carpets have 75% of its weight in the yarn and only 25% in the backing. In contrast, a conventional tufted cut-pile carpet with the necessary latex adhesive and secondary backing, as described above, typically has about 50% of its weight in the tufting yarn and about 50% in the backings and latex for a 30 oz/sq.yd. carpet (yarn weight) .

In view of the foregoing, there is a need for an inexpensive, fast method for installing such lightweight, moisture-stable carpets. This method should also permit easy removal of such carpets from the floor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method for installing carpets. One method involves installing a carpet that spans between the walls of a room according to the following steps.

(a) At least one strip having an upper and lower surface is attached along each edge and corner of a floor adjacent to a wall. The upper surface of the strip is free of projections, and the lower surface of the strip is attached to the floor. There is a space between the strip and the wall.

(b) One corner of the carpet is attached to the upper surface of each strip located at a corner of the room by a fastening means projecting downwardly from the face of the carpet .

(c) The carpet is then stretched and the corner of the carpet diagonally opposite from the corner of the carpet described in above step (b) is attached to the upper surface of each strip located at the corner of the room diagonally opposite from the corner described in above step (b) by a fastening means projecting downwardly from the face of the carpet.

(d) The edges of the carpet are attached to the upper surfaces of the strips located along the edges of the floor adjacent to the walls by a fastening means projecting downwardly from the face of the carpet.

(e) Excess carpet is trimmed and tucked along its edges between the strips and walls to form a finished border of carpet along the walls of the room.

Another method involves installing the carpet in various other locations such as hallways, stairs, and the like, wherein the carpet spans between opposing walls. This method involves the following steps.

(a) At least one strip having an upper and lower surface is attached along each edge of a floor adjacent to a wall . The upper surface of the strip is free of projections, and the lower surface of the strip is attached to the floor. There is a space between the strip and the wall. (b) One edge of the carpet is attached to the upper surface of a strip located along an edge of the floor adjacent to a wall by a fastening means projecting downwardly from the face of the carpet.

(c) The carpet is then stretched and the edge of the carpet opposite from the edge of the carpet described in above step (b) is attached to the upper surface of each strip located at the edge of the floor opposite from the wall described in above step (b) by a fastening means projecting downwardly from the face of the carpet .

(d) Excess carpet is trimmed and tucked along its edges between the strips and walls to form a finished border of carpet along the walls of the room.

The strips may comprise wood and have a width in the range of about 3/4 to about 1 and 1/2 inches with a thickness in the range of about 1/4 to about 3/8 inches .

The fastening means may have an overhanging portion and a strip engaging portion, wherein the attaching comprises passing the strip engaging portion through the carpet and then engaging said strip so as to capture the carpet between the overhanging portion and the strip. Suitable fastening means for attaching the carpet to the strips include, for example, staples, tacks, or nails.

Particularly, the fastening means may be a staple, wherein the attaching comprises passing the staple through the carpet and engaging the strip at least every two and one-half inches along the strip. The fastening means may also be a tack or nail, wherein the attaching comprises passing the tack or nail through the carpet and engaging the strip at least every two inches along the strip.

A single strip or multiple adjacent strips may be located along each edge of the floor. The carpet is preferably installed over an underpad located on the floor between the strips to provide a more cushioning effect to the carpet. The underpad is installed before the carpet is stretched and attached.

Preferably, the carpet is free of stiffening and binding adhesive. More preferably, the carpet is a moisture-stable tuftstring carpet such as a moisture- stable tuftstring carpet consisting essentially of nylon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 is a side-elevation view of the carpet installation method of this invention.

Figure 2 is a top view of a room with a carpet installed by the method of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to Figure 1, in this method of installation, strips (11) , of approximately the same dimensions as tackless strips, but without the upward facing pins, are installed along the edges of a floor adjacent to the walls (19) of a room by such fastening means as nailing or stapling. These strips have an upper and lower surface, wherein the upper surface has no fastening means projecting upwardly therefrom, i.e., the upper surface is free of projections. The lower surface is attached to the floor, and there is a space, i.e. , "gully" (17) between the strip and the wall.

Usually the strips used in this invention are made of wood. However, any firm, dimensionally stable substrate capable of holding the fastening means could be used m place of wood. The width (8) of the strips is typically m the range of about 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches, preferably about 1 inch. The thickness (13) of the strips is m the range of about 1/4 to 3/8 inches. Preferably the thickness of the strips is the same as that of the underpad (15) described further below. A space (17) of about 3/8 inches, preferably slightly less than the thickness of the carpet (12) being installed, is left between the wall (19) and strip (11) into which the edge (21) of the carpet (12) is later tucked as will be described hereinafter. It is not necessary for a continuous length of strip to be installed along each wall. Instead, many strip pieces may be used in order to accommodate the contours of the wall. Gaps between strips should not exceed about 1/8 inch.

For residential sites, it is preferred that the carpet be installed over an underpad which is located on the floor between the strips. If an underpad (15) is used, it is cut to fit within the area of the floor bordered by the strips . The underpad may be attached to the floor by any means such as nails, staples or glue, or the underpad may remain unattached to the floor.

The carpet (12) is cut so that it is about 3 inches longer, m each direction, than is required to cover the floor. As will be described below, this extra carpet s used to allow for precise cutting to the contour of the wall and to form a finished border with the wall oy tucking it between the wall and the strip after securing tne carpet to the strip.

In order to secure the carpet to the strips, the carpet is laid out on the floor and wrinkles are removed by pulling or pushing the wrinkles toward the walls Referring to Figure 2, m one corner of the room (10) , the carpet (12) is attached to the strips by suitable carpet fastening means (14) such as, for example, staples, tacks, nails, or the like which project downwardly from the face of the carpet and into the strip. The fastening means are driven through the face of the carpet and into the strips in the corner and along the wall in each direction, such as along walls (16) and (18) , at approximately 2 inch intervals until about 12-inches from the corner. The fastened carpet in the corner is then cut and trimmed to size. Any excess carpet (21) which extends beyond the strip, typically about 3/8 to 1/2 inch depending on the thickness of the strips, is then tucked between the wall and the strip to form a finished border with the wall.

The carpet is then lightly stretched and the corner of the carpet diagonally opposite from the corner of the carpet, as described above, is attached to the upper surface of the strips located at the corner of the room (20) diagonally opposite from the corner (10) described above by a fastening means. By lightly stretched is meant all wrinkles and puckers, if any, are removed by pushing the carpet away from the secured corner and toward the walls. If necessary, light stretching with a "knee-kicker" may be applied. In most cases, elastic stretching of the carpet is not required.

The carpet is then attached by fastening means to the strips at approximate intervals of 4 to 6 inches along all the walls. As in the corners, the excess carpet is cut and trimmed to size with some extra carpet tucked between the walls and the strips in order to form a finished border with the walls. To complete the installation, more fasteners are added so there are about 2-3 inches between fasteners. As described above, preferably, the carpet is free of stiffening and binding adhesive and more preferably it is a moisture-stable tuftstring carpet such as a moisture stable nylon tuftstring carpet.

Claims

1. A method for installing a carpet that spans between the walls of a room, comprising the steps of:

(a) attaching at least one strip having an upper and lower surface along each edge and corner of a floor adjacent to a wall, wherein the upper surface of the strip is free of projections and the lower surface of the strip is attached to the floor, and providing a space between the strip and the wall;

(b) attaching one corner of the carpet to the upper surface of each strip located at a corner of the room by a fastening means projecting downwardly from the face of the carpet;

(c) stretching the carpet and attaching the corner of the stretched carpet diagonally opposite from the corner of the floor covering described in above step (b) to the upper surface of each strip located at the corner of the room diagonally opposite from the corner described in above step (b) by a fastening means projecting downwardly from the face of the carpet;

(d^ attaching the edges of the carpet to the upper surfaces of strips located along the edges of the floor adjacent to the walls by a fastening means projecting downwardly from the face of the carpet; and

(e) trimming and tucking excess carpet along its edges in the space between the strips and walls to form a finished border of carpet along the walls of the roo .

2. A method for installing a carpet that spans between opposing walls, comprising the steps of: (a) attaching at least one strip having an upper and lower surface along each edge of a floor adjacent to a wall, wherein the upper surface of the strip is free of projections and the lower surface of the strip is attached to the floor; and providing a space between the strip and the wall;

(b) attaching an edge of the carpet to the upper surface of a strip located along an edge of the floor adjacent to a wall by a fastening means projecting downwardly from the face of the carpet; and

(c) stretching the carpet and attaching the edge of the carpet opposite from the edge of the carpet described in above step (b) to the upper surface of a strip located along the edge of the floor opposite from the wall described in above step (b) by a fastening means projecting downwardly from the face of the carpet; and

(d) trimming and tucking excess carpet along its edges between the strips and walls to form a finished border of carpet along the walls.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2 , wherein the strips comprise wood and have a width in the range of about 3/4 to about 1 and 1/2 inches and a thickness in the range of about 1/4 to about 3/8 inches.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein there are multiple strips located along each edge of the floor.

5. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the fastening means are staples, tacks, or nails.

6. The method of claim 1 or 2 , wherein the fastening means have an overhanging portion and a strip engaging portion and the attaching comprises passing the strip engaging portion through the carpet and then engaging said strip so as to capture the carpet between the overhanging portion and the strip.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the fastening means is a staple and the attaching comprises passing the staple through the carpet and engaging said strip at least every two and one-half inches along the strip.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the fastening means is a tack or nail and the attaching comprises passing the tack or nail through the carpet and engaging said strip at least every two inches along the strip.

9. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the carpet is installed over an underpad which is located on the floor between the strips .

10. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the method includes the step of providing a carpet which is free of stiffening and binding adhesive.

11. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the method includes the step of providing a moisture stable tuftstring carpet.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the moisture stable tuftstring carpet consists essentially of nylon.