Installation

Check and Acclimatise

Batch Number - Before commencing to install our products please check that tiles, broadloom or sheet are from the same production lot or batch number. This number is stamped on the back of each tile and on the cartons/roll labels. In view of slight colour variations occurring in production, it is important that batches are not mixed.

The room temperature (min 18°C) and humidity should be constant at least 24 hours before and after the floor is laid. Tiles should be removed from their outer boxes and laid out loosely on the floor. Broadloom and sheet should be removed from its packaging and rolled out flat. Products should then be left for 24 hours to acclimatise before laying.

Underfloor Heating

Underfloor heating - If carpets are to be installed on an underfloor heating system, then the maximum surface temperature of the heating system must not exceed 27°c. The underfloor heating should be switched off for 48 hours before and after installation.

Sub Floors

Sub Floors - Carpet must be laid on a sub-floor that is dry (less than 75% RH), flat (to BS 8203 + or - 3mm on 3m), hard, not slippery and in accordance with BS 5325). All grease, wax, or polish must be removed.

When laying on uneven timber floors or on floors with gaps between boards, lay plywood or hardboard (rough side uppermost) over existing floorboards and nail or staple them down in a 6’ grid pattern.

If the subfloor is concrete and is uneven or has broken plastic or vinyl tiles, which cannot easily be removed, it should be made level with a latex screeding compound. Carpet may be laid on wood parquet or quarry tile floors providing the subfloor is prepared adequately and has a functional damp-proof membrane.

Adhesive Fixing

Tiles

Carpet tiles should be installed on a surface tackifier. In extra heavy wear areas, including areas where there will be wheeled traffic, or where intense stiletto heel traffic is anticipated, we recommend the use of a permanent adhesive.

Broadloom

Gel or Foam backed ranges should be fully bonded to the floor using a suitable permanent adhesive. Textile backed products can be stretched on underlay, or adhered to special underlay systems, if installed in an appropriate location, please contact us for advice.

Sheet

All sheet ranges should be fully bonded to the floor using a suitable permanent adhesive.

Tile Installation

Tiles with directional design should be laid by turning alternate tiles through 90° (to obtain a chequer pattern). The direction of the tile is indicated on the back of the tile by an arrow and it is essential that the tiles are laid so that the arrows are shown as in diagram 1.

Tiles with a flat, loop or cut construction can be laid either in chequer fashion as described above or with the arrows pointing in one direction only, to give a broadloom appearance, see 1B. To improve the broadloom effect (cut or loop pile tiles) lay the tiles brick fashion (staggered joints on alternate rows) see Diagram 1C.

To obtain a first class installation of carpet tiles and to avoid future problems it is essential that;-

• The edge tiles are cut exactly to size and that all tiles are tightly butted up to one another.
• The edge tiles are unable to slide under the skirting boards or other perimeter detail, if this can occur, then they should be fixed to the subfloor using adhesive. This is important, as any movement at the edge will tend to loosen the whole installation.
• Where tiles are used in conjunction with chair castors some flattening of the pile will occur and it is therefore essential to use keyhole mats to protect the surface pile of the carpet.
• Castor cups should be used under heavy point loads.
• An effective textile barrier zone, greater than 3 linear metres is included in entrance areas.

Joints between tiles are accentuated if the surface pile is trapped between adjacent tiles. This can be avoided by carefully pushing back the surface pile and tightly butting the tiles to one another, but avoid undue pressure, which might cause tiles to buckle or tent.

Mark the sub-floor with two lines at right angles as shown in diagram 1, thus marking the centre of the room. Lay the tiles from this point and parallel to the lines, unless this would leave a narrow strip of tiles at the edge of the floor in which case make your starting point slightly offcentre. Edge tiles should be of similar width on opposite sides of the floor and at least 20cm wide.

Cut carpet tiles from the back using a Stanley knife or similar implement by scoring heavily then part the surface fibre. For cutting the edge tiles follow the procedure indicated in diagrams 2 and 3.

During manufacture and transportation, carpet tiles may have been subject to a certain amount of crushing, If after laying the surface appears to be flattened, a thorough vacuuming and normal wear will eliminate this after a few days.

Broadloom Installation

CFS broadloom tufted carpets are constructed of pile yarns tufted into a woven polypropylene primary backing and backed with either:

• Synthetic textile back
• Actionbac
• Jute back
• Foam back *
• Gel back *
• Felt back *

Secondary backings to provide the correct degree of dimensional stability and flexibility. It is important that all broadloom seams/joints are sealed.

* Should only be installed using the direct adhesion method.

Cutting Tufted Carpets

The most common method of cutting secondary backed tufted carpets is from the back. A chalk line is struck on the back and using a straight edge as a guide, a cut is made using a sharp bladed knife or a back cutter. Carpets can also be cut from the top using a special tool designed for this purpose.

Seaming

Textile secondary backed broadloom carpet can be joined by using hot-melt seaming tape or electroseaming tape. A low-melt tape is recommended and care should be taken to ensure that the iron runs in the direction of the pile lay.

Installation Systems

There are several methods of installing carpets incontract areas:

• Direct adhesion: Suitable for all areas and products.
• Double-stick systems or tackless gripper and underlay: Suitable for textile secondary backed products in areas without concentrated traffic and no castor chairs. As with all textile floor covering installations, it is essential that correct techniques, materials, accessories and tools be used, if a trouble free installation is to be achieved. The following instructions will assist, but specific site conditions must be taken into account.

Direct Adhesion

Step 1 - The carpet is laid out and cut oversize by about 50mm. to allow for subsequent cutting in. The position of any seam is marked on the sub floor using a chalk line.

Step 2 - The carpet is turned back to about half its length or width, an appropriate adhesive is then spread on the subfloor using a notched trowel of the correct depth. The carpet is then laid into the adhesive following the manufacturer’s recommendations. The carpet is then rolled to ensure adhesive transfer. The procedure is repeated for the second half of the carpet.

Step 3 - The edges of the carpet are trimmed to ensure a neat finish. After approximately 1 hour the carpet is rolled again.

Double-Stick systems

There are a number of double-stick systems in commercial use, there are slight differences in the systems but the basic principle is that the underlay is secured to the sub floor with a tackifier and the carpet bonded to the underlay with a permanent adhesive.

Step 1 - A recommended tackifier is applied to the subfloor using either a notched trowel or a roller. Care should be taken to ensure that the tackifier is applied evenly without leaving pools in low spots.

Step 2 - After the tackifier has dried completely the underlay is laid into the tackifier. Effectively this creates a new sub floor onto which the carpet can be laid. A gap of approximately 6mm. (1/4”) should be left around the perimeter of the underlay to allow for a tuck finish. In some instances tackless gripper can also be used around the perimeter of the room for extra security of fixing.

Step 3 - The carpet is now laid out and installed following the direct adhesion instructions above.

Tackless Gripper and Underlay

The basic procedure for installing carpets in contract situations using the tackless gripper system is the same as for domestic installation. However, in this case it is recommended that architectural gripper with three rows of pins should be used. If this is not possible then standard gripper should be used double banked.

Broadloom Fitting

Depending on the type of subfloor and the location, the tackless gripper is fixed either by mechanical means or with a suitable adhesive. Contract quality underlay, as defined in BS 5808, should always be used.

A power stretcher should be used in areas over 5m long or wide (BS 5325:1996) The amount of stretch for textile secondary backed tufted carpet is between 1.0 and 1.5%.

These products must, be bonded permanently to a suitable subfloor following the “Direct Adhesion” method.

Please follow the specific instructions provided by the procedure manufacturer of the sundry products used during the installation of CFS Carpets.