Don't Be Afraid of Carpet Seams

  Carpet seams are something that occurs when your room is wider than the width of the carpet being installed. For instance, if your room is 14 foot wide and the carpet is only twelve foot wide, there is two foot of floor that is not covered by the roll of carpet. When this happens another piece of carpet has to be attached to the main piece to cover the entire width of the floor.

   Many years ago this was done by actually sowing the two pieces together by means of a needle and thread. Technology has come a long way since then. Nowadays the two pieces of carpet are attached with a piece of seaming tape and a hot seaming iron that melts the glue on the tape causing the two pieces of carpet to become one.

   You, like many others might be wary of carpet seams in your home. If not installed properly they can be an eyesore and cause of constant irritation. You might be worried about how it will look or what would happen if it comes apart, these are very understandable concerns to be sure.

   One important factor in the visibility of the seam is the type of carpet you choose. Some carpets hide seams very well while others leave something to be desired. Any thick type of carpet with a tall pile height, especially shag carpet, hides seams especially well. If these types of carpet are installed in your home, you would probably never even know there was a seam there. On the other hand, low level loop pile carpets such as Berber and commercial grade carpets made of Olefin fibers tend not to hide seams very well. For this reason many of these types of carpets are made in 15 foot widths to try and avoid having to use a seam as much as possible.

   So, should you be afraid of carpet seams in your home? If you choose the right type of carpet, absolutely not! Shopping at Abbey Carpet & Floor of Anniston gives you even more confidence because we offer a lifetime installation warranty on any type of carpet you choose. If you are unhappy with the seam or it ever starts to come apart for some reason, we will come out and fix it for you at no charge. So don't shop scared, shop with confidence and let our installation professionals worry about your seams.

Solid or Engineered, That is the Question

  To be or not to be, that is the question. So starts one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, Hamlet. Now while I am not writing to question the nature of action, or life and death, I am writing to discuss one of wood floorings most prominent quandaries. I will assume that since you are reading this you have already chosen to be, as Hamlet put it and are now shopping for new flooring. There are several things to consider when deciding between solid or engineered wood, let’s talk about some facts and fictions of hardwood flooring:

FICTION: THICKER IS BETTER

   While bigger and thicker are often signs of a product being of better quality in the world we live in, this is fiction when dealing with hardwood flooring. While solid woods are usually ¾” thick, being much thicker than most engineered woods, that has no bearing on how your wood floor will perform. The thickness really offers only one benefit; it can be sanded and refinished up to three times. Most engineered wood can only be sanded down one time, but with the hand scraped and distressed looks that are on the market today why would you want to? Yes you do lose any special finish or texture if you decide to sand your floor.

FACT: ENGINEERED WOOD WILL NOT CUP

   This is one of the big plusses to getting engineered wood. Have you ever walked into some ones home and noticed that their floor isn’t smooth anymore? That the strips of wood have actually begun to curl up on the sides, forming a U shape? This is what we in the industry call cupping; it is caused by moisture which is very bad here in the south. Your floor will expand and contract, and when it does those solid pieces of wood have nowhere to go, so over time they eventually cup leaving you unhappy with your floor.

  

   Why does engineered wood not do this you may ask? Well the answer is simple, instead of being a solid piece of wood; engineered wood is made in plies, or layers, each one turned in the opposite direction. You probably know how plywood is constructed; well engineered wood is basically the same except that it has a real wood veneer on top. With this product installed, when your floor decides to expand and contract, those layers push against each other causing the wood to remain in the same position, therefore no cupping and you a satisfied customer.

FICTION: ENGINEERED COST TOO MUCH

   While it is true that engineered wood can be a high priced item, so can solid wood. Just like anything in the world we live in you can find low and high price points on any item. With the price of solid wood steadily rising, you can find engineered wood for the same price as solid if not cheaper.

FACT: ENGINEERED CAN BE INSTALLED OVER CONCRETE

   Many people have been disappointed when they find out that they can’t install the solid wood they want because their subfloor is concrete. Well engineered wood solved that problem. It can easily be glued down over concrete with a proper wood flooring adhesive. In fact all engineered wood can be stapled or glued, and most can be floated provided that you run a bead of glue down the tongue and groove.

   So while your home’s subfloor may make the choice of solid or engineered for you, the decision is entirely up to you. Both will add value to your home and make you a beautiful floor. I’m not writing to tell you to pick one over the other; I just want to provide you with enough information so that you can make an educated decision.

  

   Shakespeare was a phenomenal poet, a true professional of the written word but when it comes to floor covering I think I might have the upper hand. So solid or engineered, that is the question. The answer will be different for every home and every individual, which one is right for you?