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Joining & Installing Natural Floorcoverings

How to Join & Install our Natural Floorcoverings:

Natural Floorcoverings require meticulous detail to alignment & joining, however they are easy to install once you master these basic steps.

1/ Install Architectural Smoothedging: If domestic smoothedge (two rows gripper pins) is already fitted, we recommend the doubling up by placing another strip behind the existing smoothedge, as these natural carpets expand & contract with atmospheric humidity, so old or badly nailed smoothedge may simply pop off the floor & then you will have to return to re-nail & re-streach !

Using Architectural smoothedge or doubling-up make it easier for any carpet to be stretched onto the smoothedge retaining pins, plus it will save the installers knees trying to stretch it onto inadequate domestic smoothedge.

2/ Fit all the underlay & timber or metal naplock reducing strips (door bars).

We only recommend 9mm Bridgestone "Supa Blue Rubber" Underlay or 9mm Bridgestone "Cushion-Pad" Underlay, the latter is made with 30% Wool blended with recycled with natural textile fibres (Manufactured by the Smith Family under licence to Bridgestone).

The Supa Blue Rubber underlay will give you the most luxurious/softest feel under feel, do not latex (as it will flatten the underlay where it has been applied) or staple the underlay joins to the sub floor (it is OK to use some staples to the outer edges but SupaBlue Rubber is that thick most staples simply pull through the Paper topping) it's weight alone (3.3kg m2) will hold in place by using Quality 50mm wide Silicon tape on the underlay joins (Don't be a Cowboy & use clear cellophane), we simply tape it together & cut it to the smoothedge, remember you should run the tape from the underlay join across the top of the smoothedge as it assist in holding the underlay in place, wide silicon tape for any spongy underlay is superior & SupaBlue underlay will not slide like inferior domestic gold & black underlay's !

Whilst the Cushion-Pad underlay gives you a lot firmer under foot feel, you will need to either staple (timber floor) or use latex to hold the Joins of this underlay together during installation as the textile underlay tends to get dragged more so by the carpet being moved/stretched during installation.

3/ Ascertain the carpet Runs required without having an Cross joins, cross joins are not recommended as most of these natural rope type carpets will show cross joins more as their is no pile to disguise the join as in modern carpets, this may mean using slightly more material to do a better job.

4/ Lay out the all runs through room(s) or area(s) & roughly overlay the pattern match to the runs if possible.

This is where you are going to cut down the Longitudinal weave in the direction that wastes the minimum amount of material, be carefully to allow for the stretching of material around doorways & drops etc..

NB: Most Natural Floorcovering type of carpet stretch similar to an Axminster carpet, if as an installer you actually know how to Pattern match & stretch a Woven Axminster or Wilton carpet correctly you won't really have a problem with these types of carpet !

5/ Cutting the Joins: We prefer to use very sharp Shears (depending on you tools, ) or sometimes a Hook/Barnsley knife or Stanley knife, if using Shears or Top cutter (with new blade), you really need to be carefully & cut exactly to the rib, if done properly the edge should have a clean cut then it should not frey, if the material starts to frey upon cutting usually the problem lies in a blunt blade, incorrect cutting, inferior weaving or Latex backing !

6/ Joining Natural Floorcoverings: (Coir, Sisal & Seagrass)

There are several ways of joining natural fibre carpets, Direct sticking & Double bonding are Two simple ways, however we are currently only dealing with Traditional Heat taping method using an Underlay to produce a Luxurious underfoot feel.

This first method would be better for someone unsure of how to join these types of natural carpets (hereafter called sisal or carpet) as well it can be joined & stretched quicker, but it takes far more time as well as it is a messier procedure to perform, BUT this method will give you the BEST and STRONGEST join results to last long term !!!

   6a/ Sealing the Selvedges prior to Joining: Method-1

1) Cut the join, once you have cut the joins & the carpet has not frayed, put the heat tape under the join (this assists in stopping the PVA glue from sticking the carpet to the underlay), now ONLY apply PVA glue to the side of selvedges and a little onto the latex backing beneath the sisal, you can do this by holding the carpet in one hand whilst applying a bead of PVA glue to only the edge of the selvage from a dispenser bottle in the other hand in the direction that feels easiest (left or right), you can use your finger &/or an old tooth brush to gently work any excess glue into the material so you don't end up with a shiny or different colour atop the join, usually caused from too much PVA glue, then let the selvedges dry until clear.

2) Now turn the joins over & use a narrow wire brush to push or pull the flat part of the brush to remove enough latex backing for half the width of the heat tape (4~5cm), keeping the material taunt makes it easier by kneeling on the loose end or holding it in front if working away or towards yourself, when that is done there is no need to apply the PVA glue to the back of the carpet fibres as it should not frey.

NB: If the selvages were Cut, Sealed & Dried correctly there may be some latex held in place by the PVA glue next to the selvedges, don't remove these bits as it may unnecessarily pull &/or weaken the selvage.

3) At this stage keep the job tidy & vacuum up all the loose Latex of the carpet, this will stop it from being walked throughout the job.

   6b/ Sealing the Selvedges prior to Joining: Method-2 (takes longer to dry)

1) Cut the join as in 6.a/ then place heat tape under join, now by cupping your hand around the selvedges and with your spare hand apply a well of PVA glue to the selvedges and approx. 5cm to the underneath in one application (smearing it in with your fingers), then let the selvedges mostly dry.

2) Folding the joins over will let the air circulate easier to assist with the drying, at this time it is advisable to inspect the selvages to see if all the ends of latitudinal fibres have been impregnated (coated) with PVA glue. (don't forget these are mostly woven carpet without a secondary backing to assist the join in holding together)

3) The heat tape will be able to adhere directly to the drying PVA glue that should have soaked into the latex and through to the backing of the sisal.

NB: If you have the time it is far better to let the PVA glue dry naturally as the glue will seep further into the backing & the fibres of the cut selvedge giving a final stronger bonding of the join.

Depending on the type of latex backing (frothy or firm) you may want to have two application bottles, one with straight PVA glue & one with a slightly watered down PVA glue to use on a firmer latex backing.

Also a thinner first coat of PVA on a salvage will allow further penetration into the fibre making a stronger join, experience will teach you.

7/ Heat Taping/Joining the carpet: Prior to joining carefully inspect both selvedges for any ridged fibres that stick out a little frey may stop the selvedges from butting perfectly together, cut these off with shears. Then prior to joining apply another thin bead of glue to one or both selvedges just prior to the finally Joining, this second coat of PVA glue is designed to actually glue the selvedges together as the heat tape only holds the backing together, just like normal carpet.

Let the join dry totally, the heat of joining will assist in the PVA glue setting quicker and the selvedges being glued together will greatly reduce the chance of the join separating &/or lifting (called Telegraphing), again you can speed up the process by using a hair dryer or heat gun (be carefully not to cook the join as it may change the colour around the join).

8/ Stretching Natural Floorcovering: Once the join has been joined & totally dried you will be able to Power stretch the material & the joins will not come apart !

However, if the joins have not totally dried or start to pull apart when stretching you have not done the join correctly, you may only have to loosen up the stretch & possibly apply a tad of PVA glue into the join & let it fully dry, using the hair dryer will assist in quicker drying!

Even after your join has fully dried & you stretch the carpet the join separates a tad 1~2mm, this may simply mean there was not enough PVA glue applied between the selvages to hold them together or someone may have walked on the join whilst it was drying, especially if installing on a Rubber or Foam underlay!

If so, this can be fixed by simply cutting strands of the same material from the longitudinal off-cuts & applying just enough PVA glue into the gap & then pushing the strands into the gap with a hook knife, if done properly it should be invisible, this is called Flowering the join.

Remember: It is better to let these joins dry slowly & fully then the joins will be a lot stronger, you defiantly should NOT walk on or near a join whilst it is drying (especially if installed on soft/spongy Underlay) as it may move & weaken the bonding of the backing & selvages!

Page updated: 30/08/11 .

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