Why to Use Carpet Underlays?

Most of the carpets are installed on top of underlays that may tend to overlook because it is unseen and its benefits are not clearly understood.

Let's see why underlays are so useful. The first is wearbility. What actually causes wear is the movement (invisible) of it as football grinds against the hard sub-floor. With each turn of footstep the pile is skewed one way or the other, commonly in the same direction. The skewing of pile is the start of wear and at minimum causes unsight shading. The main purpose of underlay is to provide the carpet with extra wear during its lifetime.

Also underlays provide:

• Stability
• Comfortable Step
• Additional acoustic and thermal insulation
• Generally extends the life of your carpet

Underlays come in several types:

Felt: Made of natural fibers like jute waste material and wool or a combination of fibers. It provides a dense and firm underlay.

Rubber waffle underlay: This is considered of good quality although it can be the most expensive. It comes in different degrees of softness but what you're looking for should feel firm not soft. Its cellular construction allows air to circulate within the material, reducing dampness and condensation under the carpet. Choose one that is not only strong and durable but also provides high resilience and firm support. While rubber waffles can come in various thicknesses and weights, as a guide, the heavier the better.

Urethane and bonded urethane: Also known as foam underlay, this type of material is recycled from waste products of old furniture and is popular with homeowners because of its environmental factor. Its quality is determined by the foam density which is expressed in pounds. A foam density between 5 to 8 pounds will give you a quality, long lasting underlay. Choose higher density foam for areas with high amounts of foot traffic.

How to choose underlays?

Location of use: Where you intend to lay your carpet and the amount of traffic it will experience must be considered when choosing underlay. You will  need sturdy and firm material for high traffic areas or a softer feel for the feet in the bedroom or living room.

Right thickness: Most people make mistake of choosing underlays that are too thick only to find that too thick ones can stretch the carpet and cause it to wear quickly. The underlay should be thick enough to act as a shock absorber - as a guide, the heel of your shoe shouldn't be able to feel the floor under the carpet.

Test several: Getting the right feel means trying our several choices under the carpet before buying the underlay.

Lexmark Carpet recommends the underlay which you can find on the following web site: http://www.lpurethane.com/commercial-products.asp?seg=commercial

Carpet Secondary Backing & Lexmark Carpet Secondary Backings

Let's talk about Secondary Backing, its advantages and will see which Secondary Backings Lexmark Carpet use.

Let´s shortly remind to ourselfves the tufting process in order to remember tufted carpet structure:

• Yarn comes from cones on creel racks (or from big spools called beams) into the machine;
• The primary backing feeds into the machine;
• The needle push yarn through the primary backing  fabric, where a loop holds the line in place to form a tuft as the needle is removed.
• The yarn is caught by loopers and held in place for loop-pile carpet or cut by blades for cut-pile carpet.
• Next, secondary backing of various types are applied to render a variety of performance properties.

So, now you all remember that tufted carpets consist of tuft, primary and secondary backing and bonding agent.

Today is Secondary Backing article. So, let's see which materials are used to make Secondary Backing. There are few Secondary Backing materials:

Natural jute - is an eco material used for temporary carpet installation to parquet. The disadvanate of natural jute is that it pills and fuzzes. It also can rotten and building of molds  which leads to delamination.

Artificial jute - is normally done of woven prolypropylene. It is moisture and shrinkage resistant.

Felt - has few disatvantages such as odor, molds when wet cleaned, should be processed with antistatic agents.

Cotton base - easy to be fold, doesnt break, easy to cut and can be fit almost seamlessly. Prevents from pilling.

 As I promised in the beginning of the artile we will review advantegeous of secondary backing. They are the following (If you remember more, please, do not hesitate to write leave your comment below):

• Durability
• Moisture barrier
• Protects against edge ravel, pilling and fuzzing
• Reduces wicking from spills
• Eliminate delamination
• Gives to carpet greater flexibility and easier installation
• Eliminates new carpet odor
• Shrinkage resistance
• Resielence
• Soundproofing
• Thermal insulation
• Slip resistance

Secondary Backing used of Lexmark Carpet

Actionback

Actionback is the industry Standard for tufted hotel carpeting. This system includes a layer of woven polypropylene adhered to the promary backing with SBR latex. Actionback typically provides a loop tuft bind minimum of 6.5 lbs./sq. in. and a delamination strength of 2.5 lbs. /sq. in. Excessive wet exposure will destabilize Actionback.
Unitary

Unitary is a rich compound of SBR latex applied to the primary backing. This backing offers higher tuft binds and delamination strengths but should not be exposed to long term moisture. Unitary's back surface is not flat, but has peaks and valleys.

Unitary Actionback (Doulbe Lock Actionback)

Here a layer of woven polypropylene is applied onto the Unitary Backing to give it a flat, consistent surface.


Permabond

Permabond begins with interlocking tufting technology and than applies a compound to the back for further stabilization. The Permabond System offers: No edge ravel, No zippering, No delamination, No PVC or 4PCH. The Permabond System adds: Dimensional stability, Moisture resistance, High tuft bind.


Loc-Tite

Loc-Tite backing system uses an exclusive interlocking tufting technology adhered to actionback. This backing system enhances tuftbind and delamination strength.

What You Need To Know Before Installing Carpet

Lexmarks running line patterns and the Custom Patterns in the Design Gallery require more time and experience to install than other types of carpet. Make sure your installation company uses Professional Certified Installation crews, who are knowledgeable and experienced in the proper installation process.

Lexmark Carpet at HD Boutique Hospitality Design Event

Difference between Polyester and Nylon Carpeting

There are six basic types of carpet fibers, but nylon and polyester are the most popular of the synthetic carpet-fiber types. Both nylon and polyester carpets are made from synthetic materials. Polyester carpet is made from recycled plastic bottles. Both nylon and polyester carpet fibers have strengths and weaknesses.

What is ColorTec?