Have you been mesmerized by the beauty of Berber Carpets and think nothing else can possibly liven up your room now? Berber Carpets, though expensive, are a great choice for ushering in warmth, style and panache. If you want your Berber Carpet occupying centre stage for years to come, you have to ensure that it is properly installed and cared for. If you go wrong at this step the carpet is likely to ripple and would never look good. Stretching the carpet adequately at the time of installation helps to avoid future buckling or rippling of the carpet. Stretching keeps the carpet in good health and ensures that you don’t need to get it repaired.

Why is it important to stretch?

Just as it helps to keep your body toned, stretching is important for your Berber carpet too. With use, humidity and footfalls, Berber carpets normally stretch by 1-2%. If the carpet is not stretched well during installation the stretch becomes visible as ripples or buckles in the carpet. These are eye sores that are sure to mar the beauty of your elegant purchase. If the ripples are larger they can cause someone to trip over too. If you have kids in the house, you will need to be extra careful.

Ripples can occur if

• Care is not taken during installation.
• The furniture is shifted without proper support underneath it.
• There is increased humidity.
• There is heavy traffic over the carpet.

To get rid of ripples, the carpet will have to be stretched firmly and carefully, using the right tools. Stretching the carpet is not difficult but it is a laborious task that requires a definite knack. Therefore, it is best left to the installer. After all, your Berber Carpet is expensive- you surely would not want it to be ruined. Investing a little more in its proper installation and stretching would increase its life and beauty. If you are keen on doing it yourself it is best to read about it in detail and actually observe the process before attempting it.

Find the Right Installer

Collect information about different installers. If you get a chance you can even view their work. Find out about their performance, charges and the services they offer before you zero down on anyone. You can also avail the professional installation services of Contempo Floor Coverings.

Tools

Remember the old adage ‘A bad workman blames his tools’? Don’t give the installer an opportunity to use his tools as scapegoats for his poor craftsmanship. There are two basic tools that are required for proper stretching of Berber Carpets. These are the ‘Knee Kicker’ and the ‘Power Stretcher’. Make sure that the installer is using both the tools. The knee kicker is a metallic tool, about 18 inches long with tiny teeth that grip the carpet. It has a padded area where the knee is placed while stretching. The power stretcher is similar but longer. It too has teeth for gripping the carpet and an activation lever for stretching. Most installers would assure you that you would get the right results with the Knee Kicker alone but that is often not the case. Ensure that all the equipments are there and are in working order before the stretching of your Berber Carpet is initiated.

How is the Berber Carpet Stretched?

The carpet is placed at some distance from the wall, say 6’’ or less. The teeth of the tools grip the carpet and stretch it by bringing it to the wall. The carpet stretches over the tack-less strips placed near the wall. The tacks grab the carpet and hold it firmly. After stretching, the carpet should fit tightly onto the tack-less strips. Careful and diligent stretching is also required when the carpet is made to fit into corners to prevent ripples later on.

Care during installation and proper stretching of Berber carpet go a long way in increasing its life and look. If the carpet develops ripples after installation it can still be cured by stretching to regain its lost glory.

Visit our Los Angeles Flooring showrooms for more information about Flooring.