Introduction to Soft Floor Coverings

1 www.technicaltextile.net

T. Rasigha M.Tech Apparel technology and Management

Kumaraguru College of Technology, Coimbatore

Introduction to Soft Floor Coverings – Carpets and Rugs


INTRODUCTION

Flooring is the general term for a permanent covering of a floor, or for the work of installing such a floor covering. Floor covering is a term to generically describe any finish material applied over a floor structure to provide a walking surface. Both terms are used interchangeably but floor covering refers more to loose-laid.

Soft Coverings Carpet is a floor covering woven or felted from natural or man-made fibers. Fitted carpet

is attached to the floor structure, extends wall-to-wall, and cannot be moved from place to place. An underlay can extend carpet life and improve comfort.

Rugs are also woven or felted from fibers, but are smaller than the room in which they are located, have a finished edge, and usually lie over another finished floor such as wood flooring. Rugs may be temporarily attached either to the flooring below by adhesive tape or to other methods to prevent creep, or may be loose-laid.

The appeal of soft floor-coverings is their warmth and quiet. As well as conventional carpets and rugs, soft flooring includes „natural‟ floorings made from a variety of grasses and vegetable fibres.

For: Warm and cosy underfoot, Good insulation from cold and draughts. Helps deaden sound.

Against: Vulnerable to staining, even if treated. Impractical in areas that get wet. Sisal and sea grass can be slippery so must not be used on stairs.


CARPET

A carpet is a textile floor covering consisting of an upper layer of "pile" attached to a backing. The pile is generally, made from either wool or a manmade fibre such as polypropylene, and usually consists of twisted tufts, which are often heat-treated to maintain their structure. Popular carpet underlays are

Foam rubber

Crumb rubber

Felt

Carpet under lays are typically 6-10mm. They primarily provide foot comfort, but they also reduce carpet wear and provide sound and thermal insulation.

Fibres and Yarns Used in Carpet Carpet can be made from many single or blended natural and synthetic fibres. Fibres are chosen for durability, appearance, ease of manufacture, and cost. In terms of scale of production, the dominant yarn constructions are polyamides (nylons) and polypropylene with an estimated 90% of the commercial market

Nylon: Nylon is the most common material for construction of carpets. Both nylon 6 and nylon 6-6 are used. Nylon can be dyed topically or dyed in a molten state (solution dying).

Polypropylene: Polypropylene is used to produce carpet yarns because it is inexpensive. It is difficult to dye and does not wear as well as wool or nylon.

Wool and wool-blends: Wool has excellent durability, can be dyed easily and is fairly abundant.

Polyester: The polyester known as "PET" (polyethylene terephthalate) is used in carpet manufacturing in both spun and filament constructions.

Acrylic: Acrylic is a synthetic material first created by the Dupont Corporation in 1941 but has gone through various changes since it was first introduced. In the past Acrylic used to fuzz or pill easily, this happened when the fibres degraded over time and short strands broke away with contact or friction.


Types of Carpet

Textured Plush Most decoratively versatile cut-pile carpet

Textured surface helps hide footprints and vacuum marks

Adds casual beauty to any room

Looks great between vacuuming

Preferred style for busy households

A great "whole-house" carp

Saxony Refined cut-pile surface

Luxuriously smooth, soft finish

Beautiful with traditional interiors

Adds distinctive elegance to any room

Ideal for living and dining rooms

Shows subtle highlights and accents

Berber Loop-Pile A wool-like look and rugged loop surface

Natural, hand-crafted appearance creates a warm, personal atmosphere

Tight loop texture helps hide footprints and vacuum marks

Subtle patterns fit a variety of room styles

Ideal choice for contemporary to country to cottage furnishings

Berber Cut-Pile A new berber look with all the wonderful color and

interest of traditional loop berbers

The great plush "feel" of thick, cut pile carpet

Beautifully crafted and colored yarns add personality to any room

Very versatile decoratively, ideal for casual rooms, kids' rooms, etc.

Subtle color flecks help hide soil that might appear between cleanings.

Cut/Loop Carved definition with cut-and-loop pile

Accent colors spice up floor surfaces

Multicolor effects hide soil and stains

Looks great between vacuuming

Choose from soft tonals to bolder color combinations


Commercial Loop

Versatile styles blend comfortably with any decor

Durable long-wearing surface pile engineered for high traffic areas

Intriguing color choices suitable for professional and practical installations

Textured surfaces provide subtle highlights

Other Types of Carpet Woven

Tufted

Needle felt

Flat weave

Hooked rug

Knotted pile

Plush/velvet

Frieze : highly twisted cut pile type of carpet

Level loop pile


Methods for Carpet Laying Smooth edge Carpet edges is gripped by steel pins at an angle through a plywood strip “Edging” nailed to wood floors or concrete etc, Mechanical stretching of carpet is required during laying process. Best method- tufted carpets. Patent method - manufacturer‟s specifications.

Press- Studding Method In which studs are sewn at not more than 12” centers to the binding tape on the underside of the carpet and placed to fit into mating sockets set into the floor. The matting sockets may be pre-sewn to webbing which is bonded to a ply wood strip nailed to floor mostly light traffic is expected.

Pin Socket Method Use of pin sockets set into and around the edges of the carpeted area 12” centres, into which pins are inserted through the carpet edge. Suitable for hardwood floor.

Ring and Peg Method ½” diameter Brash rings are sewn at 9” spaces around the underside edge of the carpet and are levered onto pegs or screw heads. Suitable for cleaning and domestic use.

Tacking Method Simple but crude method of fixing. The carpet have dimpled edges which collect dust and carpet fluff. Fixing is ¾”. Tacks at 6”spaces. Difficult to stretch the carpet whilst tacking in placer. Lifting of carpet is difficult and liable to cause damage to the foundation.


Carpet Fitting: Tools and Techniques to Fit Your Own Carpet

Carpet fixings: Grippers: Fitted carpets with underlay are held by gripper strips – thin lengths of wood (or sometimes metal) containing two rows of angled pins. Some grippers come with nails ready to be hammered into the floor. Wood or concrete nails are available. Or they can be stuck to solid floors – ideally with hot-melt adhesive from a glue gun.

Threshold strips: In doorways, threshold strips are screwed, nailed or glued to the floor. They grip the carpet with spikes and fold down over the edge to protect it.

Stair rods: Stair rods are again being made, and old ones can be found in antique shops or on the Internet. Make sure you have enough for your stairs. The method of fixing is usually obvious.

Double threshold strips: These are used to cover the edges of two carpets laid in adjoining rooms.

Angled grippers: For staircases, angled grippers are fitted at the junction between tread and riser. They can be bought to fit standard-width stair carpet.


RUGS

RUG or rug can mean, a floor covering of shaggy or woven material, typically not extending over the entire floor. A small carpet woven in a pattern of colors, typically by hand in a traditional style

Fibres and Yarns Used In Rugs

Silk is a natural fiber that may be used on its own or included in higher quality rugs, such

as Persian and Oriental rugs. The silk is added for its luster and shine.

Viscose, made from wood pulp, is a shiny, silk-like fiber. Viscose is susceptible to matting

when it is used on its own.

Rayon is a synthetic material that has a resemblance to silk. Rayon is derived from wood

(made from cellulose found in trees).

Nylon, another of the synthetic rug materials, is widely used in rug making. Nylon rugs

have great characteristics such as uniformity and strength as well as stain and soil resistance.

Acrylic, another synthetic material, can be blended with other fibers to produce a rug that

has the look of a wool rug, but at a lower cost.

Polypropylene or olefin fibers are petroleum-based products that are derived from

propylene and ethylene gases. These fibers are strong, colorfast, quick drying, abrasion resistant, mildew resistant, along with soil and stain resistant.

Bulk Continuous Filament (BCF) is the name given to synthetic yarns that are

made by a mechanical process to fluff them out before the yarn is used for tufting or weaving.


Types of Rugs Braided Braided rugs are made by using three or more strips of fabric, usually wool, folding the raw edges to the middle and braiding them together. For an oval rug the center braid should be one inch longer than the width-length in feet. example 2' x 4' rug center strip would be 2'2" long. The center braid is laced together and new strips are sewn on to make the braid longer as lacing continues

Rag Rugs Rag rugs were commonly made in households up to the middle of the 20th century by using odd scraps of fabric on a background of old sacking

Prodded Proddy rugs are made, as the name implies, by prodding or poking strips of fabric through linen from the back side.

Woven Handmade and machine-made. Woven rugs include both flat rugs and pile rugs. The more tightly a rug is woven or knotted, the more detailed a design can be. "It is generally believed that the density of knots determines the value of a carpet

Rug Materials There are two groups of rug materials:

Natural: Animal or plant fibers, including wool, cotton, sisal, jute, seagrass or bamboo.

Synthetic: Man-made material such as viscose, rayon, nylon, acrylic or

polypropylene/olefin.

Wool is widely used and it is the main component of higher

quality pile area rugs.


Cotton is a natural fiber that is strong and durable. Area rugs

made of cotton can easily absorb and retain a wide variety of dyes, which provides the user with a multitude of color choices.

Sisal extracted from the leaves of the „Agave Sisalana‟ plant,

is the most popular of the plant fibers used for rug making.,

Jute, made from stem fiber plants, comes mainly from India

and China. Jute is well suited for making durable yarns and fabrics because of its stability and firmness.

Sea grass (also spelled sea grass, with a space) comes

from a tall plant found in wetlands areas. It has grass-like stems and is a durable material for rugs. Seagrass is known for its non-porous surface that gives it a naturally smooth texture.

Bamboo is a woody material that is found mostly

in China and Japan. Bamboo, like sisal, is durable and can hold up under heavy use, which makes it a great choice for an area rug in a high-traffic area.


Room – Sized Rugs • Can cut to fit any room. Any dimension of carpet can be purchased. • The rug would then have a 6” border or floor area seen around the edges. • When ordering rugs allow a small leeway because usually rugs may stretch.

Area Spot Rugs Cover only a small area of the floor. May be solid colour, often fringed, boldly patterned, it change the proportions of room.

Area Rug – Comfort and High end Area rugs bring softness and warmth to any more challenging surface floor and present a coloration and pattern into space. Spot rug particularly is becoming hottest since it has the ability to greatly enhance the physical appearance with the living area. As well as it‟s extensive assortment of shades, patterns and style and design. Therefore, it truly is must to pick out the rug with all the right dimensions, which will enrich the room‟s appearance enormously. As a result, the simple addition spot rug can completely alter the search and feel of any room.


Scatter Rugs Small rugs that add spots of colour and texture to make a bare floor look more interesting. Heavy wear or soiling places can use scatter rugs because inexpensive and easily washed.

Uses of Carpets and Rugs • Carpets and rugs are widely aspired for any residential interiors for their aesthetic merits,

through kitchen, bathroom where there is likely to be certain amount of splashing or spilling. They are not an ideal choice.

• Preferred for high traffic areas too, such as commercial places, offices and public institutions.

Maintenance And Care • Stains should be removed immediately. Vacuum cleaning is necessary at intervals

varying widely with uses. Dry cleaning or shampooing is required. • Daily: Once brush lightly with a hand-push sweeper. • Weekly: Through cleaning with a vacuum cleaner. To remove deeply embedded soil and

grid. • Periodically: Depending upon traffic most carpets need to be cleaned by professionals. • Carpets can be cleaned by wet/dry treatments. Home cleaning are not equal to

professional cleaning. • Good care extends the life of soft floor coverings. Living determines the amount of

cleaning needed. • Amount of soiling depends on number of family member, air, condition of the ground

around the home, family activities etc.


REFERENCES: 1. Berbercarpetbible.com 2. Rug Materials Guide

3. Intercarpets.co.uk

4. World Floor Covering Association

5. http://www.diyinfozone.com/types-of-soft-floor-coverings

6. http://www.ehow.com/list_7428122_types-soft-floorings.html

7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flooring

8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpet#Fibres_and_yarns_used_in_carpet

9. http://www.rugsindia.com/

Introduction to Soft Floor Coverings

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