We've all experienced it at one point or another, wall-to-wall carpeting that has ripples or areas of bunching that spoils an otherwise beautiful floor covering. This effect in wall-to-wall carpeting is called buckling and, while completely terrible, it is also easily preventable.
The first step to preventing your wall-to-wall carpeting from buckling is to know the conditions that most commonly cause it. Here is a rundown of the most common reasons this unsightly problem occurs.
Improper Installation
Modern carpeting materials are much stiffer than their predecessors, and this means that proper carpet stretching is more important than ever to prevent buckling. One of the major causes of buckling in wall-to-wall carpeting is improper stretching during installation.
One of the best ways to prevent the problem from the very beginning is to be sure that your installation crew uses a power stretcher as part of the process and, most important, know how to use it properly. A knee-kicker just doesn't cut it anymore.
Shoddy or Improper Carpet Padding
It might be tempting to opt for the cheaper carpet padding or even skip the padding altogether, but this is a great way to ensure that your wall-to-wall carpeting gives you the buckling blues. Sure, you save a little money up front when you buy cheaper padding, but you will likely end up spending more than you saved in the future by having to pay for your carpet to be re-stretched. Not to mention, you will be sacrificing most of the comfort that carpeting is prized for in the interim.
Temperature and Humidity Considerations
It is a good idea to let your carpeting acclimate to the humidity and temperature of the area where it will be installed for at least 24 hours, before going ahead with the installation. This will help prevent buckling due to your carpet reacting to changes in the climate of the room.
It is also important to make sure that you keep any carpeted room opened up during times of extreme heat to prevent buckling due to temperature. If the temperature is over 85 degrees Fahrenheit, make sure to keep your carpeted rooms nice and breezy.
An Ounce of Prevention...
Clearly, the best way to ensure that your wall-to-wall carpet doesn't start buckling, is to start off on the right foot by hiring an experienced installer with the expertise and experience to foresee and prevent the conditions that allow it to happen.
Select Floors' certified installers have been working with us for over ten years, and will always take every conceivable step to ensure that your carpets look great for years to come. So, you won't have to worry about buckling or any other problem that comes from shoddy installation. We do the job right every time, no exceptions.
If you're looking for the highest-quality carpet installation services in the Marietta, GA area, contact us today to arrange for your free consultation, and find out why we are the area's most trusted name in flooring and installation, bar none.
