What Causes Wall-to-Wall Carpet to Buckle?

At our Select Floors showrooms in Marietta and Roswell, GA, our on-site experts answer a lot of questions about carpeting. One of the most common queries being, what causes wall-to-wall carpet to buckle? When it comes down to it, there is a long list of advantages to opting for this lovely surfacing material. However, sometimes, issues creep in, turning your living room floor into a bizarre-looking tripping zone. Once appearance deteriorates, and you begin to notice bucking or ripples in the material, it's time to fix the dilemma before it gets worse and becomes unusable, even hazardous. And so, to clarify this issue and explain all the facts for homeowners, we've decided to write this helpful post.

Long-Term Usage
Sure, carpeting will last for years and years, when properly maintained. However, if you've just realized that your floors have been around since the house was built... in 1960... then you'll need to reassess your flooring situation. One of the many reasons why wall-to-wall carpets ripple or buckle, is due to long-term usage.

Excessive Water
Another common culprit is excessive water. In the case of improper steam cleaning or high humidity, too much water can break down the latex in wall-to-wall carpeting, thus resulting in premature rippling. Although you can always stretch the material to improve its appearance, it may not solve the problem in the long run, and bucking could return after a while.

Improper Installation
When wall-to-wall isn't installed correctly, you'll most likely end up with rippling. Usually, this is a result of two things: Either the installer used a power stretcher in only one direction, or they didn't bother using a stretcher at all. However, another reason points to carpet padding. If the wrong type of padding was installed, no matter how well they installed the wall-to-wall carpeting above it, they've compromised the entire flooring.

Prolonged, Everyday Use
Lastly, in many cases, what causes wall-to-wall carpet to buckle is prolonged, everyday use. No matter how gorgeous your flooring may appear, there comes a time when the materials break down, and the latex disintegrates. To temporarily remove excess ripples, you can have the carpet professionally stretched.