INDOOR  UTILITY  CARPETS  -
RUBBER  BACKED

Installation

    Mats

    General Recommendations Hard Surfaces

    Orientation & Laying Out

Maintenance

Cautions

Use this installation & maintenance sheet for the following products:

INSTALLATION

Make a plan of your area to scale, preferably on graph paper. It is then necessary to determine the best quantity of carpet to cover the area and the direction the sheet(s) should run.

Plan your area so that seams are not in high traffic areas, all carpet
sheets run in the same direction, adjoining sheets (seams) are to overlap by approximately 5cm (to be cut and fixed) and that  approximately 5cm runs up each wall or fixture (the carpet is trimmed back once it is fixed in place and has stabilised).

Mat Installations:

The carpet can be loose laid as a mat on most surfaces. 

Check for stability (slip / slide) before leaving unattended in a traffic way. 

Mats can be held fast with double-sided tape, removable trim bars, heavy furniture.

Overlapping Seams On Hard Surfaces:  

The factory cut edges of the carpet may be slightly rough and the sheet can run slightly left or right over lengths of  7 - 10 metres  or more. 

It therefore recommended that allowance be made to overlap adjoining sheets and that the overlap be ‘Double Cut’ and fixed to give a clean well butted seam.  See Joining Vinyl & Carpet Sheets for more information.

General Recommendations Hard Surfaces:

Note that rubber backed carpets normally grip quite well to smooth
subfloors without being fully stuck.  Therefore double-sided tape is all that’s required to be used to achieve a satisfactory installation.

Fixing with PS adhesive is to be considered in heavy traffic areas or if furniture is to be dragged across the carpet surface.

The Subfloor: 

Should be smooth, clean, dust, damp, oil and grease free and may
consist of concrete, timber sheet, fibre cement sheet, metal, fibreglass and stone surfaces. It is recommended to cover timber planks with a fixed sheet product (ply, chipboard, fibre cement sheet) to provide a smooth surface.                                               

Tools may include:

Conditioning:

The installation area should be at a preferred temperature of 18 - 25°C  for a period of 24 hours prior to, during and after installation.

The carpet and tape / adhesive should be stored on the subfloor in the planned area for 24 hours prior to installation so that the 3 components are at approximately the same temperature.

Orientation Checks:

All the sheets of carpet should run the same way, so mark the carpet
with directional arrows using white chalk, before cutting the roll into
required lengths.

Laying Out:

The carpet should be rolled out in the area where it is to be installed and allowed to ‘relax’ for at least one hour before installation and cutting. 

To check the planned layout you should position the sheets, overlapping the seams and allowing run-up on walls and other fixtures.  Use masking tape tabs on the carpet surface and fixtures if desired so positioning is clear. 

Mark the subfloor with a pencil line indicating the length and centre of all seams.

Double-Sided Tape Fixing:

Roll back the carpet sheet(s) lengthways and lay double sided tape around the whole perimeter and diagonally across the area from each corner to the other.

Then lay three widths of double-sided tape down the seams - the first centrally over the marked pencil line and then one each side of the first (total width of taped area should be approximately 10cm).

Remove the release paper on the tape from one end of the area and re-position the sheet bringing the desired end firmly into contact with the tape so it is fixed.

Proceed to remove the rest of the perimeter and diagonal adhesive tapes release paper (do not remove the release paper on the tape down the seams yet) and then evenly roll out the carpet sheet so that it is fixed in place by the adhesive tape.

Position the next rolled-up sheet at the ‘starting’ end of the area so that its edge overlaps the prior fixed sheet by approximately 5cm.

Proceed the same way with subsequent sheets until all is complete.

Fixing The Seams - Tape:

Overlap the edges.  Lay a straight-edge along the centre of the overlap and using a sharp utility knife ‘Double Cut’ through both edges with the same stroke.

When the whole seam has been ‘Double Cut’ remove the off-cut strips. 

Fold back the flap of each sheet and remove the release paper from the double-side tape in workable lengths say 1 metre.

Carefully fold both sides of carpet down onto the adhesive tape ensuring the edges come together. Smooth the surface with your hand or a light roller.

Continue with all seams.

Pressure Sensitive (PS) Adhesive Fixing:

Roll back the carpet sheet(s) lengthways and position them at the end of the area.

Carefully cover the subfloor area of the first sheet and a little bit past
the marked seam line with the PS adhesive using the paint tray and  6mm Mohair roller - a light coat is all that’s needed.

Let the adhesive dry until it is sticky to touch but does not transfer. 
When the PS adhesive is sticky carefully roll out the carpet onto the
adhesive and smooth out the surface with a roller or bubble board.

If carpet is incorrectly located, gently peel it up and reposition. 

Cover the subfloor area of the second sheet and a little bit past the next seam with PS adhesive and wait until it is sticky. 

Position the next rolled-up sheet at the ‘starting’ end of the area so that its edge overlaps the prior fixed sheet by approximately 5cm.

Proceed the same way with subsequent sheets until all is complete.

Fixing The Seams  -  PS Adhesive:  

The seams are overlapped and the PS. adhesive is already on the
subfloor.

Lay a straight-edge along the centre of the  overlap and using a sharp utility knife ‘Double Cut’ through both edges with the same stroke.

When the whole seam has been ‘Double Cut’ remove the off-cut strips.  Carefully fold the upper flap down onto the PS. adhesive ensuring the edges come together neatly.

Avoid getting adhesive onto the carpet surface pile.   

Smooth the surface with your hand or a light roller.  Continue with all seams.

Final Cutting:

Once the perimeter, body and seams are fixed, carefully trim back the excess carpet around the perimeter and other fixtures. 

Proceed to do a section at a time.  First firmly push and crease the carpet into the corner where the floor meets the wall / fixture with a
blunt instrument like the end of a spoon handle. 

Then hold the utility knife blade close to parallel with the floor while
trimming which will give you a little extra carpet that will need to be
tucked down after all cutting has been completed. 

Apply trim bars to protect exposed edges from foot traffic.

Maintenance:

Regularly vacuum to clean.

With spills gently scrape / blot up the surface excess.

Blot oil and grease with a solvent like White Spirit.  Then damp sponge spills / soiling with a mild neutral detergent and rinse with a damp sponge.  Dab rather than rub the surface pile.  Rinse off with a damp sponge (fresh water).  If in doubt test a cleaning treatment on a sample piece of the carpet first.

Extractive steam cleaning may be used to remove built up soiling or
watermarking.

Tears or burns in the carpet surface can be repaired by patching.

Caution:

Mats made from Black / Grey Rubber backed carpet can cause staining on vinyl type surfaces when they are damp or moist. 

Such mats should only be placed on dry floors. Ensure vinyl floors are dry after mopping before placing floor mats.

Remember the old adage - "Measure twice - cut once"

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Last modified: 19-12-2008