Ch 12 Finishes Flashcards
What are the four basic types of wood flooring?
Strip Flooring, Block Flooring, Parquet Flooring, and End Grain Blocks
Strip Flooring
One of the most common wood floors; consists of thin strips from 3/8” to 25/32” thick of varying lengths with tongue-and-groove edges. Most strip flooring is 2-1/2” wide, but 1-1/2” wide strips are also available.
Plank Flooring
3/8” to 25/32” thick (same as strip) but is from 3-1/4” to 8” wide. It is used where a larger scale is desired or to emulate wider, historic planking.
Block Flooring
Made of preassembled wood flooring in three basic configurations: Unit Block, Laminated Block, and Parquet Flooring
Unit Block Flooring
Type of block flooring that is standard strip flooring assembled into a unit held together with steel or wood splines. 3/8” to 25/32” thick.
Laminated Block Flooring
Type of block flooring that is made from three to seven plies of cross-laminated wood veneer. 3/8” to 25/32” thick.
Parquet Flooring
Type of block flooring that is made of preassembled units of several small, thin slats of wood in a variety of patterns. It may be finished or unfinished. This is usually is sold in 12” squares, 5/8” thick, for mastic applications. It is EASIER and LESS EXPENSIVE to intsall than other types of flooring and can be installed in a wide range of designs.
What is an easier and less expensive wood floor to install?
Parquet
End Grain Block Flooring
Type of block flooring that is made from solid end-grain blocks. These are solid pieces of wood from 2-1/4” to 4” thick laid on end. Solid block floors are very durable and resistant to oils, mild chemicals, and indentations. They were often used for industrial floors, but now other materials are used instead.
What type of wood floors are very durable and resistant to oils, mild chemicals, and indentations?
Solid Block Floors
How is wood floor graded?
Wood flooring is graded differently from other wood products, Grading rules are set by the various trade associations such as the National Oak Flooring Manufacturers’ Associaion.
Unfinished oak floor is graded as . . . .
Clear, select, no. 1 common, and no. 2 common.
_____ is the best grade of wood flooring with the most uniform color.
Clear
____ sawn wood is standard for wood flooring, but quartersawn is available.
Plain
The average wood flooring length is _____ ft.
3-3/4”
The wood flooring lengths are _____ ft and longer.
1-1/4”
Bamboo flooring is available in ___ inch and ____ inch thick strips about 3 inches wide or wider.
1/2” or 3/4”
Palm wood flooring is a byproduct from ______ palms.
Coconut
Palm wood flooring is available in 3/4” x 3” wide strips with t & g edges. It is harder than ____ or ____ and comes prefinished in colors ranging from dark- to medium-red mahogany.
Oak or Maple
Wood flooring must be installed over a suitable _______ base.
Nailable
What provisions must be made when installing wood flooring?
To prevent moisture from seeping up below and to allow for expansion of the completed floor.
How is strip flooring installed?
Blind nailing through the tongue.
What are two ways to install wood floor over a concrete subfloor in commercial construction?
(1) 3/4” plywood sheet is attached to the concrete to provide nailable base, and a layer of polyethylene film is laid down first if MOISTURE may be a problem. (2) Wood flooring is laid on wood sleepers. This method gives a more RESILIENT floor that is more comfortable under floor, but also provides an air space so excess moisture can escape. — Note: In both (1) & (2) a gap of about 3/8” to 3/4” is left at the perimeter to allow for expansion and is concealed with the wood base.
How are wood floors installed over wood framing with a plywood or particleboard subfloor (typ. for most residential construction)?
A layer of #15 asphalt felt may be laid to prevent squeaking and act as a vapor barrier. Resilient pads are also available for use in place of sleeps for strip flooring installation. These provide an even more resilient floor and are often used for dance floors and gymnasium floors.
Laminated block flooring and parquet flooring are types of ______ wood floors, and are available unfinished or prefinished.
Engineered
Engineered wood consists of ___, ___, or ___ laters of wood veneer, each oriented 90 degrees to the adjacent ones, like plywood. The top layer is the actual finished wood species.
3, 5, or 7
Engineered woods are more __________ stable than solid wood, and they shrink and swell less with moisture changes.
Dimensionally
How are engineered floors installed?
Either glued directly to a stable wood subfloor or laid loose over thin foam padding so they can move independently of the subfloor.
What two types of wood flooring qualify as sustainable flooring?
Bamboo and Palm Wood
What are the commonly used species of wood used for flooring?
Maple, Oak, Birch, and Beech
How is bamboo floor installed?
Either nailed like wood flooring into the tongue, or glued.
Bamboo is almost as hard as and twice as stable as ___ ____ and ____.
Red Oak and Maple
Palm wood is harder and more stable than ___ ____, ______ ___ and ____.
Red Oak, White Oak, and Maple
What are the five types of stone commonly used in interior construction for flooring as well as for walls?
Granite, Marble, Limestone, Slate, and Sandstone
Granite
An igneous rock with visible grains, available in colors such as gray, beige, black, whtie, pink, red, blue, and green.
What are the five finishes commonly used for granite?
Honed, Fine-Rubbed, Rubbed, Polished, and Thermal (Flame)
Polished Finish (Granite)
Finish with a mirror gloss with sharp reflections.
Honed Finish (Granite)
Finish with a dull sheen, without reflection.
Fine-Rubbed Finish (Granite)
Finish that produces a smooth surface that is free from scratches, with no sheen.
Rubbed Finish (Granite)
Finish with a surface with occasional slight “trails” or scratches.
Thermal (Flame) Finish (Granite)
Finish with a coarse surface, which varies depending on the granite’s grain structure.
Marble
Metamorphic rock formed by layers of shells that, under heat and pressure, form into a composition of crystalline grains of calcite and/or dolomite. It is available in a wide range of colors and patterns from uniform, pure white to vivid greens and reds with wild streaked patterns.
Polished Finish (Marble)
Finish that produces a glossy surface bringing out the full color and character of the marble.
Honed Finish (Marble)
Finish with a satin-smooth surface, with little or no gloss,
Abrasive Finish (Marble)
Finish with a flat, nonreflective surface suitable for STAIR TREADS and other nonslip surfaces.
Wet-Sand Finish (Marble)
Finish that yields a smooth surface that is suitable for nonslip floors.
Travertine
Type of limestone frequently used for interior flooring, formed with a network of holes in it, which must be filled with an epoxy resin (which can be colored to match stone) to make a smooth surface. It is a LIGHT, CREAMY COLOR usually finished with a POLISHED SURFACE .
Slate
A fine-grain metamorphic rock that is easily split into thin slabs, making it ideal for flooring and roofing. It is available in ranges of gray, black, green, brown, and deep red.
Natural Cleft Finish (Slate)
Finish that shows the surface as it is cleaved from the rock, so it is rough and the surface level varies by about 1/8”.
Sand-Rubbed Finish (Slate)
Finish that gives an even plane showing a slight grain.
Honed Finish (Slate)
Finish that is semipolished, without a sheen.
Sandstone
A sedimentary rock made of sand and other substances. When cleaved from the original rock, it is called FLAGSTONE.
Flagstone
Sandstone as it is cleaved from the original rock, having a naturally rough surface. It can be used with irregular edges, or saw-cut into regular shapes.
What are the two primary methods of installing stone flooring?
Thin-set or Thick-set Installation
Thin-set (Stone Installation)
When a uniform thickness of stone is set on the subfloor with a special thin-set mortar (about 1/8” or less thick) , or with adhesive. They are less expensive, add less weight to the floor, and are faster to install. They are suitable for thin stone floors cut in uniform thicknesses in either residential or commercial construction.
Thick-set (Stone Installation)
When a layer of mortar (3/4” to 1-1/4” thick) is applied to a suitably prepared, structurally sound, subfloor. The stone is then either set in the semiwet mortar or the mortar is allowed to cure and the stone is set with another thin layer of dry-set mortar on top of the first.
What is thinset mortar, dryset mortar or drybond mortar?
Thinset mortar is a blend of cement, very finely graded sand, and a water retention compound that allows the cement to properly hydrate. Tile set by the thinset method is adhered to the substrate with a thin layer of “thinset” cement. The terms thinset cement, thinset mortar, dryset mortar and drybond mortar are synonymous. This type of cement is designed to adhere well in a thin layer - typically not greater than 3/16th thick. For example, a 3/8” notch trowel will produce a 3/16th inch thick coating after the tiles are pressed in to the cement. While very minor adjustments in height can be made, this method is not appropriate for adjusting the level or flatness of a surface - rather the tile will follow the plane of the substrate. (NOT FROM THE BOOK)
What is medium bed thinset?
Medium bed “thinset” mortars can be used to adjust for slightly larger variations in the substrate than can be accommodated with thinset mortar. They are also used with large, heavy or thick tiles, where a thicker setting bed and a coarser aggregate may be required to achieve a flat installation and to support the weight of the tile while the cement is curing. (NOT FROM THE BOOK)
What is a thick-bed installation, mortar bed installation, or thick-set installation?
Thick-bed installations are based on the traditional method of packing a mortar bed over a surface before installing the tile. The tile is adhered to the mortar bed either while the mortar bed is green (just beginning to dry) or after the mortar bed has cured. The mortar bed may be reinforced with wire and either set over a cleavage membrane (that allows the mortar bed to “float” free of the substrate) or bonded to the substrate - hence the use of the terms “floating mortar bed” or “bonded mortar bed”. For wall applications, metal lath is mechanically anchored to the substrate and the mortar locks into the metal lath as it cures. The terms thick-bed installation, mortar bed installation, and thick-set installation are synonymous. (NOT FROM THE BOOK)
What type of mortar applications are usually best?
Thick-set. They MUST be used when the subfloor is uneven or when the stone varies in thickness, as with SLATE or SANDSTONE.
With thick-set methods, the mortar bed can be bonded to the subfloor or separated from it with a ________ membrane.
Cleavage
What method of stone installation allows the finish floor to be separate from the subfloor?
Thick-set method with a cleavage membrane between it and the subfloor. The mortar bed has steel reinforcing mesh in it. This way, if the floor deflects or moves slightly, the stone flooring is protected from cracking because it is not bonded to the structural floor.
Thin-set floors can be placed on ____ or _____ subfloors.
Wood or Concrete
Latex Grout
Grout that provides some flexibility when slight movement in the floor is expected.
Stone floors can be tightedly butted together or with a space between with ____ in between.
Grout
What must be considered when using a thick-set stone floor?
The weight of the stone and the mortar added to the floor and the extra thickness required. Thick-set stone floors are very heavy and require an extra 1-1/2 “ to 2-1/2” above the subfloor. Structural capacities should be verified by an engineer.
Where should polished stone finishes NOT be used?
In areas where stone may get wet or in stairs because of potential slippage problems.
What are the best stone finishes for areas that may get wet or on stairways?
Flame Finish (Granite) and Abrasive Finish (Marble)
Terrazzo
A composite material poured in place or precast used for floors, walls, and stairs. It consists of marble, quartz, granite and other suitable chips, in a matrix that is cementitious, chemical, or a combination of both. It is poured, cured, and ground, and polished to produce a smooth surface.
What are the advantages of terrazzo?
Durability, water resistance, easy cleaning, fire resistance, and the availability of a wide choice of patterns and colors.
What are the four basic types of terrazzo?
Standard, Venetian, Palladian, & Rustic
Standard Terrazzo
The most common type of terrazzo, which uses small chips no larger than 3/8”.
Venetian Terrazzo
Terrazzo that uses small chips no larger than 3/8”.
Palladian Terrazzo
Terrazzo that uses random-fractured slabs of marble with standard terrazzo between.
Rustic Terrazzo
Terrazzo that has the matrix depressed to expose the chips.
Sand Cushion Method
Method of terrazzo installation that is the best way to avoid cracking of the terrazzo because the finish system is physically separated from the structural slab with a membrane, much the same as in one of the thick-set stone installation methods. Because the underbed is reinforced, the terrazzo system can move independently of the structure.
Bonded Method
Method of terrazzo installation that is used when floor movement or deflection is not expected.
Monolithic or Thin-Set Installation
Methods of terrazzo installation that can be used where the thickness of the installation is a problem.
How is terrazzo generally finished?
It’s finished to a smooth surface using an 80-grit stone grinder.
How is terrazzo finished when a more textured surface is desired?
It can be ground with a rough 24-grit stone grinder.
What terrazzo finish is not appropriate for interior floors?
Rustic Terrazzo
Resilient Flooring
A general term describing several types of composition materials made for various resins, fibers, plasticizers, and fillers, and is formed under heat and pressure to produce a thin material, either sheets or tiles.
How is resilient flooring applied?
Applied with mastic to a subfloor of concrete, plywood, or other smooth underlayment. Some may be installed on floors above grade, and others may be placed below, on, or above grade.
Vinyl Flooring
Flooring including pure vinyl, vinyl composition, vinyl tiles, and sheet vinyl. It is a good, durable, resilient flooring that is RESISTANT TO INDENTATION, ABRASION, GREASE, WATER, ALKALIS, and SOME ACIDS. It is inexpensive and easy to install. It can be used on, under or above grade. It is installed over a clean,dry surface.
Sheet vinyl comes in ___, ___, or ___ ft wide rolls.
6’, 9’, or 12’
What is the the pro and con of vinyl sheet flooring?
It is slightly more difficult to install but it results in a floor with less seams.
Vinyl Composition Tile
Similar to vinyl tile but contains various fillers that decrease the % of PVC. It costs less than homogeneous vinyl, but it has less flexibility and abrasion resistance. Because of this, THE THROUGH-GRAIN TYPES SHOULD BE SPECIFIED. It is applied with mastic, however peel-and-stick is available for residential use. Foam-backed tiles are also available for greater resilience.
Through-Grain VCT
Tiles where the color and pattern extend uniformly through the tile thickness. This type should be specified due to is lesser flexibility and abrasion resistance than vinyl floors.
Rubber Flooring
Flooring made from synthetic rubber and offers excellent RESISTANCE TO DEFORMATION UNDER LOADS, providing a very comfortable, quiet, resilient floor. Rubber is NOT resistant to oil or grease. It is available with a patterned, raised surface that allows water and dirt to lie below the wearing surface, helping to prevent slipping or excessive abrasion. It is available in tiles or sheets in several thicknesses.
Cork Floor
Flooring made from granulated pieces of bark from the cork oak tree that are bonded together under heat and pressure. By varying the heat or adding dyes, a variety of colors may be produced - some with the characteristic straw color of cork and others as dark as walnut. Patterns range from standard, uniform flakes to alternating strips of dark and light material. It is a renewable resource because the tree grows new skin in about 9 years. The cork industry also preserves forests. Portugal produces 1/2 of the world’s cork and regulates harvesting. It is available in tile and plank forms and is used where ACOUSTICAL CONTROL or a high degree of RESILIENCE is required. Tiles are commonly 12” square and 1/8” to 1/4” thick. Planks are 12” wide and 3’ long and consist of cork laminated to t & g MDF.
How is cork flooring installed?
Tile is installed with adhesives; Planks are edge-glued without being adhered to the subfloor. The entire floor “floats” on the subfloor. IN EITHER CASE, THE SUBFLOOR MUST BE PERFECTLY SMOOTH so any unevenness does not telegraph through.
What are the finishes cork flooring is available in?
It is available prefinished or unfinished. Finishes include acrylic, polyurethane, and carnauba wax. Acrylic requires frequent reapplication (every 4 - 6 months). Polyurethane must be reapplied every 3 -7 years and the old finish must be sanded off to ensure the new finish will stick. Wax must be reapplied once a year.
Linoleum
Flooring composed of oxidized linseed oil, wood flour, pigments, and fillers applied over a backing of burlap or asphalt-saturated felt. It is available in solid colors or with multi-color patterns that extend through the thickness to the backing. Linoleum has a VERY GOOD ABRASION AND GREASE RESISTANCE but has limited resistance to alkalis. It is commonly available in 0.10” thickness. It is a popular sustainable material becaues it is composed of natural materials.
With all resilient flooring, what is critical of the substrate?
Substrate must be free of excess moisture and alkalinity. This is usually problematic when tile or other flooring materials are being placed on concrete floors.
What should concrete be tested for before laying finishes?
Moisture level - The maximum limit for moisture emission is 3.0 lbm/1000sf/24h when exposed to a 73 degree F temperature and 50% relative humidtiy.
How does the interior designer designate what moisture test is to be used on concrete subfloors?
The designer must state the requirements in the specifications.
Calcium Chloride Test (Moisture Dome Test)
One of the most common and inexpensive, easy slab moisture tests. This test is made by placing a standard mass of calcium chloride below a plastic cover and sealing it to the concrete floor. After 60 to 72 hours, the calcium chloride is weighed to compare it with its pre-test weight. Through a mathematical formula the amount of moisture the calcium chloride absorbed is converted to the standard measure of pounds per 1000 sf per 24 hour period. One test should be conducted EVERY 500 SF to 1000 SF of slab area.
Hygrometer Test (Relative Humidity Test)
Slab moisture test that determines the moisture emission by measuring relative humidity (RH) of the atmosphere confined adjacent to the concrete floor. In this test a pocket of air is trapped below a vapor-impermeable box, and a probe in the device measures the RH. Test standards recommend that moisture-sensitive flooring not be installed unless the RH is 75% or less.
Polyethylene Sheet Test
A qualitative slab moisture test conducted by sealing an 18” x 18” sheet of plastic to the floor to trap excessive moisture. After a minimum of 16 hours a visual inspection is made of the floor and the sheet. The presence of visible water indicates the concrete is insufficiently dry for the application of finish. This is similar to the Mat Test.
Mat Test
Slab moisture test similar to the Polyethylene Sheet Test. A qualitative method that uses a 24” x 24” sample of vapor-retardant floor finish. The sample is applied with adhesive, and the eges are sealed with tape. After 72 hours a visual inspection is made. If the mat is firmly bonded or removal of the mat is difficult, then the level of moisture present is considered to be sufficiently low for installation of the flooring material.
Electrical Impedance Test
Slab moisture test that uses proprietary meters to determine the moisture content of the concrete by measuring conductance and capacitance. Probes of the meters are placed on the concrete, and the percentage of moisture content in the slab is read out directly.
Besides moisture tests, what else should a concrete slab be tested for?
pH level and alkalinity.
pH Level
A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a material rated on a scale from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Materials with a pH less than 7 are acidic; over 7 are considered alkaline. The scale is logarithmic, so a material which a pH of 12 is 10x more alkaline than one with a pH of 11. CONCRETE NORMALLY HAS A pH OF 12.0 to 13.3.
Where do alkalis come from in concrete slabs?
Besides what is in the slab itself, excess alkalinity can also be carried from the soil below a slab-on-grade through the mitigation of water vapor.
pH and alkalinity are not the same. Give an example of this.
Two slabs can have the same pH level, but one can have a much higher alkalinity. Alkalinity cannot exist without moisture, because moisture causes the soluble alkalis in the concrete to enter into solution.
What two problems does alkalinity in concrete cause?
(1) High alkalinity on the surface of the slab can damage a tile installation by causing the adhesive to re-emulsify, or return to its original liquid state. (2) It also causes problems with other coatings. At a level of about 9 or 10, most tile adhesives may begin to experience problems, although professional-grade adhesives can sometimes be used with a pH of 11. Surface alkalinity can be controlled with various proprietary coatings.
Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR)
In this process strongly alkaline cement begins to dissolve sand and rock within the concrete. The chemical reaction creates a gel-like material that causes tremendous pressure in the pores of the concrete surface. This pressure can BUCKLE or BLISTER floor finishes. The rist for ASR can be REDUCED BY SPECIFYING AGGREGATES that are NOT susceptible for ASR, using LOW-LIME CEMENT, PROPER CURING, and NOT FINISHING the concrete with a hard trowel surface.
pH Test
Used to test the surface of concrete that will come in contact with flooring adhesives or other critical floor coatings. It is a simple test that uses a coated paper strip or small pH meter. Once the pH level is known, it can be compared with the maximum pH recommended by the flooring manufacturer. a pH of 8.5 IS CONSIDERED IDEAL and abotu the minimum that concrete can have, with values up to 9.0 being acceptable.
Titration Test
Test that can be used to determine the level of alkalinity in concrete. This involves grinding portions of the concrete, mixing those portions with demineralized water, and performing laboratory chemical analysis. A TESTING LABORATORY MUST PERFORM THIS TEST.
What is one of the most commonly specified floor materials?
Carpet
Rug
Soft floor covering laid on the floor but not fastened to it. It does not cover the entire floor.
Sheet Carpet
Carpet that comes in long rolls, commonly 12’ wide and installed so no seams are visible.
Carpet Tiles
Individual pieces of carpet, typ. 18” square, that are appleid to the floor with pressure-sensitive adhesive. Damaged/worn pieces can be removed and replaced easily. They are specified in commercial spaces where frequent changes in room layout are expected, where maintenance may be a problem, or where flat, undercarpet electrical and telephone cabling is used.
What fibers are carpets made of?
Wool, nylon, acrylic, modacrylic, polyester, and olefin.
Nylon (Carpet Fiber)
An economical carpet material that is very strong and wear resistant. It has a HIGH STAIN RESISTANCE and excellent crush resistance. It can be dyed with a wide variety of colors and it cleans easily. Some nylons have static problems and a glossy sheen, but these problems can be alleviated with improved fiber construction and by blending nylon with other fibers. Because of it’s advantages, INCLUDING COST, nylon is THE MOST WIDELY USED fiber for residential and commercial carpets.
Acrylic (Carpet Fiber)
Carpet fiber that has moderate abrasion resistance, but it has more wool-like appearance than nylon. Like nylon, it can be dyed with a variety of colors, has good crush resistance and is easy to maintain. Modacrylic is a modified version of acrylic.
Polyester (Carpet Fiber)
Carpet fiber made from synthetic polymers and is highly ABRASION RESISTANT, has good crush resistance, cleans well, is MILDEW RESISTANT, and is low in cost. It is sometimes blended with nylon.
Olefin (Carpet Fiber)
aka Polypropylene - Carpet fiber used primarily for indoor-outdoor carpet and as an alternative to jute for carpet BACKING. It is VERY DURABLE, stain resistant, and cleans easily. It is the LEAST ATTRACTIVE of the artificial fibers and has a LOW MELTING POINT.
What are the ways carpet is constructed?
Weaving, Tufting, Needle Punching, Fusion Bonding, and (less frequently) Knitting and Custom Tufting
Weaving
Traditional method of making carpet by interlacing warp and weft yarns. It is a method that produces a very ATTRACTIVE, durable carpet, but is the most expensive method of making carpet on a machine. There are 3 primary weaving methods: Wilton, Velvet, and Axminster.
Wilton Carpet
Carpet produced on a Jacquard loom that allows complex patterns to be woven into the carpet and can create several types of surface textures including level cut pile, level loop, cut/uncut, and multilevel loop. Becaue different colors of yarn run UNDER the surface of the carpet and are pulled up only when needed, Wiltons are generally HEAVIER and MORE EXPENSIVE than other woven carpets of the same weight.
Velvet Carpet
Simplest form of weaving that places all the pile yarn on the face of the carpet. They are typically solid colors, but multi-colored yarns can be used in a variety of surface textures including plushes, loop pile, cut-pile, multilevel loop, and cut-and-loop styles.
Axminster Carpet
Made on a modified Jacquard loom that delivers different colors of yarn at different times according to the pattern desired. Because of the weaving process, this carpet can be produced in a range of patterns and colors, from geometric to floral. UNLIKE WILTON, most of the pile yarn is placed ON THE SURFACE. The carpet has an even, cut-pile surface with a heavily ribbed backing.
Tufting
Process in which the pile yarn is punched through the backing with rows of needles, much like the method employed by a sewing machine. As the needle goes through the backing, the yarn is caught and held white the needle makes the next pass. The loop of yarn can be left as is for loop carpet or cut for cut-pile carpet. Because of the speed and relative low cost of tufting, this process accounts for the MAJORITY OF THE CARPET MANUFACTURED.
Needle Punching
Similar to tufting, except that the fiber is pulled through a backing with BARBED NEEDLES. It produces a carpet of LIMITED VARIATION in texture and accounts for a very SMALL percentage of the total carpet market.
Fusion Bonding
Embeds the pile yarn in a backing of liquid vinyl. When the vinyl hardens, the tufts are permanently locked in the backing. It is the primary construction of CARPET TILES.
What affects the durabiltiy and appearance of carpet?
The amount of yarn in a given area, how tightly the yarn is packed, and the height of the yarn.
What is the pitch of a woven carpet?
The number of ends of surface yarn in a 27” width. For tufted carpets, this measurement is called the GAUGE.
Gauge
The spacing in fractions on an inch between needles across the width of the carpet. Gauges of 5/64, 1/10, and 1/8” are common for contract carpet.
Stitch (Stitch Rate)
The number of lengthwise tufts in 1 inch.
The higher the pitch or gauge number and stitch number are, the _______ the carpet is.
Denser
Pile Height
The height of the fibers from the surface of the backing to the top of the pile.
Generally, _______ and more ______ packed fibers result in a more durable but more expensive carpet.
Shorter; Tightly
With woven and knitted carpet, the ____ yarns and _________ yarns are combined during the manufacturing process.
Pile; Backing
What is the most common type of carpet backing yarn for woven carpets?
Polypropylene (Others include jute, cotton, and polyester)
How is tufted carpet backed?
Tufted carpet is manufactured by punching the yarns through a primary backing of woven or nonwoven polypropylene or woven jute. A secondary backing, usually of latex, is then applied.
Carpet padding isn’t required with what type of carpet installation?
Direct Glue-Down
What are common carpet padding materials?
Sponge rubber, felt, urethane, and foam rubber.
Sponge Rubber
Carpet padding made from natural or synthetic rubber and other chemicals and fillers and has a facing on the top side. It is available in flat sheets or a waffled configuration.
Felt
Carpet padding available in four forms: hair, combination, fiber and rubberized.
Hair Felt
Composed of 100% animal hair.
Combination Felt
A mixture of animal hair and other fibers.
Fiber Felt
Composed entirely of non-animal fibers.
Rubberized Felt
Either Hair, Combination, or Fiber Felt with a rubberized coating on one side.
Urethane
Carpet padding manufactured in one of three ways to produce prime, densified, or bonded sheets, each of which has a different range of densities. Thicknesses range from 1/4” to 3/4”.
Foam Rubber
Carpet padding commonly applied as an integral backing to some carpets. It is natural or synthetic latex rubber with additives and it has a backing on one side.
What are the two methods of carpet installation?
Direct Glue-Down and Stretch-In Installation
How is a carpet cushion installed?
Either stapled to wood floors or glued to concrete floors after the tackless strips are in place.