Carpet installation question?

Question

I had carpet installed in my home in May 2006. My husband supervised, so I didn't see it till it was done.

I will try to describe what I think is a problem.

There are several areas in the home where the carpet meets up to the tile. Therefore it was cut, and glued down onto a tack strip.

It is QUITE obvious that the padding under the carpet was cut back about 4 inches away from the tack strip. Therefore making a visible 'divit' from where the pad ends underneath the carpet, to where the carpet meets the tack strip and tile. I find this visually undesirable. I would like to see a smooth and flawless transition from the carpeted area to the tile.

Also, you can feel the prongs of the tack strip with your bare feet if you step on it....because there is no pad there I suppose. But it has cut the bottoms of my 17 month old daughters feet as she walks across the thresholds from tile to carpet.

Is this installation technique normal? I've not seen the prob B4. Should I request a fix?

Oh, and BTW, the installers gave us a 1 year warranty on their work. So I have till May of 2007 to have corrections made.

I wanted to make sure that my concern was legitamate before I called them on it.

Answer 1

I would request they come out and fix the sloppy work. You have a few different things going on here but none of them are too hard to repair and shouldn't take any time.
Somebody had mentioned a transition strip where the tile and carpet come together, this is a very good idea but in the last few years has become a thing of the past due to looks. It is a very common trade practice to run regular tack strip about 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch away from the tile, Stretch the carpet over the strip and tuck the edge of the carpet in between the tack strip and tile. Your biggest problem is the lack of padding up to the tack strip. The pad should not be any farther than a 1/2 inch from any tack strip and care should have been taken when stretching it to bring it right to the edge. The padding does not go on top of the strip just right up to it. After the carpet has been stretched over the tack strip, the nails can then be bent over flat with a hammer. I'm sorry that you had such a poor job done, I hope they come and repair it. If they won't I wouldn't put up too much of a fuss over the same junkies coming back. I'd think you could get it fixed rather cheap. there isn't any need to buy all new padding, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. They can just add to what is there. Hope this helped!

Answer 2

Yes, ring your installer, and get it fixed.. Its and easy job pulling the carpet off the tack strip (smoothedge).. Filling in the poorly cut rubber underlay with a new piece, by adding to whats already down, then restretching the carpet to the tile again.. Basic, their boy could do it.. As for tack strip coming through the carpet, it will all depend on carpet quaility.. With cheap carpet, that doesnt have much pile ounce, the tacks will definatley come through.. What I have done before is, run a grinder over the tacks to shorten them, then ive resharpened the tacks so that they will still hold the carpet.. Its a nasty and time consuming task, but if I was laying it, thats what id do.. Hammering down your tacks is a cowboy answer, and will evently result in carpet pulling away from your tile, because some of the tacks will stay held to the carpet and others will be flatened off into your tack strip.. Hope this helps..

Answer 3

When laying carpet and padding, the padding must butt to the tack strip. Tack strips have to be faced properly when installed, with the tacks pointing away from the wall, the carpet is then stretched till taut and folded under to 'catch' onto the strip...It most certainly sounds like shoddy installation, hopefully the carpet company will fix it..Good Luck...
P.S. One last thing, Having to restretch a carpet a couple months after install is not uncommon, maybe that might help...

Answer 4

your installation is what is called hack work. yes the pad should be no more than an 1/2" from back side of tack strip w/ pins facing AWAY from center of room(the only way the pins will hold the stretch). depending on how thick your carpet is (density) depends on if and to what extent you'll feel those pins under foot when stepped on. if beat flat it will void your warranty because the pins are no longer holding the carpet tight, and then bubbles or ripples form. by all means make the hacks come back and make it right and if the pins still stick up enough to prick your feet after pad is fixed and carpet is restretched, then you can get an decorative wooden transition or metal to put over it.

Answer 5

Sloppy sloppy work. The pad should have been run up to the tack strip. Also instead of gluing the carpet a transition strip should have been used.

Answer 6

that is so not normal if your daughter is getting hurt by the tacks then that to me is enough to ask for someone to repair it .. it isn't normal for the tack strips to show they r supposed to be hidden regardless of the matter whoever installed this for u doesn't know what they r doing or just was in a hurry and did a horrible job..ur house is supposed to be something to feel safe in and your daughter is being harmed in ways because of some ignorant persons laziness to not do a job right.. so yes u should get this repaired for her if nothing else

Answer 7

It's sloppy, and you probably should have had them back. You can try and get them to come back now, but it's probably beyond the time that the company will do it for free. The tile/carpet intersections should have been covered with a wood or metal strip, which you can get at any home supply store.

Answer 8

Great idea, if you just contact other cleaning firms and let them know what you do, even if they do some repairs, they may still call you if they have a difficult repair or just get too busy to take care of everything. Many of them just do not do repairs and if you develop the trust from them, they will usually be glad to refer you.

Answer 9

if you can't live with it all but the nails, just tap them flat with a hammer! Thats all the the carpet monkeys will do!

Answer 10

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