Carpet Installation Techniques Flashcards
7 cards from real CFI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Carpet Installation Techniques flashcards as text
A customer reports that new carpet installation has visible 'shading' or 'pooling' — light and dark patches that change with viewing angle. What is the cause?
Answer: Normal pile reversal caused by foot traffic and vacuum direction
Shading or pooling is caused by pile reversal where carpet fibers bend in different directions under foot traffic, changing how light reflects — it is a characteristic of the carpet, not an installation defect.
Before installing carpet over a concrete subfloor, the installer should perform a moisture test. What is the maximum acceptable relative humidity reading using an in-situ probe?
Answer: 75%
ASTM F2170 specifies a maximum of 75% relative humidity in concrete for most adhesive flooring installations, including glue-down carpet.
What is the primary reason carpet must be acclimated to the job site before installation?
Answer: To let the carpet adjust to the room's temperature and humidity, preventing buckling or shrinkage after installation
Carpet fibers expand and contract with temperature and humidity, so acclimation prevents post-installation buckling or gaps caused by dimensional changes.
When power stretching a room, what is the recommended stretching sequence?
Answer: Stretch lengthwise first, then widthwise, working in a pyramid pattern from one corner
The correct sequence is to anchor on two walls, stretch lengthwise in a pyramid pattern, hook the far wall, then stretch widthwise to eliminate any remaining wrinkles.
What is a 'transition strip' used for in carpet installation?
Answer: To provide a finished edge where carpet meets a different flooring surface or doorway
Transition strips (T-moldings, reducers, or carpet bars) provide a safe, finished edge where carpet meets tile, hardwood, or other flooring at doorways and changes in floor level.
A berber carpet installation requires pattern matching at a seam. The pattern repeat is 18 inches. How much extra material must be ordered per seam?
Answer: 18 inches (one full repeat)
For each seam requiring a pattern match, you must allow one full pattern repeat of extra material to ensure the patterns can be aligned.
Which installation method is most appropriate for a commercial carpet tile application?
Answer: Full-spread pressure-sensitive adhesive
Commercial carpet tile typically requires full-spread pressure-sensitive adhesive to ensure dimensional stability and prevent tile movement under heavy foot traffic.