CFI Carpet Installation Techniques 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of using a knee kicker BEFORE using a power stretcher during carpet installation?
- To permanently set the carpet tension
- To tack the carpet to the strip along one wall to anchor it for power stretching (Correct answer)
- To cut the carpet to size along the wall
- To flatten the seam before sealing
Correct answer: To tack the carpet to the strip along one wall to anchor it for power stretching
The knee kicker is used to hook the carpet onto the tackless strips along starting walls, anchoring it so the power stretcher can stretch it toward the opposite wall.
Question 2: When installing carpet over a cushion (pad), the seams in the pad should be:
- Aligned directly over the carpet seams
- Taped together and offset from carpet seams (Correct answer)
- Left untaped to allow movement
- Placed at the room's center
Correct answer: Taped together and offset from carpet seams
Pad seams should be taped to prevent movement and offset from carpet seams to avoid a double weak point in the installation.
Question 3: The CFI recommends that tackless strips be installed at what distance from the wall?
- Flush against the baseboard
- Equal to two-thirds the carpet thickness
- Equal to the carpet thickness (Correct answer)
- 1 inch from the wall
Correct answer: Equal to the carpet thickness
Tackless strips should be installed at a distance from the wall equal to the thickness of the carpet so the tucked edge fills the gap neatly.
Question 4: What is 'peaking' in a carpet seam, and what causes it?
- A raised ridge along the seam caused by excessive adhesive or pad beneath (Correct answer)
- A gap between two carpet pieces caused by under-stretching
- A fold in the carpet caused by over-stretching
- Discoloration along the seam from heat seaming
Correct answer: A raised ridge along the seam caused by excessive adhesive or pad beneath
Peaking is a visible ridge along a seam caused by too much adhesive buildup, pad edges meeting under the seam, or improper cutting.
Question 5: Which type of seam tape requires a seam iron for activation during carpet installation?
- Pressure-sensitive tape
- Double-faced carpet tape
- Hot-melt seam tape (Correct answer)
- Fiberglass mesh tape
Correct answer: Hot-melt seam tape
Hot-melt seam tape contains a thermoplastic adhesive that is activated by the heat of a seam iron, bonding the carpet backing pieces together.
Question 6: When installing berber or loop-pile carpet, why must the installer pay special attention to seam placement and cutting?
- Loop pile is thicker and requires more adhesive
- Cut loops at seams can unravel and runs are visible (Correct answer)
- Berber carpet must always be glued, never stretched
- Loop pile expands more than cut pile when heated
Correct answer: Cut loops at seams can unravel and runs are visible
Cutting through loop pile at a seam can cause loops to unravel or 'run,' and any mismatch in the loop pattern is very visible.
Question 7: What is the minimum recommended overlap when using a seam iron and hot-melt tape to join two pieces of carpet?
- No overlap — edges butt together flush (Correct answer)
- 1/4 inch overlap on each side of the tape center
- 1 inch overlap from each piece
- 2 inches from each piece
Correct answer: No overlap — edges butt together flush
When using hot-melt tape, carpet edges should butt together tightly with no overlap — both edges rest flat on the tape center.
CFI Carpet Installation Techniques 3
What is the purpose of using a knee kicker BEFORE using a power stretcher during carpet installation?