Noticed a huge change in carpet seams over the last 5 years

I've been installing carpets for about 12 years now. I saw this big shift around 2019 when more people started ordering those really thick plush carpets from online places. Before that, seams were pretty easy to hide with a good power stretcher and some trimming. Now with these thicker piles, the seams pop out way more if you don't have the right tools. I had a job in Columbus last spring where the homeowner ordered a 3 inch thick carpet and the seam looked terrible after the first day. I ended up having to go back and use a seam roller with way more pressure and a hot iron to get it flat. A lot of guys I talk to say they see this same problem now too. Has anyone figured out a good trick for these thicker carpets or do you just have to plan more time for the seam work?

2 comments

2 Comments

harper_owens10d ago

Man, you're spot on about that shift around 2019. I think a lot of people don't realize those online retailers are selling carpets that are way softer but way harder to work with. Here's something I haven't seen anyone mention - it's not just the thickness, it's the backing materials they're using now. A lot of those super plush carpets have a spongy, foam-like backing that doesn't hold a crease the same way the old woven stuff did. No matter how good your stretcher is, that backing just wants to spring back and expose the seam. It's almost like you have to treat them like a completely different product, not just a thicker version of the same thing.

betty14410d ago

Honestly, I gotta push back a little on the foam backing thing. Most of those thick plush carpets are still using a woven polypropylene or latex backing, not a spongy foam. The real problem is that the pile is so long and loose that the yarn itself shifts around and hides the seam tape underneath.