In the last issue I wrote about something similar to what we’re going to discuss now but this is different. I was visiting a dealer in New England last week who runs a very high end retail operation. The products he sells are all top shelf names and the facility certainly suits the presentation of those premium brands. A very impressive looking and performing operation to be sure.

SISAL

In the course of our conversations he showed me a product that they were having a challenge with installing. This is a woven sisal carpet for which the manufacturer has provided very specific installation instructions. However, there is one caveat that is mentioned in the installation instructions relative to what we were discussing, which was cross seams. You can cut this carpet in the length, on the face, by using a loop pile cutter and running a row. But, it is impossible to make a width wise cut without cutting open a loop. The installation instructions have in bold print, underlined, the statement, “Avoid widthwise seams if at all possible.”

The question is this, why would you manufacture a carpet that you can only cut in the length? No matter what you do to this product when you try to make a width wise cut your going to compromise the seam. Since the cut, no matter where it’s placed, will open up a loop, the seam will automatically be frayed. If you try to re-insert the loop with latex your going to make a mess. One suggestion from an installer was to use a narrow tipped electric glue gun to insert the edges of the cut yarns. But this won’t work either because you’ll have a hard edge and a seam the inevitably is going to be very visible. No matter what you try to do to install this carpet and make a clean cross seam, the product will thwart you.

How is it that anyone who manufacturers carpet should make it nearly impossible for you to install the carpet without having a problem? It’s built in. So, if you sell this carpet you’ll have to make sure you don’t have any cross seams which may mean, in some cases, that you’ll have to sell an inordinate amount of additional yardage to Mrs. Consumer so she can own this product.

Hopefully, you’ll be able to lay the job out so that you can avoid creating a problem for yourself. But then, if you know this carpet will create a problem for you, why would you want to sell it at all. The consumer comes in, sees the carpet, likes it, wants it and you cringe thinking you may not be able to install it properly. You’d have to stop and think, let’s see, am I going to be able to install this product without a cross seam any where, well maybe one or two short ones. Oh, good, that way I’ll only make a small stress attack for myself and not a big one. That being the case, this product is not so special that she’d want to start off with a problem, knowing the manufacturer marketed a carpet that could only be seamed in the length. Not to bright. It not only presents headaches for the dealer and, especially, the installer but it is also limiting to the manufacturer since he won’t sell as much of this product as he could.

Personally, there’s no way I’d show this product for sale. All it can do for you is cause discomfort. In the case of talking to this dealer he didn’t even have the installation instructions. We had to call the mill to get them and then found out, after our discussion about how you could cross seam this carpet without having a problem, that the mill tells you to avoid cross seams.

Even though carpet should always be run in a full length direction whenever possible we all know that when you work in hallways and small areas that is not always possible, nor is it always done. What the mill tells you to do when making a widthwise seam is to use a loop pile cutter or a top cutter with the cut close to the side of the opposite seam edge. This method will prevent the pile yarn from fraying from the backing yarn. But, in fact, it won’t, since this is a loop pile carpet, no matter where you cut the loop, center or on either side, you’ll fray it and not be able to correct it.

Maybe I’m the idiot for thinking styling should include practicality. After all, aren’t installation problems the biggest issue that plagues the industry? If you believe this, why make a product that actually will create problems and complaints, even from the most skilled of installers? This just goes to show you that installation is not the biggest problem facing the industry today. The biggest problem is not understanding the product and this a perfect example of that. Making a carpet that looks good in full sheets that can’t be crossed seamed and putting it out on the market to let everyone else worry about it.

I love the line in the installation instructions that says, “Care should be taken to ensure that no loops are cut.” Uh, you can’t make a cross seam without cutting loops. I can just hear the complaint being handled on this now. “Did you receive our installation guidelines?” “Why no, they weren’t included with the product.” “Well, it states clearly that you should avoid cross seams with this product.”

“What, if you can’t cross seam it how do we install it when we’d have to do that?” “Well, who’s going to take care of this problem now.” “We’re sorry, but this is an installation problem and you did the installation so it’s your responsibility.” You can fill in all of the other incredulous thoughts and comments that would complete this ridiculous scenario. Boy, we just don’t have enough “natural” problems without trying to create another category of things to shoot ourselves in the foot with. Excellent. Keep up the good work guys. You’re going to sell a lot of this stuff. And, my publisher asks if I’ll ever run out of things to write about.

Not in my lifetime.