We often get inquiries from customers about ripples in their carpet. When ripples occur in your carpet, it is usually a sign that your carpet needs to be re-stretched. In this post, we will look at why carpets need to be re-stretched, and what can cause the carpet to need re-stretching, using common questions we receive from customers.
“I have ripples in my carpet. Can this be fixed?”
In most cases, these ripples can be removed by re-stretching the carpet.
“What caused the ripples in my carpet?”
The most common reason for ripples occurring in carpet is that the carpet has loosened up a bit from the time it was installed. When carpet is installed, it is stretched quite tight to the perimeter walls, like an artist’s canvas being stretched on the frame. Over time, things like foot traffic and dragging heavy furniture across the carpet can cause it to become less tight.
“How are the ripples removed from the carpet? What is involved in the re-stretching process?”
The re-stretching process is the same as the original installation process. The carpet technician will use a tool that grabs the carpet and they will use this tool to pull the carpet tighter in certain areas. This is often referred to as “kicking” the carpet. The tool has a thick pad at the end where the technician will typically use their knee to apply some force to the tool to help move the carpet.
“When does the carpet need to be re-stretched? How often should the carpet be re-stretched?”
A carpet should be re-stretched when ripples appear. Ripples can detract from the overall look of the carpet, but they can also cause a tripping hazard.
“How can I prevent my carpet from developing ripples?”
Some of the causes of ripples is dragging heavy furniture across the carpet or repeated rolling of a chair on the carpet, like when sitting at a desk. When moving heavy furniture, it is preferrable to lift the furniture rather than dragging it across the carpet. But we always stress that customers should only lift heavy furniture in a safe manner to prevent injuries. A plastic mat under an office chair can also help prevent ripples in a home office setting.
“Are there any situations when a carpet cannot be re-stretched?”
The main reason that a carpet cannot be re-stretched is if the carpet is older and the backing has started to become brittle. During the re-stretching process there is some force used to get the carpet tight. When the backing of the carpet becomes brittle, the force used to re-stretch the carpet into place has the potential to damage the backing. Our technicians will advise the customer is this is the case, and they will not continue with the process.
“How long will the re-stretched carpet stay stretched?”
This will ultimately depend on a few factors:
- The amount of traffic that area sees
- Furniture being dragged across the carpet
- The overall condition/age of the carpet
“Why does all the furniture need to be moved when carpet gets stretched?”
When a carpet is re-stretched, it is being stretched to the perimeter walls where the tack strip is. The tack strip is the pointy strips that the carpet gets anchored to during the installation and re-stretching process. If heavy furniture is in the room when the technician is performing the re-stretch, the carpet will only be stretched to where that piece of furniture is sitting. This will prevent the carpet from being fully stretched to its original position.
Please contact us if you have any questions about re-stretching your carpet, or for any other flooring-related questions: info@burrittfloors.com