Carpet Repair Basics VI

Previously, I gave you some preliminary instructions on how to perform what is known as pile grafting on berber style carpet. I said I have done this repair on many occasions, including in the middle of a family room on a seam six feet long and 8 inches wide and that I prefer it to cutting the yarn off, stuffing it into the row and gluing it, or crocheting it into the backing.

Usually what we see is that one or two rows of yarn have been pulled up out of the carpet and are probably still attached. See how damaged they are? They are not great candidates for any of those procedures. That is why I prefer pile grafting.

Here are the step-by-step procedures on how to perform it.

Pile graft, berber style, tufted carpet

• It is always a good practice to let your customer know what you are going to do before starting this repair, because you are going to be pulling, ripping and tearing into their carpet as I describe in the next step. When you tell them some of the procedures you will be doing prior to performing them, they will have less of a chance of heart palpitations while you are doing it. I find it is also just a kind of courtesy, because you are cutting into something of theirs in their home.
• Using the pliers, pull adjoining rows of loops to make at least a three-row wide (or more) ravel. More often than not the adjoining rows of yarn have been damaged by whatever pulled the original ones out. And since most cleaners and restorers like me have fingers the size of some people's thumbs, it gives you more room to work in.  
• Align the rows of loops at the ends of the ravel. Look at the primary backing. Do you see holes in the backing where the yarns used to be? Align the loops across the rows you have pulled till the last loops are lined up, even, in a row, so that you see holes across the width of the carpet that look like a line of periods. You should now have a rectangle of missing loops. (DO NOT CUT THE YARNS OFF, THEY ARE LIKE HANDLES!!!!)  
• Using JUST THE TIP of the utility knife blade, precisely cut ONLY the PRIMARY backing of the carpet next to the base of the loops that are still in the carpet. Can I also suggest you always use a sharp blade? Dull blades can cause you to make mistakes and make you cut where you do not want to cut. Change blades frequently.  
• Now that the primary backing has been cut away, pull it out and set it aside. Using the duckbill scissors in an UPRIGHT POSITION, cut the damaged/raveled yarn at the BASE of the bundle wrap of the yarn still in place. I reiterate, use duckbill scissors to cut the raveled yarns off at their base. DO NOT CUT them with a knife. Use scissors. The reason: the repair you are making is usually in a traffic area. With all the deflection that has occurred to the carpet over the years from being walked on, the latex laminating the carpet together can become weak. If you use a knife you can #1 run a risk of cutting through the secondary backing and #2 with the weakened latex, the loops will continue to ravel out on you, making the repair more difficult.  
• Take your donor piece of carpet and pull the secondary backing off. This may take some patience. Some backings may be bonded pretty well, some will peel off with ease. Remember, only delaminate a little more than what you will need.  
• Take the donor piece (without the secondary backing, now) and match up the number of yarn rows needed—match the color and texture, pattern width and length. Say it is a three row wide repair. Figure out what three rows you will need, based on color or pattern. Ravel off the rows you don't need up to the first you do need, then count over to the fourth row (one not needed) and pull it out. You now have the three rows of yarn you need to make the repair. Trim the primary backing off as close as possible to the base of the yarns without clipping face yarn filaments.  
• Now that you have the number of rows you need, how long does it need to be? This you have to do by eye. Dry-fit the piece. Match up the loops with the pattern needed. Then cut the donor piece to the length you need. To make the cut, I bend the piece backward to open up the loops and make a gap between them so I can get at their base. (Does it fit? Trim until it does.) Trim off primary backing as needed. Work on the fit. Is it too many rows wide or long? You can't stuff 10 lbs. in a 5 pound bag, it will only take in what you cut out.  
• Weld it in. Apply hot melt glue to the base of the yarns around the perimeter—all at once or to a small section at a time, depending on the length of the piece you are inserting, Hot melt glue cools and hardens and becomes unworkable quickly. Continue as needed. CRITICAL AREAS: The cut ends of the rows of yarn are areas of potential failure. Be sure to apply a good amount of glue to the sides of the yarns (halfway up) so the piece you are inserting will be welded to the adjoining yarns.  
• Insert the donor piece by wiggling and twisting and doing whatever it takes to get it in place while the glue is hot. Tuck and push and tweak as needed with the hawk-bill knife then, when the loops are lined up, pinch the adjoining loops together. Tweak as needed. The primary backings have to be lined up or the loops will be sticking way up. Continue to push the loops into place using the hawk-bill knife. Sometimes you don't have the exact pattern. Using the hawk-bill knife will allow you to push a loop down and through the backing so you can try to replicate the pattern.  
• Pile height still too high because the donor carpet has never been walked on? Push the loops down some more if they will go. Are they still too high? Olefin flattens nicely with a 20 oz. hammer!  
• Now take your duck-bill scissors and rub over the repair vigorously to see if you can make it fail. Yes, try to make it fail. If you don't, your customer will. So trim off any fiber filaments that may be sticking up. If a loop popped up, apply a dab of glue and tuck and pinch it in once again. Your customer may ask, "When can I vacuum?" Your answer should be, "Go get your vacuum while I pack up my tools." Then YOU vacuum the area to see if it will fail. You know it won't—but if it does, don't you want it to fail while you're there (and not get a call the next day and have to go back)?  
• Now collect your money.

If you would like to SEE these repairs being performed with step-by-step written instruction, it is available on two DVD's, one for bonded inserts and one for pile grafting. The set normally sells for $135.00, but members of Lee Pemberton's "eCleanAdvisor" can have them at the value price of $95.00.

Trust me, they will pay for themselves with the first or second repair you perform. Now that is a great return-on-investment. Do you think for a moment Lee Pemberton would distribute these articles or handle these DVD's if HE did not think they were of value to you? Contact me directly at [email protected] ~ Mark