2011-11-28 MINOR VERSUS MAJOR FLOOR PREP

The installation of any flooring material requires the subfloor or substrate onto which it is to be installed receive some type of preparation before the installation takes place.  That could be as simple as acclimating the space to the appropriate temperature prescribed by the flooring manufacturer so the material is not shocked when it comes in contact with the substrate.   But the question arises as to what amount of floor prep should be done as part of the bid work for the installation and what amount is extra that would not be considered part of the standard practice for installing the flooring material. 

Minor prep work would be scraping the old adhesive off the floor so that it is smooth; no ridges, high spots or residue which would impede the application of new adhesive or prevent adhesion.  Patching the substrate to even out rough spots, dips, depressions or anything that may telegraph through the new flooring would be minor prep work as long as it just involved troweling on patch.  Minor prep work would be a simple process that did not require extensive and involved processes or procedures; those things that would be considered part of a normal installation process.  To make a comparison we can use the analogy of washing the car, drying it and then applying a coat of wax to produce a clean shiny surface.

Major floor prep would involve a process that would require something other than a simple scraping of old adhesive and application of patch to specific spots.  Major prep would involve mechanical scraping of old adhesive, applying a sealer to the old adhesive to prevent reaction, such as containing cut back. It could also be grinding the subsurface to remove old adhesives or bead blasting the substrate, applying a sealer and a top coat of cementitious material.  Applying a leveling agent overall would be considered major prep as would leveling the substrate.  Major prep could also be putting down a separate sealer for a minor moisture or porosity issue which could be as simple as an application of latex or more involved with a specific moisture reducer.   Major prep work would also include filling cracks, ramping up the substrate so that two different thicknesses of flooring material could meet evenly or treating large cracks with special fillers.  It could also be applying a leveling agent over a ceramic floor to even grout lines so the new flooring would be level and not show any substrate inconsistencies.   To make a comparison with the car again, this would be like sanding, filling, and preparing the car for new paint that will make it shiny and new; a lot more than just washing and waxing.

When you have to start making changes to the substrate to accommodate the installation of new flooring material that involves more than just a simple scraping and patching, you’re into major floor prep.  This is work that there should be an additional charge for.  All commercial flooring contractors know this but many residential dealers who do Main Street commercial work or who may even chase some major commercial work often don’t.  Major floor prep is a completely separate aspect of the installation process.  If a substrate is not conducive for receiving a new flooring material, especially one that requires near perfection, it will require whatever it takes to make sure nothing from beneath spoils the surface appearance of the new material and that means extra work.

Making the substrate acceptable to receive new flooring can be as simple, and minor, an undertaking as scraping off old adhesive with razor scrapers or as involved as refinishing or reconfiguring the entire surface.  One is minor and part of the normal installation fee and the other major and a completely different undertaking for which there is a separate charge.

Author: Lewis G. Migliore

LGM and Associates – The Floorcovering Experts

2011-11-19 INSTALLERS ARE NOT QUALITY CONTROL

The comment, “the installer should have noticed this problem before installing the material,”  should resonate with you.  This is a comment that is used continually by manufacturers, distributors and dealers when a flooring material claim for a visible or supposed visible defect exists.   Any time a complaint is filed for a problem which involves a physically manifested condition in a flooring material; a blemish, flaw or imperfection that was expected to be seen by someone, that someone accused is most often the installer.  Where is it written that installers are in charge of quality control?  Let me share this with you.  We get samples of material in here all the time that someone says have a flaw in them.  Very often we can’t see it at first nor may it be evident in photos emailed.  One recent example was some tiles we received that were marked on the back to coincide with the flaw in the face no one here could see.  Only when the tiles were examined in bright sunlight did the blemish become evident.  So, if we can’t see the flaw and we’re consciously looking for it and know it exists – how is the installer whose concentrating on how he’s going to approach the job, layout the material, work in the space, not cause any damage, finish on time, not get paid enough and any other number of considerations to properly install the material, supposed to do quality control at the same time? 

Actually quality control guidelines are in writing and they exist in common and standard industry practices.  The Carpet and Rug Institute has a publication; I’ve mentioned it before in this column, called Areas of Responsibility.   In it each party involved in the process of getting the flooring to the end user has areas of responsibility.  The first one in line when it comes to quality control is the manufacturer.  Since manufacturers examine and inspect all material produced before it ships they are first in line to insure the product has no visible defects.  Next the dealer is supposed to inspect the product and later the installer should note if there are any visible defects if he notices them while he’s working in tight space, maybe with poor lighting and any other distraction he’s confronted with.  Any blemish should be seen by the manufacturer  first, the standards of care should exist which would be, as you might guess, the manufacturer looking for and noticing defects.  If they exist, the product should be relegated to seconds.  The installer should not be given the burden of responsibility for doing everyone else along the line’s job.  In the truest meaning of the term, “this is not my job” applies here. 

Visibly obvious flaws in the product get the first opportunity for notice by everyone who looks at, or should look at the product before the installer.  In the case of the tile mentioned earlier, the manufacturer and distributor both told the dealer the installer should have noticed the blemish before installing the product.  Why didn’t the manufacturer notice it?  The blemish was in the material, put there during the manufacturing process, so they should have seen it.  Now the claim is going to be argued with the defense the installer should not have installed with the blemish.  Shouldn’t the product have been shipped without the blemish?    If litigated, which would be rare if at all, the legality is that the manufacturer has the obligation to ship materials that are merchantable for service which means complying with the product specification, installable, suitable for their intended purpose, without defects.  That’s not the installers’ job.

Author: Lewis G. Migliore

LGM and Associates – The Floorcovering Experts

2011-11-07 GET READY FOR DRY AIR

With winter already upon many regions in the country the ambient air inside homes and commercial buildings is being heated.  Heated air, unless humidified, is very dry.  Dry air will change flooring material significantly.  Wood flooring is especially susceptible to dry air as it will lose moisture and contract.  When wood type flooring contracts it shrinks, resulting in gaps at the ends or at the edges of the boards.  This is a common occurrence and not one that would be related to the installation of the flooring material.  Carpet could also shrink as nylon will react to the gain or loss of moisture; same as the wood.  Complaints for wood flooring especially increase in winter months as a result of the wood shrinking.

Most of you should understand the law of physics; Newton’s Third Law of Motion that I’ve so often spoken about which states “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”  Simply put this means if wood, for example, gains moisture it will expand and swell and if it loses moisture it will contract and shrink.  Carpet can grow and wrinkle or shrink and open seams.  Vinyl tile could also shrink or open up slightly on the floor as could sheet vinyl.  Most flooring material is going to react to the change in temperature or humidity and when it does enough to become visible, you’re going to get a complaint.   This is why acclimating a flooring product is so important; the product has to adjust to the space it’s installed in.  Even so, it will still react to ambient conditions changes, visibly or not.

The first thought that comes to mind when a flooring product expands or contracts is that it was installed incorrectly.  Installation compromise certainly could be a factor but no matter how well the installation is done the material can still move.  When enough energy is generated in the flooring product from an external force, bolting it to the floor may not be enough to keep it from moving.

The flooring is not going to be the only furnishing or material in a space that is affected by changes in ambient conditions.  Wood moldings can open up especially if they are large crown molding that visibly exhibit gaps.  Doors could close or open more easily.  Wood furniture joints may open, even ceramic tile may crack or joints develop hair line cracks from the plywood beneath it moving.  You have to look beyond the obvious to determine what the cause of a problem is. 

In winter one of the easiest ways to prevent flooring material from contracting is to humidify the air.  This can be done with units installed on the furnace or individual units operating separately in rooms.  A balance has to be achieved in the space with the HVAC controls or a separate small device that will measure and indicate the temperature and humidity.  All flooring manufacturers have guidelines for what the ideal temperature and humidity should be for their products.  It is important to know what they are so you can intelligently convey the information to your customer.  You can also test the air space for temperature and humidity with a meter; there are several hand held types available.  If you are going to test wood flooring the Wagner wood meter is one of the best. 

Winter weather can also play havoc with static electricity in the space. Walking on carpet in low humidity and then touching a metal surface can jolt you into reality.   If you get a complaint like this you can check the air space with a humidity meter and determine if humidification is necessary.  Armed with this information and simple technology you can be the most expert flooring dealer in your area, resolve complaints and impress enough to increase your business.

Author: Lewis G. Migliore

LGM and Associates – The Floorcovering Experts

2011-10-20 MORE CARPET ODOR

A dealer contacted us recently with a complaint he had with a carpet odor.  His customer claimed the new carpet he recently installed was making them sick. When the dealer visited the home he could smell nothing but new carpet.  The carpet manufacturer’s rep came to the home and reached the same conclusion as did an independent inspector.  This was a case where the home owner was being affected by an odor that obviously only they could smell.  The homeowner persisted in their complaint, eventually telling the dealer that they were experiencing physical maladies as a result of the carpet and they threatened to sue, however they could produce no proof of any illness or physical maladies. The dealer said he did everything he could to resolve the issue.  The manufacturer stepped in and said replace the carpet. In any case where a consumer complains of an odor in the carpet making them sick, the manufacturer will typically tell you to remove the carpet and will credit you.  In this case the manufacturer also gave the dealer a credit for the labor.  This has been the norm for many years when it comes to a consumer complaining about flooring being the cause of a health condition.  It’s easier to remove the flooring than have to contend with a threatened legal action.  Carpet contains nothing that will make anyone sick and the odor it emits is just a new carpet odor.  Just like a new car, new furniture or a new shower curtain. 

The dealer appreciated the action by the manufacturer but was upset that they didn’t pay him his profit.  He said the consumer thought he and the manufacturer were hiding something when they gave in.  On the contrary, most companies today would rather let you steal from them rather than confront a customer or press charges and deal with the threat of a law suit.  It’s easier to take the loss. In this case that’s what the manufacturer did.  The manufacturer gave the dealer what he had in the carpet plus his labor; they didn’t give him his profit nor should they have.  It is not any manufacturers’ responsibility to reimburse you or any dealer for profit.  Just because a customer decides, as in this case, not to do business with the dealer again because of their problem, the manufacturer has no control over that.  You sell the product for a price which includes profit and no one else participates in that.  If you lose money on the sale that’s your issue and no one else’s; the supplier is not entitled to any of your profit so they’re not responsible if you lose it either.   Unfortunately that’s a cost of doing business.  This is also not a standard practice in the industry, or in business for that matter.  To state this further, you can’t expect a manufacturer of any product to credit you fully for your purchase and then add to that profit you lost on a transaction they were not a party to. 

The dealer thought the mill made a hasty decision that obligated them with no say in the matter and as a result they were caught in the middle, they thought, and lost.  In reality, the mill saved the dealer because had the matter persisted you can bet a lawsuit would be filed.   The first check he’d write toward his defense would be to his lawyer which would likely have exceeded what he lost in profit.  From there the additional costs to defend himself would have far exceeded profits from several other jobs. 

Being in business and especially business that provides service, product or material to one’s home or business, means that at some point you’re going to encounter a customer who turns out to be a nut.  Arguing on principal which will almost always cost you way more than you bargained for.

Author: Lewis G. Migliore

LGM and Associates – The Floorcovering Experts

2011-10-11 YOU CAN’T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS

A retail dealer called to discuss a very unique situation he encountered with a carpet installation.  The carpet is installed in the basement of a home and the consumer is complaining of being able to see the seam but only when the lights are out, during the day, when the sun is shining in from two windows on a far wall.  When the dealer went to look at the carpet the seam was not visible when the lights were on.  The lights are always on when the space is occupied.  He could see what she was talking about with the lights out but what is being seen is the seaming tape telegraphing, not the seam itself.  This comes as no surprise because seaming tape can often be seen in certain lighting.  Most often when the space is illuminated it washes out and is not a visible eyesore.  

The dealer sent the installer back to look at the seam.  The results of that visit were that the seam looked perfect; no gaps, peaking or any other physical inconsistency, only the seam tape visible when the lights are off – same scenario as above.   The installer said that if he tried to do anything with the seam he would really create a problem.  This complaint reminds me of the saying, “if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound?” 

None of this made the consumer happy.  Her idea of a fair and reasonable resolution was that she gets her money back and keeps the carpet as is.  The question that must be asked then is, “If it’s so terrible you can’t live with it, then how can you live with it?”  If the consumer goes to court, and she is threatening to do so unless the dealer complies with her demands, she has the legal right to replacement or to give the carpet back and get her money back but there is no provision in the UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) that allows her to have it both ways – that would not be fair and reasonable.   The dealer could also offer a settlement, which in this case is not acceptable to the consumer. 

I find it increasingly difficult to buy into the saying that the customer is always right.  They are right when they are legitimately right and actually damaged but when they try to give a retailer the shaft simply because they think they can, just because they don’t like something or they’re completely unreasonable or demanding, I get upset. The pendulum of reasonableness has swung too far in the wrong direction.  We need some humane adjustments.  You can’t have it both ways.  In this case the carpet looks fine other than when the lights are off at a certain time of day.  The lights are always on when the space is occupied so the concern is not visible.  The seam is made perfectly and the cause of the concern is the seam tape showing through the carpet face.  Seams are not invisible and a lower profile, dense carpet will allow the seam tape to show.  Even if a low profile seaming tape is used it may still create a visible effect on a seam under certain conditions.  This all goes to the Standard of Care and common practice in the industry.  Is what’s being experienced a typical industry standard practice?  Yes.  Seams are not invisible; sometimes they can be seen under certain conditions.  Sometimes however they really are made poorly and the consumer has a right to have them fixed, which is reasonable and right. 

This should be a lesson to you.  You should have an information sheet to give to the customer right after the sale which mentions seams, loose fiber, fiber in the see through vacuum cleaner, spots, cleaning, etc.  It would make your life a lot easier and it’s something your competition isn’t doing that shows you care.

Author: Lewis G. Migliore

LGM and Associates – The Floorcovering Experts

2011-09-23 POWER OF THE BRAND

You may have heard about the dilemma created by Target last week regarding the “Missoni Madness” that took place. Missoni is famous for unique knitwear in a variety of fabrics in colorful patterns as well has home furnishing and has recently entered the boutique hotel business. The clothing is extraordinary expensive and is found in high end stores such as Niemen Marcus.  Missoni signed a deal with Target to market and sell a mass produced line of items; clothing, dishes, bedding, etc.  It was advertised in 40 magazines and repeatedly on television.  When stores opened the coveted merchandise sold out in hours.  Even stars were buying it.  You can put Missoni up there with Vera Wang, Lagerfeld, Louis Vuitton, St. John, Louboutin, Rolex, Bentley and the likes -Extremely high end products that every woman wants and craves. 

The buzz created by the Missoni/Target branding and marketing geniuses created awareness for Missoni and elevates the reputation of Target.  The point here is both of them fully understand the market.  In his book, “Tasks, Responsibilities and Practices” business guru Peter F. Drucker says to ask the question, “what business am I in and who is my customer?”  Something you should all do.  It’s clear that Missoni and Target are creating new customers, they know who they are – women who desire high fashion and quality at a reasonable price.  They know what business they’re in – providing high style fashion to the masses at a price point they can afford, with limited access, exaggerating the demand. 

What does this have to do with flooring problems and why are you reading this here?  One of the biggest problems in the flooring industry is that we undervalue ourselves and don’t know who our customer is.  It’s woman.  In almost every use environment they make the decision or influence it.  We don’t know what business we’re in.  It’s fashion.  People buy flooring to beautify the space, everything else comes after that.  Look only to the five star hotels and casinos that have beautiful, highly styled, high performance, one of a kind, custom made carpet.  Manufacturers of flooring are great at manufacturing and the economies of it but terrible at marketing.   Retailers are hung up on price, don’t have a clue about marketing, don’t cater to the primary customer and wouldn’t understand fashion if it bit them on the nose.   

Business is supposed to make money by delivering a product or service.  To make lots of money and have fewer problems take a look at the products I’ve mentioned.  Model your business after a high end brand or product. Cater to women. Make your store so unique that no other competitor would want to do what you do.  Hire women and men who understand women, style, fashion and high quality.  Men are Neanderthals.   Most in the flooring industry haven’t a clue about style and fashion and as a result, by the very nature of doing business the same old way and trying to lower prices; you should be doing just the opposite. 

Establish a unique identity.  Be more to your customer, with better products and service than the competition.  You’ll find you won’t have much competition if you do this.  The down economy may have you believing people aren’t spending money or aren’t willing to.  Just look at the “Missoni Madness” created by Target; customers were falling all over themselves to get to the product; a product that is normally out of the reach of most Target customers.

Think of what you can do with your store to tap into the river of profit that flows just outside your door.  Most of you will read this and put it down.  Hopefully there will be a few of you who will be moved by it and actually take action and change – to you belong the spoils.

Author: Lewis G. Migliore

LGM and Associates – The Floorcovering Experts

2011-08-30 INFORMATION FROM THE NEWSPAPER

Consumerwatch is a newspaper column that is supposed to furnish consumers with accurate information on products and services.   A recent issue on making sure carpet is laid to specifications shows the author doesn’t really know carpet.  She talks about cushion and installation adding $4 to $10 to the cost of the carpet and adds “so you want to be careful in your choice.”  Not sure what that means but it serves to lock readers into a figure that may be unrealistic.  Next she mentions cushion and that it should be at least 6 pounds but if low pile carpet it should be 8 pounds.  Nothing about thickness, type or quality.  Much emphasis is placed on opening windows and does to “increase fresh air flow which will decrease exposure to most chemicals released from the new carpet.” I’m growing tired of this comment by uninformed individuals.  There are no chemicals in carpet.  You can stand next to in it a mill for years and it won’t bother you.  Most of it is basically plastic with some latex and fillers and if anything can survive the flooding of water and extreme heat most carpet endures it would also survive a nuclear blast.  New carpet odor but no chemicals.  New cars, shoes, and shower curtains should be feared if carpet is.

This next part I’m going to give you verbatim.  “Check out the subfloor once the old carpet is removed.  Sometimes mold or dry rot has pounced beneath the old carpet (plants overflowing, pet urine and so forth).  The subfloor must be in good working condition before the firs bit of new carpet comes down.  Eagle eyes, please!”   Does mold and dry rot pounce?  Puppies pounce.  Mammals of prey pounce but mold and mildew?!  And he subfloor being in good working condition?  It just lays there lady; it doesn’t do anything.  Your car and furnace and AC should be in good working condition but your subfloor?  Am I being too critical?

Next your told installers should use new tack strips and to carefully note the old tacks and/or tack strips have been pulled out before they lay the first piece of carpet.  I bet you’d love it if you had to replace tackstrip on every job because you could charge for it and increase your profit.  How often is it really done if the old strip is in good shape?  And tacks haven’t been used for nearly 40 years to install wall to wall carpet.  Where to these people get their information?

And the kicker, again verbatim, “When the new carpeting is down to your satisfaction, leave the house for several hours so the fumes dissipate.”  Come on, lady, really!?  Do you leave the house after painting, or replacing a toilet or cleaning the bathroom with all sorts of chemicals and using drain cleaner?  Ludicrous!

How much good do you think this column, which appears weekly, written by someone who’s published two consumer books and was an English teacher, has done the industry and your business?  Obviously the author has not done her homework, has not sourced any information from the latest materials, the use of tacks should be a tip off, nor does the text stay true to the title which is “Make sure carpet is laid to specifications.”   The specifications for installing carpet can be found on line at www.carpet-rug.org the official site of the Carpet and Rug Industry.  The specifications cover all aspects of installation including cushion, substrate conditions, new carpet odor, tackstrip, etc. 

Are her other books as well researched as carpet installation I wonder?  Wouldn’t make me want to go out and buy them.  If you’re going to write on a subject and pass yourself off as an authority that people trust for the truth, you’d better know what you’re talking about.  This goes for you guys as well.  Know the products you sell better than anyone else lest a consumer comes into your store armed with information from an article like this and makes a jack ass out of you.

Author: Lewis G. Migliore

LGM and Associates – The Floorcovering Experts

2011-08-26 MORE INDUSTRY CHANGES THAT AFFECT YOU

The flooring industry continues to change and evolve.  Figures out today in the Dalton newspaper report the unemployment rate is 12.5%.  The energy that surrounded the industry just a few short years ago has abated.  It’s not gone by any means but the visual signs around town have subsided.   And within the last couple of weeks some manufacturers have gone through another round of paring down employees.  Most of these are in the technical area, particularly commercial.  This always seems to be the area that gets the chop first as management mistakenly believes technical people don’t pay for themselves and are an expense.  I would strongly beg to differ. 

These are the people who save the companies untold millions of dollars in claims and problems in the field as well as save face and protect the reputation of the manufacturer.   If they don’t exist or their ranks are shrunken there are fewer knowledgeable people to help you if you have a problem.  This will continue to have a serious downside effect on the commercial market.  These guys are worked to the bone now and with fewer of them to serve the need the stress it will place those remaining will be high.   At a time when the commercial business is actually booming, and it is despite what you may have heard or think, this is not the time you want to get rid of the very people that can make or break you.  With new backing systems, adhesives, installation issues, new manufacturing processes, sustainable product integrity issues and more change than has occurred in the entire history of the industry taking place, it isn’t wise, in my opinion to get rid of people who actually know about this stuff.  Maybe management thinks they know too much and because they’ve voiced concerns about some of the new products?  Not that far-fetched.

If you think the rep can fill in for the technical people, think again.  I was on a conference call with a client the other day which included the manufacturers rep who when asked pointed questions about problems with the product, went mute.  This call may have cost the manufacturer millions of dollars in sales.  It was so shocking to get no response from the rep that I even felt uncomfortable.

I have mixed feelings about all this.  On one hand it bodes well for our business.  Since we provide a unique service that includes much of what tech reps do, and since we’ve absorbed some of the best of them, this is good news for us.  However, we only get called as a last resort in most cases to provide answers to end users.  We don’t do much work for the manufacturers other than some consulting, bringing new technology to them and providing assistance only as a last resort.  Their field services and technical people take care of helping getting their products installed correctly, answering initial concerns or determining what someone is doing wrong with their product and helping them.   Further we’re seeing more and more, installers and installations, being compromised because the installer doesn’t know exactly what he’s doing, what he’s supposed to do and what he may be doing wrong that will come back to haunt him and cause a failed installation.   This costs the industry and everyone in the food chain involved money and pain.  Our job is to take the pain away which often means more pain but with an absolute answer.

I’ve mentioned this before that over the last four decades the very people that have taught me the details of the business have been the victims of economic slowdowns.  Without them, when business really picks up overall, the manufacturers are going to be left hanging for help and that means you will be too.

Author: Lewis G. Migliore

LGM and Associates – The Floorcovering Experts

2011-08-07 SELL THE CORRECT CUSHION

The use of the appropriate cushion under carpet is important for several reasons, not the least of which is maximizing  the performance of the carpet.  The correct cushion in a stretch in installation will act as a suspension system under carpet.  Softer is not better.  In fact, the softer and thicker the cushion the greater the chance of the carpet developing wrinkles and buckles and  the potential for structural compromise of the product, in particular delamination.   The current standard for carpet cushion, 7/16 inch thickness and 6 pound density, was a compromise reached by the industry years ago; it is not necessarily the best thickness or density.  The key is to use a carpet cushion that is not higher than the pins of the tackstrip used to hold tension on the carpet.  The cushion should also be dense enough to support traffic but also to prevent too much vertical and lateral movement.   A cushion that is too thick and too soft will inevitably create buckles and wrinkles in a carpet.  

Stretched in carpet should have a perpendicular engagement of the tackstrip.  It should not cascade over the tackstrip.  Perpendicular engagement will hold the carpet firmly and maintain the stretch.  Carpet cascading over the tackstrip will allow the carpet to become loose at which point it can wrinkle, regardless of how much stretch it receives.  A power stretcher should always be used on stretch in installations but if the cushion is too thick and soft it will compromise that effort.

So what’s the best cushion to use?  A cushion that is not higher than the tackstrip pins and preferably no higher than the tackstrip base.  The cushion should also be 8 to 10 pound density so as to firmly support the carpet, maximize its performance and prevent it from loosening up.  This type product costs a bit more but it will certainly save you in re-stretch complaints.  That said, if you have a re-stretch claim the easiest way to remedy it is to pull the carpet up and replace the cushion with a low profile, high density product.  If you just keep re-stretching over a cushion that is too high and too soft you’ll keep doing it.  There are several cushions on the market that fit the bill; one we often recommend is Healthier Choice.  Not only is it one of the best performers it’s also one of the “greenest” available.

You may not give much thought to the cushion and the influence it can have on the carpet but it can be compared to putting the appropriate suspension system on a car, allowing it to handle and perform at its best.    Think you can’t sell a better cushion?  Just compare the lower profile, higher density carpet cushion to the shoes your customer is likely wearing – some type of sneaker or athletic shoe.  These have firm foundations and high density soles, a comfortable feel, good support for feet and body and last years – the right carpet cushion will do the same thing. 

A comment we’ve heard for decades is consumers saying “and we bought the best cushion they had…..”  While that may be true, you didn’t sell them the best cushion available.  You may also think you can’t sell the best cushion available because it’s more expensive, it is, but it will differentiate you from the competition, minimize your complaints for buckles, wrinkles and restretches and improve your sales and reputation.  In case you were unaware, higher quality flooring product sales have and continue to increase because if consumers are going to spend their money today they want to make it count.  Don’t be an “Also Ran” in this economy; be a stand out.  Sell the best products, show them first and extol their value, start with the cushion and see the difference.  If you believe you can, you can; if not, you won’t.  It’s what separates winners from also ran’s.

Author: Lewis G. Migliore

LGM and Associates – The Floorcovering Experts

2011-08-01 MYSTERIOUS BLUE SPOTS

A retail dealer posed the question about a carpet concern he has recently experienced.  Seems that after the fairly expensive, name brand beige carpet he sold to a customer was professionally cleaned, several blue spots, which weren’t there before, appeared.  He stated the professional cleaner, using the hot water extraction process, noticed the spots appearing while he was cleaning the carpet.  The cleaner tried to treat one of the spots specifically to see if he could remove it but it actually spread, stating he’d never seen a carpet do this before.   What do you think could be going on here, he asked.

What we can say for sure is that carpet does not have anything in it that would allow for blue or any other colored spots to appear when wet cleaned or cleaned by any other method.  Dyes are fully set when the carpet is manufactured.  No colorants or other indicating agents would be present in the carpet.  There are however, colorants used on the yarn at times, often blue or red, to identify a particular lot or type of yarn but they are rinsed off during the pre-washing of the carpet during the dyeing process.  These indicators would be rinsed from the carpet when it was cleaned, since they are only a lightly applied colorant but still the chances they remained are virtually nil.   

The most likely cause of the blue spots, and they could have been any color, is the introduction to the carpet of a substance that when wet ran and dyed the carpet.  The most likely agent would be a material that was in a powdered form that clumped and fell into the carpet.  This could have been colored pencil lead or some other marking material.  It could also be a colored substance from a child’s drawing crayons or even fine particle of colored paper or women’s make up of some kind or a powdered food coloring that got on the carpet.  It could even be blue chalk from the installers chalk line.  All of these substances could fall into the carpet pile, be unnoticed but not cause any problems until they were wet out by the cleaning process.  These substances could also migrate or run when wet.

Since this type of particulate matter could be trapped in the yarn fiber and not be vacuumed out or fall to the base of the carpet, it could sit without incident until affected by water.  At this point the wetting and extraction by the cleaning system could activate it and pull it up the yarn and cause it to migrate.  Now, so you don’t get the impression I’m clairvoyant, this is purely a plausible conclusion.  What we can say with great certainty is that nothing inherent in the manufacturing or dyeing of carpet would cause such a condition to manifest itself or exist.  With all the colored identifiers used on undyed carpet yarn we’d have an epidemic of complaints due to colored spots in carpet.   Believe me, nothing will survive the flooding, soaking and rinsing an undyed carpet receives before it is actually dyed.

So we can’t look to the carpet as the cause.  We have to look to an outside source having contaminated the carpet, likely without knowing or realizing it was happening or the consequences.   You have to truly understand carpet, the manufacturing process, the components and what it goes through before it ends up on the floor.  It is, when you truly understand it, a predictable product and pin pointing a manufacturing related problem, either visible or latent, is not that hard.   In this case someone did something but it wasn’t the carpets fault.

Author: Lewis G. Migliore

LGM and Associates – The Floorcovering Experts