Carpet binding is a flooring industry trade which entails carpet edge modification. This involves the use of fabrics, stitching and a strong adhesive. In practice, the edges of the carpet get protected from wear and tear the moment that binding is done. But binding isn’t all about function, it can also add to the aesthetics of your home.
If you take a closer look at most carpets or rugs that can be found in modern homes, you will be able to see binding around the carpet’s perimeter. Area rugs, more often than not, have bindings (also termed as applications) around the edges. Wall-to-wall carpets, on the other hand, usually don’t have bindings on their edges. This is because the edges are already secured with tack strips around the room’s perimeter. This already makes carpet binding unnecessary.
So how is carpet binding actually done? With proper training, a bit of flair, and the right equipment, a carpet binder will be able to produce an economical and functional work of art. Here are the basic steps in binding any carpet:
Carpet binding often begins by cutting your desired shape onto the piece that’s going to be bound. If you’re binding an old carpet, you will need to trim the edges so that they will become straight and smooth.
You can power bevel a thick carpet so that the edges will be tapered. If you have a low grade type of commercial carpet, power beveling may not be necessary.
After this, you can then choose the binding style that’s going to be applied. Low-end carpets often require polyester binding. High end ones make use of bindings that are dependent on the type of material used on the carpet. It also depends on the aesthetic effect that you would want to achieve.
Carpet binding requires that you stabilize the corners in order to prevent unraveling. You can choose to use hot glue or staples. The latter may be easier to use but hot glue is less likely to loosen.
Other types of carpet binding include: sisal binding (with different widths available); serging with yarn (comes in different colors); string fringe (different styles and lengths).
Carpet binding can be done with portable or stationary tools. With a portable binding, you can easily move the machine around the edges of the carpet. A stationary tool, on the other hand, requires a large table and spacious workplace. If you’re looking into lowering your binding cost, it will be best to use the portable type.
You might ask whether your carpet needs binding or not. First, if you’ve got a carpet that has raw edges (for instance, leftovers of wall-to-wall carpet installation), then binding would come in handy. You could create custom area rugs for your couches or even a cute bed for your canine or feline friend.
You can also repair very old carpets and create new styles simply by binding their edges! Those that come with minor damages could also be easily repaired. If you’ve got a permanent stain on your carpet, then why don’t you just trim it off and have the edge rebound. These are a lot cheaper to do when compared to purchasing a brand new carpet. Let carpet binding beautify an otherwise useless carpet and add pizzazz to an otherwise boring piece.
Filed under: Housekeeping
