The old stretching debate

Discussion in 'Carpet / Textile' started by michaelbeard, Feb 10, 2023.

  1. michaelbeard

    michaelbeard Active Member

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    Hi everyone I’ve been out the game for a while an recently got back into it
    Did I miss the standard changes and Are we all stretching carpets 4m + now?
    thanks
     
  2. dazlight

    dazlight Super Moderator

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    Thought you stretched every carpet ? Do you mean glue down ?
     
  3. HC&F

    HC&F Well-Known Member

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    Think he means power stretching
     
  4. HC&F

    HC&F Well-Known Member

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    And no I don’t even own a power stretcher but I do believe British standards now states anything over 4m should be power stretched
     
  5. michaelbeard

    michaelbeard Active Member

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    Sorry daz I meant power stretch !
     
  6. michaelbeard

    michaelbeard Active Member

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    Thanks buddy it used to be 5m+
     
  7. Nick58

    Nick58 Well-Known Member

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    Imagine power stretching a cut of sicky smelling cormar :D
    It would disintegrate
     
  8. michaelbeard

    michaelbeard Active Member

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    Are there still issues with cormars backings ? they were having problems years ago but I haven’t seen any for a while
    I have stretched before with no issues but I have also had the odd cut with a lot of backing delamination
     
  9. merit

    merit Well-Known Member

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    Cormar is naff. Wears well if it’s not delaminating. But it’s often delaminating. The backing in general is horrible. power stretching is wasted on most carpets. The backing is so stiff it doesn’t work.
    every one should be leaving the carpets to acclimatise in the room for 24 hours before power stretching. Anyone doing that? Nope
     
  10. stan1191

    stan1191 Well-Known Member

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    Bs did change to anything over 4, which while i agree its not necessary to do most of the time you cant deny that it is superior in stretch and saves kicking. You can be almost as quick with one too, i dont understand why everyone slags them off so much.
     
  11. Paul webb

    Paul webb Well-Known Member

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    And great for that odd occasion when you have a 4m wide room and the carpet's 1 or 2cm under
     
  12. tarkett85

    tarkett85 Well-Known Member

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    Powerstretch and double bank anything over 4m, always do both on woven.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  13. michaelbeard

    michaelbeard Active Member

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    Thanks for your replies lads
    I am power stretching but il admit I wasn’t stretching everything over 4m , I only recently found out the standards had been updated

    how we all getting on stretching on concrete floor / UFH ?
    I have had issues in the past with gripper popping up even though I always prime before I stick etc
     
  14. merit

    merit Well-Known Member

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    You’ll need some pretty strong glue for power stretching on anhydrate :confused:
     
  15. michaelbeard

    michaelbeard Active Member

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    I’d always use edging tool if it had Laitence to take off before sticking

    My question is because I’m doing a lot of solid floor / underfloor heating big bedrooms and was wondering how you all get on power stretching off gripper that has been stuck
    I’ve done it a few times , always used gripfill and waited till next day to install carpet
     
  16. AngryAndy

    AngryAndy Well-Known Member

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    Use Flexyfix and save the waiting time. 40lm from a tube with a 3mm bead.
     
  17. merit

    merit Well-Known Member

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    Gripfil doesn’t stick to anhydrate. We prime with acrylic primer and stick with flexyfix. Hasn’t failed yet. We don’t tend to power stretch carpets tho.
     
  18. michaelbeard

    michaelbeard Active Member

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    Yeah I mean I’m not strictly talking anhydrite here, but I appreciate your input buddy , I’ve found flexi good enough for all but power stretch

    I suppose I am semi panicking as I have some big bedrooms coming up (10 x 5m) is biggest, Victoria carpets so the real stretchy backing and it’s just over normal compound (196) which has encapsulated the UFH
    im wondering how il get the best stretch really

    I have found gripfill a lot stronger than flexi in the past when fully cured but I agree anhydrite much be approached differently
     
  19. michaelbeard

    michaelbeard Active Member

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    I have used flexi , and it is my go to for usual install , I haven’t had the best results power stretching on it though
     
  20. AngryAndy

    AngryAndy Well-Known Member

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    I had a chuckle at the "Gripfill is a lot stronger than Flexi", but you are right that anhydrite does need to be approached differently. You must remove the laitance, clear the dust and then you can use an adhesive, regardless of what you are sticking down. If you leave the laitance then you are heading for a failure.

    PS: At 3.8N/mm² Flexyfix is unrivalled.
     

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