SOFT FLOOR COVERINGS
Definitions
 Types and how they are made
 History
 Installation
 Fibres and yarns used
 Current market
 References

DEFINITIONS
Floor covering is a term used to describe any
finish material applied over a floor structure to
provide a walking surface. It refers more to looselaid materials.
 Materials classified as soft floor coverings
include carpets and area rugs.
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CARPETS
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A carpet is a floor covering woven or felted from
natural or man-made fibers. A fitted carpet is
attached to the floor structure, extends wall-towall, and cannot be moved from place to place.
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An underlay will extend carpet life and improve
comfort.
RUGS

Rugs are also woven or felted from fibers, but are
smaller than the room in which they are located,
have a finished edge, and usually lie over another
finished floor such as wood flooring.

Rugs may either be temporarily attached to the
flooring below by adhesive tape or other methods
to prevent creep, or may be loose-laid.
TYPES
Carpets and rugs are classified according to how they are
made.
 Woven- The carpet is produced on a loom quite similar
to woven fabric. Most expensive due to the slow speed of
the manufacturing process.
 Needle felt- More technologically advanced. Produced by
intermingling and felting individual synthetic fibers using
needles. Forms an extremely durable carpet. Found in
commercial settings such as hotels and restaurants where
there is frequent traffic.
 Knotted- Usually done by hand. On a knotted pile carpet,
the structural weft threads alternate with a supplementary
weft that rises at right angles to the surface of the weave.
 Tufted- These are carpets that have their pile injected into
a backing material, which is itself then bonded to a
secondary backing.
HISTORY
The first carpets and rugs were made in West
Asia and the middle East in the third
millennium. They sheared goats and sheep for
wool and hair, then spun and wove them into
carpets.
 The countries known for their skill in carpet and
rug making and which export them are:
Afghanistan, China, India, Pakistan,
Persia(Iran), Spain, France and England.
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IN AFRICA

North African countries are the
most famous African producers of
carpets, due to the influence of
middle Eastern countries. North
African carpets and rugs were:
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Of low density (light)
Have limited colors (usually only two,
like beige and brown)
Patterns used are borrowed from
other regions, therefore most of them
are devoid of meanings.
Western and Southern African
carpets and rugs are thicker, made
of cotton wool and velvet, and are
silky or rough depending on the area
of production.
 The pattern also carry deeper
meanings. The significance of these
designs can also vary from one
society to the next.
 Often, today's weavers use designs
and drawings to which they no
longer know the meaning: the
pattern no longer holds symbolism
but is purely for decorative reasons.
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EXAMPLES OF PATTERNS
(GENERAL AFRICAN INTERPRETATIONS)
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Geometrical shapes - square,
rectangle, triangle, diamond, chevron,
X -are found in the decoration of
pottery crafted by women and carpets.
It is generally considered that these
signs have a spiritual or religious
connotation: self-preservation and of
one’s entities, the cult of the dead,
protective magic.
The central medallion: A
representation of the ancient point of
view in regards to man who plays a
key role in source for knowledge, light
, and wisdom in the world
Water : matrix of all possibilities
associated with the existence of man,
and is symbolized by the zigzag,
chevron, and the wavy line.
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The broken line: the rhythm of the
broken line refers to unlimited space,
and may be associated to mountains.
Points: grains scattered in the center
of carpet, illustrate the new cycle of the
seasons, fertility and abundance.
Lion: symbol of power and pride, whose
image gives strength and courage. It
can be considered to be as "claws".
The scorpion, often represented by a
diamond similar to an evil monster
with groping paws and antennas, is a
symbol of vengeance.
Other animal motifs: Symbolized the
character of the represented animal
INSTALLATION

Before you begin installation, ask yourself
Will there be heavy or light traffic in the room?
 Will there be kids or pets?
 Is there direct access from outside?
 How large is the room?
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These factors will influence the cost, material, and durability
of the carpet or rug to be used.
Also, decide between lighter and darker carpet colors. The
carpet rule of thumb is that light carpets can seem to
create more space in a smaller room, while a darker shade
of carpet can add coziness to a bigger space. Within the
general color scheme that you want for the room, select
something that will enhance the space.
Preparing the Room
 Check the room for moisture problems. Any
drainage issues in the room you're planning to
carpet need to be addressed before carpeting.
 Remove any doors for ease of installation. You
might have to sand down the bottom of the doors
to ensure smooth closing after the carpet
installation.
 Clean the concrete thoroughly.
 Fill in any cracks or imperfections in the surface.
Laying the Carpet
 Coat the floor with primer.
 Lay gripper strip. Cut a piece of tackless gripper strip
the length of 1 wall with a utility knife, and attach it to
the floor with masonry nails. The tack points should be
facing the wall. Leave a gap the thickness of the
carpet's pile between the gripper strip and the wall.
This is where you will tuck the edges of the carpet
during installation.
 Lay padding strips. Cut padding strips the length of the
room, and place them side by side across the room. Glue
the padding, waffled side up, with a carpet glue. Keep
your rows abutted, and cover seams with duct tape.
Trim any excess with a utility knife.
 Cut carpet to size, allowing approximately 6 inches
(15.2 cm) excess all around. Place seam tape, adhesive
side up, where pieces abut. Use a steam iron to activate
the adhesive and join the pieces together.
 Lay carpet out and use a rented knee kicker to force the
carpet into the far corner. Using the power stretcher,
stretch the carpet across the room to the opposite wall.
Hook the carpet onto the tackless strip. Continue this
until the carpeting is smooth and flat.
 Generally, you'll work from the "far" corner of the room
(farthest from the door) and work backward, out of the
room.
 Finish the edges. Cut off excess carpet, and push carpet
behind tackless strip, using a wide blade putty knife if
necessary.
FIBRES AND YARNS USED IN CARPETRY
Carpet can be made from many single or
blended natural and synthetic fibres. Fibres are
chosen for durability, appearance, ease of
manufacture, and cost.
Nylon
 Nylon is the most common material for construction
of carpets. It can be printed easily and has excellent
wear characteristics. As nylon is petroleum-based it
varies in price with the price of oil.
Polypropylene
 Polypropylene is used to produce carpet yarns
because it is inexpensive. It is difficult to dye and
does not wear as well as wool or nylon. Outdoor grass
carpets are usually made from polypropylene.
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Wool and wool-blends
 Wool has excellent durability, can be dyed easily and is fairly
abundant. When blended with synthetic fibres such as nylon
the durability of wool is increased. Blended wool yarns are
extensively used in production of modern carpet, with the
most common blend being 80% wool to 20% synthetic fibre,
giving rise to the term "80/20". Wool is relatively expensive
and consequently a small portion of the market.
Polyester
 Polyester has good physical properties and is inherently stainresistant because it is hydrophobic. Color is infused in a
molten state (solution dyeing). Polyester has the disadvantage
that it tends to crush or mat down easily. It is typically used
in mid- to low-priced carpeting.
Acrylic
 Acrylic is fairly difficult to dye but is colorfast, washable and
has the feel and appearance of wool making it an ideal rug
fabric.
CURRENT MARKET
In Kenya, good quality carpets can be sourced
easily from specialized retailers e.g. at the Tile
and Carpets Centre
 There is also a rapidly growing market for handmade carpets, which has created a source of
employment for many people. These products are
usually cheap, and, depending on the craftsman,
can be of very good quality.
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REFERENCES
www.wikihow.com – How to install carpets
 www.wikipedia.com – History of carpets
 www.diynetwork.com – Installation of carpets
 www.fellenzer.com – Significance of carpets
 www.nazmiyala.com – Significance of African
rugs and carpets
 Google images
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MAROA N. HARRISON
B02/0900/2012
 MANG’ARE TRACY MORAA B02/53543/2012
 MALU RUTH MWENDE
B02/56592/2012
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