“In past years, carpet installation was a trade handed down from employer to employee. But the quality of installation work was highly dependent on the quality of on-the-job training programs, as well as how receptive an aspiring installer was to that training.
And that’s where the Carpet and Rug Institute, headquartered in Dalton, enters the picture. In 2009, the CRI, in association with the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA), brought the need for an installation standard to the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (otherwise known as the IICRC). Since 1991, the IICRC has specialized in developing carpet industry standards and is approved for writing standards by the prestigious American National Standards Institute (ANSI). That’s a mouthful of acronyms, but together, they are the ingredients necessary to create a quality installation standard.
From 2009 to 2012, the IICRC assembled installation experts from major manufacturers, including Shaw, Mohawk and Beaulieu, along with installation trainers and others, to combine their expertise from the installation trades. Over time, some 16 chapters evolved to create the ANSI/IICRC S600 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Carpet Installation, or simply, ANSI/IICRC S600.
The highly practical ANSI/IICRC S600 installation standard begins with areas of responsibility for all parties of the carpet value chain including: manufacturers, distributors, specifiers, retailers, architects, designers, installers and consumers or end-users. It continues with discussions about carpet components, carpet cushion and installation equipment, tools and materials.
The section on installation estimating and planning is followed by subfloor preparation, and descriptions of both glue-down and stretch-in installation methods, including both their advantages and limitations. The standard concludes by covering specialty installations, patterned carpet installation and carpet installation on stairs.
The ANSI/IICRC S600 carpet installation standard is scheduled for publication by mid-2013, assuming that the peer-review process proceeds on schedule.
The standard represents a huge commitment on the part of the Carpet and Rug Institute to elevate the quality of one of Georgia’s most important products: carpet. It provides consumer assurance that the carpet value chain will not be broken, all the way from fiber production to a quality finished flooring installation.
And that’s good news for all of us."
Editors note: The new S600 standard replaces existing standards, such as the Carpet and Rug Institute’s 104 and 105 standards, and its more recent unified carpet installation standard. The most important thing about the S600 Installation standard is that it is a national standard that supersedes all previous carpet installation standards.
Thanks, Werner.
Bethany
1 comment:
Our industry will benefit from implementing this newly formatted standard.
After 20 years in the flooring industry,I have been witness to far too many carpet cleaning and flooring installation disasters.
I must admit to being trained on the job in both carpet cleaning and carpet installation. The carpet cleaning company "trained" me for two days...sending me out with an "experienced cleaner"...( anyone who had been there longer than me.) We were self employed contractors, not employees of this company. So the company would not be liable for poor service.
I then was out on my own...with no real training! It was unregulated and a scam...bait and switch. I decided to attend workshops and seminars for training and went into business for myself. My moral compass was my guide.
My carpet installation skills were another matter. I learned on the job from two different installers, both of whom had been union trained. I felt fortunate to have had these guys teach me the trade.
My point is, this industry is no different than many other trades. We will continue to have employers train employees. The manufacturers,distributors, and the end users can insist their flooring be installed by certified installers. This will increase customer satisfaction, our main goal.I believe this to be a wise choice for all involved.
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