Carpet Seams: To See or Not to See
Most industry experts would agree that the installation phase of a carpet is integral. Yet some retailers do not discuss the relevant issues of the installation at the time of the sale. Surveys have shown that close to 50% of all customer complaints are the result of unrealistic expectations. Certainly the issue of seam visibility is often near the top of the list. Discussing this issue after the fact most often leaves the customer feeling they are hearing excuses, not facts.

So, what about carpet seam visibility? Assuming that the construction of the seam will be top notch, utilizing all of the proper techniques and materials, what other factors will impact on the seam's potential visibility?

Style: Velvet plushes tend to be the least forgiving of cut pile carpets. Footprints, vacuum marks and seams are all more noticeable. A common misconception is that the heavier face weight the less visible the seam will be. That is not necessarily true! A 60oz. velvet plush will likely produce a more visible seam than a 30oz. cut pile. Berbers are a different animal altogether. Some styles seam extremely well while others present a formidable challenge.

Colour: Lighter colours tend to be less forgiving that darker ones in the same style. Multi-colour tweeds are even more forgiving. Generally, the more colour and texture variation, the less visible the seam.

Location: Seam location relative to incident light sources will greatly affect the outcome. As an example, a seam parallel to a sliding glass door will tend to be more visible than one running perpendicular to the same door. Severe seam peaking due to the stretching process can actually cause a shadow! Six inch tape can help but not always eliminate the problem.

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