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SynC · Editorial revision

Carpet

Revision9
EditedOct 12, 2026
StatusCurrent
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Current revision. This is editorial revision 9, the current text of this standard. Read it on the standard's page.

SynC Standards Team — Specifier (Platform Standards) ✓ OfficialDiscloses employment SynC (SynC Platform Team)
Datasheet constraints: every range, checkbox and listbox field now states its direction

1 Scope

NOTE This standard governs the materials and installation of carpet in modular tile and broadloom formats, together with the substrate acceptance, attachment, cushion, seaming, and transition work that make a carpet floor perform. (1.1)
NOTE A carpet floor is an assembly rather than a covering. The substrate and its moisture condition, any mitigation measure, the adhesive or stretch-in system, the cushion where one is used, the carpet, the seam construction, and the edge and transition accessories each carry part of the performance, and a defect in any one of them surfaces as a defect in the floor. (1.2)
NOTE Most carpet failures that reach a claim are debonding, seam ravel, edge curl, or tile movement, and most of those trace to the substrate's moisture or alkalinity, to an adhesive used outside its rated condition, or to material installed before it reached the service temperature, rather than to a defect in the carpet. (1.3)
NOTE The product families within this scope are the following: (1.4)
  • Modular carpet tile and plank with a dimensionally stable composite backing, installed with releasable adhesive, a factory-applied pressure-sensitive backing, or an adhesive-free connector system
  • Broadloom carpet in roll form, installed by direct glue-down, by double-glue over a separate cushion, or by stretch-in over a separate cushion on tackless strip
  • Tufted, woven, fusion-bonded, and needle-punched constructions in each format
NOTE The following are governed elsewhere and are outside this standard: (1.5)
  • Vinyl, rubber, and linoleum resilient flooring and resilient wall base, specified under Resilient FlooringResilient FlooringResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/resilient-flooring
  • Ceramic and porcelain tile, natural stone tile, terrazzo, resinous flooring, wood flooring, and polished concrete, specified under Ceramic TileCeramic TileResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/ceramic-tile, Natural Stone TileNatural Stone TileResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/natural-stone-tile, TerrazzoTerrazzoResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/terrazzo, Resinous FlooringResinous FlooringResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/resinous-flooring, Wood FlooringWood FlooringResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/wood-flooring, and Polished ConcretePolished Concrete FlooringResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/polished-concrete
  • Grounded conductive and static-dissipative flooring systems, specified under Resinous FlooringResinous FlooringResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/resinous-flooring
  • Entrance rail grilles, mats, and the walk-off textiles within the entrance wiper zones, specified under Entrance FlooringEntrance Flooring and Walk-Off SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/entrance-flooring, which applies this standard for every requirement it does not state itself
  • The raised access floor system beneath carpet tile, specified under Raised Access FlooringRaised Access FlooringResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/raised-access-flooring
  • The self-leveling underlayment and patching products used to correct a substrate, specified under Cementitious Self Leveling UnderlaymentCementitious Self-Leveling UnderlaymentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/cementitious-self-leveling-underlayment
  • The concrete slab, its curing and sealing, its flatness as placed, and its under-slab vapor retarder, specified under Cast In Place ConcreteCast-in-Place ConcreteResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/cast-in-place-concrete, Slab On GradeSlab-on-GradeResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/slab-on-grade, Concrete Curing And FinishingConcrete Curing and FinishingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-curing-and-finishing, and Vapor Barriers Under SlabUnder-Slab Vapor BarriersResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/vapor-barriers-under-slab
  • Wood framing and wood structural panel subfloors, specified under Wood FramingWood Light FramingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/wood-framing and Wood SheathingWood Structural Panel SheathingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/wood-sheathing
  • Wood wall base and running trim, specified under Architectural Wood Trim And PanelingArchitectural Wood Trim and PanelingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/architectural-wood-trim-and-paneling
  • Area rugs, loose-laid rugs, and artificial turf
1.6 Carpet shall be provided in the rooms and to the extents indicated on the room finish schedule and finish plans.
1.7 The Contractor shall verify that the carpet, the attachment method, the adhesive, any separate cushion, and any moisture mitigation measure are approved in writing by the carpet manufacturer as compatible with one another and with the measured substrate condition before carpet is ordered.
1.8 The Contractor shall not begin installation until the substrate has satisfied the acceptance criteria of this standard and the installation area has reached the ambient conditions this standard requires.
1.9 The carpet manufacturer's written installation instructions define the conditions under which the product warranty holds, and the Contractor shall follow them in addition to this standard.
1.10 Where the walk-off textile of an entrance system is installed under Entrance FlooringEntrance Flooring and Walk-Off SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/entrance-flooring, the substrate acceptance, attachment, seaming, and field quality requirements of this standard apply to that textile wherever that standard does not state its own.

2 Referenced Standards

2.1 Materials, testing, and installation shall comply with the latest edition of each of the following as adopted by the Authority Having Jurisdiction, unless a specific edition is cited.
2.2 Where the Contract Documents, a referenced standard, and the carpet manufacturer's written instructions impose differing requirements, the more stringent requirement shall govern unless the Architect of Record directs otherwise in writing.
Standard Title
CRI 104 Standard for Installation of Commercial Carpet
CRI 105 Standard for Installation of Residential Carpet
CRI Green Label Plus Carpet and Rug Institute Indoor Air Quality Testing Program for Carpet, Cushion, and Adhesive
NSF/ANSI 140 Sustainability Assessment for Carpet
ASTM D5684 Terminology Relating to Pile Floor Coverings
ASTM D5848 Test Method for Mass per Unit Area of Pile Yarn Floor Coverings
ASTM D6859 Test Method for Pile Thickness of Finished Level Pile Yarn Floor Coverings
ASTM D1335 Test Method for Tuft Bind of Pile Yarn Floor Coverings
ASTM D3936 Test Method for Resistance to Delamination of the Secondary Backing of Pile Yarn Floor Coverings
ASTM D5252 Practice for the Operation of the Hexapod Drum Tester
ASTM D5417 Practice for Operation of the Vettermann Drum Tester
ASTM D7330 Test Method for Assessment of Surface Appearance Change in Pile Floor Coverings Using Standard Reference Scales
ISO 2551 Machine-Made Textile Floor Coverings: Determination of Dimensional Changes Due to the Effects of Varied Water and Heat Conditions
ASTM D2859 Test Method for Ignition Characteristics of Finished Textile Floor Covering Materials
16 CFR 1630 Standard for the Surface Flammability of Carpets and Rugs (DOC FF 1-70)
ASTM E648 Test Method for Critical Radiant Flux of Floor-Covering Systems Using a Radiant Heat Energy Source
NFPA 253 Method of Test for Critical Radiant Flux of Floor Covering Systems Using a Radiant Heat Energy Source
ASTM E662 Test Method for Specific Optical Density of Smoke Generated by Solid Materials
NFPA 258 Research Test Method for Determining Smoke Generation of Solid Materials
AATCC 134 Electrostatic Propensity of Carpets
AATCC 16.3 Colorfastness to Light: Xenon-Arc
AATCC 165 Colorfastness to Crocking: Textile Floor Coverings, Crockmeter Method
ASTM F710 Practice for Preparing Concrete Floors to Receive Resilient Flooring
ASTM F1869 Test Method for Measuring Moisture Vapor Emission Rate of Concrete Subfloor Using Anhydrous Calcium Chloride
ASTM F2170 Test Method for Determining Relative Humidity in Concrete Floor Slabs Using in situ Probes
ASTM F2659 Guide for Preliminary Evaluation of Comparative Moisture Condition of Concrete, Gypsum Cement and Anhydrite Floor Slabs Using a Non-Destructive Electronic Moisture Meter
ASTM F3010 Practice for Two-Component Resin Based Membrane-Forming Moisture Mitigation Systems for Use Under Resilient Floor Coverings
CDPH Standard Method v1.2 Standard Method for the Testing and Evaluation of Volatile Organic Chemical Emissions from Indoor Sources Using Environmental Chambers
ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities
2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design U.S. Department of Justice accessibility standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act
IBC International Building Code (Chapter 8, Interior Finishes)
2.3 Carpet in the common areas of a multi-family building and in every commercial and institutional space shall be installed in accordance with CRI 104.
2.4 Carpet within the dwelling units of a multi-family building may be installed in accordance with CRI 105 where the Contract Documents designate residential-grade carpet for those units, and shall otherwise be installed in accordance with CRI 104.
NOTE ASTM F710 is written for resilient flooring, and CRI 104 and the carpet and adhesive manufacturers invoke it for carpet because the substrate questions it answers, surface condition, flatness, moisture, and alkalinity, are the same for any adhered floor covering. (2.5)
NOTE The reference set divides by subject: CRI 104 and CRI 105 govern installation; the ASTM D-series and AATCC methods measure the carpet's own construction, durability, static, and colorfastness properties; the ASTM F-series methods qualify the concrete substrate; 16 CFR 1630, ASTM E648, and ASTM E662 are the flammability and smoke methods the building code references; and CRI Green Label Plus, the CDPH Standard Method, and NSF/ANSI 140 are the emissions and sustainability programs a project may require. (2.6)

3 Submittals

3.1 Action Submittals

3.1.1 The Contractor shall submit the following for the Architect of Record's review before carpet is ordered:
  • Product data for each carpet product, identifying the format, construction, pile configuration, face fiber and polymer type, dye method, face weight, finished pile thickness, average pile density, gauge, stitch rate, primary and secondary backing, tile size where modular, and the manufacturer's written installation instructions
  • Product data for each adhesive, seam sealer, seam tape, tackless strip, separate cushion, moisture mitigation product, patching and leveling compound, transition strip, edge guard, and carpet base, including the carpet manufacturer's written statement of compatibility for the specific carpet, substrate, and attachment method
  • Test reports for each carpet product giving the tuft bind, delamination strength, appearance retention rating, electrostatic propensity, colorfastness to light and to crocking, and dimensional stability for modular tile
  • Flammability test reports for each carpet product giving the 16 CFR 1630 result and, where a critical radiant flux class applies, the ASTM E648 critical radiant flux and class for the carpet with the specified cushion or adhesive
  • Low-emitting and sustainability certification for the carpet, the separate cushion, and the adhesive where the datasheet requires one
  • Samples of each carpet product in each color and pattern specified, of a size that shows the full pattern repeat, and samples of each transition strip, edge guard, and carpet base profile and color
  • A seaming diagram for broadloom showing roll widths, seam locations, seam direction, and pile direction, and a layout diagram for modular tile showing the installation pattern, the starting reference lines, and the orientation of the tile arrows
  • Maintenance instructions describing initial cleaning, the periodic maintenance program, the extraction method, and the cleaning agents the carpet manufacturer approves for each product
Action Submittals Requiredcheckbox
☑ Product data for each carpet product
☑ Product data for adhesives, cushion, mitigation, and accessories
☑ Carpet construction and performance test reports
☑ Flammability test reports
☐ Low-emitting and sustainability certification
☑ Samples of carpet, transitions, and base
☑ Seaming diagram and tile layout diagram
☑ Maintenance instructions
NOTE A seaming diagram reviewed before the carpet is cut is the only point at which a seam can be moved out of a doorway or a traffic lane; after the broadloom is cut, moving a seam costs a roll. (3.1.2)

3.2 Informational Submittals

3.2.1 The Contractor shall submit the following before installation begins:
  • Concrete substrate moisture and alkalinity test reports identifying the test method, the number and location of tests, the probe depths, the ambient conditions, the date, and the technician, covering ASTM F2170 internal relative humidity and the ASTM F710 surface pH procedure, and ASTM F1869 moisture vapor emission rate where the datasheet requires it
  • Wood panel substrate moisture content readings where carpet is installed over a wood panel subfloor
  • The acclimation record, including delivery date, storage location, and the daily interior temperature and relative humidity from delivery through installation
  • Qualification data for the installer, listing comparable completed projects with contact references and any certification the datasheet requires
  • The pre-installation conference report, listing attendees, decisions, and unresolved items
  • Where a moisture mitigation measure is installed, certification from the mitigation product manufacturer that the product is rated for the substrate condition actually measured
Informational Submittals Requiredcheckbox
☑ Concrete moisture and alkalinity test reports
☐ Wood panel substrate moisture readings
☑ Acclimation record
☑ Installer qualification data
☑ Pre-installation conference report
☐ Moisture mitigation rating certification
3.2.2 Installation shall not begin until the substrate moisture and alkalinity test reports have been submitted and reviewed by the Architect of Record.
NOTE The moisture reports are the gating submittal because they decide whether the specified adhesive is usable at all and whether a mitigation measure has to be added to the assembly, and a mitigation product ordered after the carpet is on site delays the floor by the membrane's cure time. (3.2.3)

3.3 Closeout Submittals

3.3.1 The Contractor shall submit the following at Substantial Completion:
  • Manufacturer warranty documentation for each carpet product, executed in the Owner's name
  • The Contractor's written installation workmanship warranty
  • The complete substrate record, comprising the final moisture, relative humidity, and pH readings, the mitigation measure installed, and the adhesive, seam sealer, and cushion products and lot numbers used
  • Maintenance data identifying the approved cleaning agents, methods, and extraction procedure, the recommended maintenance interval, and the spot-cleaning procedure for each product
  • A transmittal for the attic stock delivered to the Owner, identifying the product, color, pattern, dye lot, and quantity
Closeout Submittals Requiredcheckbox
☑ Manufacturer warranties executed in the Owner's name
☑ Contractor installation workmanship warranty
☑ Complete substrate moisture, mitigation, and adhesive record
☑ Maintenance data
☑ Attic stock transmittal
NOTE The substrate record is the document a carpet manufacturer asks for first when a bond failure is claimed, and it cannot be reconstructed after the carpet is down; it is a closeout deliverable only because the readings were taken during the work. (3.3.2)

4 Quality Assurance

4.1 Installer Qualifications

4.1.1 The installer shall hold the qualification indicated in the datasheet.
Installer Qualificationselect
Installer with documented experience on comparable commercial carpet projects
Installer holding a recognized commercial carpet installation certification
Installer certified in writing by the carpet manufacturer for the specified product
4.1.2 The installer shall have installed carpet of the specified format by the specified attachment method for not less than the period indicated in the datasheet.
Installer Experience with the Specified Format and Attachment Methodrange
years
123510
4.1.3 Where the work includes stretch-in installation, the installer shall be experienced in the use of a power stretcher on commercial broadloom.
4.1.4 The installer shall assign a single on-site foreman who is present for the duration of the carpet work.
NOTE Documented experience is the baseline every project can verify from references; an industry certification adds a tested skill set in seaming, pattern matching, and stretch-in that matters most where broadloom is specified; and a manufacturer's written certification is the qualification to select where the manufacturer conditions its warranty on it, because an uncertified installer forfeits that warranty regardless of the workmanship. (4.1.5)
NOTE Broadloom seaming, pattern matching, and power stretching are the most skill-dependent operations in carpet work: a seam cut and sealed poorly ravels or peaks, a pattern misaligned at a seam or a doorway is conspicuous and cannot be corrected after the adhesive cures, and broadloom kicked in rather than power-stretched buckles in its first season. (4.1.6)

4.2 Mock-Up

4.2.1 Whether a mock-up is required shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Carpet Mock-Upradio
○ Required
● Not required
4.2.2 Where a mock-up is required, the Contractor shall install a representative area of each carpet product at a location the Architect of Record directs, including at least one seam where broadloom is specified, the installation pattern where modular tile is specified, and one transition to an adjacent finish.
4.2.3 The mock-up shall be reviewed and accepted in writing by the Architect of Record before the balance of the carpet work begins.
4.2.4 The accepted mock-up shall establish the standard for pattern alignment, seam appearance, pile direction, tile pattern, and transition detailing for the remainder of the work.
4.2.5 An accepted mock-up may remain as part of the work and shall remain available for comparison until the carpet work is accepted.
4.2.6 Where the parties disagree whether installed carpet matches the accepted mock-up, the Architect of Record shall make the initial determination.

4.3 Pre-Installation Conference

4.3.1 The Contractor shall convene a pre-installation conference not less than ten business days before carpet is delivered to the site.
4.3.2 The conference shall be attended by the Architect of Record, the carpet installer, the subcontractor responsible for the substrate, and the mechanical contractor responsible for building conditioning.
4.3.3 The conference shall review the substrate moisture and alkalinity results, the mitigation measure, the substrate flatness and surface condition, the adhesive and attachment selection, the seaming diagram and tile layout, the acclimation plan, the mechanical system startup sequence, the transition details, and the protection plan.
4.3.4 The Contractor shall record the conference and distribute the report to all attendees within five business days.
NOTE Most carpet disputes trace to a condition that was known before installation and not acted on: a marginal moisture reading, a slab that was not flat enough, a seam planned in a traffic lane, or material installed into an unconditioned space. The conference exists to put those conditions on the record while they can still be resolved. (4.3.5)

5 Environmental and Service Conditions

5.1 Acclimation and Ambient Conditions

5.1.1 Carpet, separate cushion, and adhesive shall be acclimated in the installation area for not less than the period indicated in the datasheet before installation begins.
Acclimation Period Before Installationrange
hours
24487296
Default: Not less than 48 hours
5.1.2 The installation area shall be held between 65°F and 95°F and between 10 and 65 percent relative humidity for not less than 48 hours before installation, throughout installation, and for not less than 48 hours after installation, in accordance with CRI 104.
5.1.3 The permanent heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system shall be operating and controlling the installation area before carpet is delivered.
5.1.4 Temporary heat that does not control humidity shall not be substituted for the permanent system.
5.1.5 The Contractor shall record the interior temperature and relative humidity at least once daily from delivery until the carpet work is accepted, and shall include the log in the acclimation record.
NOTE Carpet backings and adhesives are formulated for a service temperature range, and material installed cold or into a space later conditioned to a different humidity moves after it is down: tile gaps or peaks at its joints, broadloom bubbles or develops seam peaking, and a releasable adhesive that was laid below its minimum temperature never develops its rated tack. (5.1.6)
NOTE The acclimation period is a scheduling allowance rather than a test; CRI 104 sets 48 hours as its minimum, and a product the manufacturer ships conditioned and documents as ready to install may need none, which is why the range starts at zero. (5.1.7)

5.2 Lighting for Inspection

5.2.1 The permanent lighting, or temporary lighting of equal intensity and position, shall be operating during installation and inspection.
NOTE Pile direction, pattern alignment, seam appearance, and telegraphing of substrate irregularities are judged under grazing light from windows and wall-mounted fixtures, and construction lighting from above hides all of them; carpet accepted under work lights is routinely rejected the week the permanent fixtures are energized. (5.2.2)

5.3 Service Loads

5.3.1 Carpet in areas that receive rolling loads from carts, beds, chairs on casters, or material handling equipment shall be of a pile configuration and attachment method the carpet manufacturer approves in writing for rolling traffic.
5.3.2 Carpet installed over an in-floor radiant heating system specified under Radiant Heating And Cooling PanelsRadiant Heating and Cooling PanelsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/radiant-heating-and-cooling-panels shall have a combined carpet and cushion thermal resistance not exceeding the value the radiant system manufacturer publishes for its design output.
NOTE A rolling load concentrates the floor's whole service life into a wheel track a few inches wide, and the differences between constructions that are invisible under foot traffic, a loop that resists crushing against a cut pile that mats, a dense low pile that rolls easily against a tall soft pile that resists the wheel, become the floor's appearance within months. (5.3.3)

6 Substrate Acceptance

6.1 Concrete Substrate Condition

6.1.1 Concrete substrates shall be prepared and accepted in accordance with ASTM F710 and CRI 104.
6.1.2 The substrate shall be structurally sound, clean, and free of dust, paint, oil, grease, curing and sealing compounds, residual adhesive, gypsum, and any other substance that would interfere with the adhesive bond.
6.1.3 Where the parties disagree whether a substrate is clean enough to receive carpet, the Architect of Record shall make the initial determination.
6.1.4 Cracks, joints, and surface voids shall be filled with a patching compound specified under Cementitious Self Leveling UnderlaymentCementitious Self-Leveling UnderlaymentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/cementitious-self-leveling-underlayment and approved in writing by the carpet and adhesive manufacturers, so that they do not telegraph through the installed carpet.
6.1.5 Slabs on grade and below grade shall have an under-slab vapor retarder specified under Vapor Barriers Under SlabUnder-Slab Vapor BarriersResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/vapor-barriers-under-slab, and where the Contractor cannot confirm that one is present the slab shall be treated as a slab without one.
6.1.6 The Contractor shall inspect and accept the substrate in writing before installation begins.
NOTE Accepting a substrate that is contaminated, wet, or untested transfers a known defect into the finished floor; the resulting failure is not a product defect, is not covered by the carpet manufacturer's warranty, and is charged to the party that accepted the substrate. (6.1.7)
NOTE Curing compounds and sealers left on a slab are the most common contaminant and the easiest to miss, because a slab that looks clean can carry a film that a releasable adhesive will not bond through. A water-drop test that beads rather than darkens the surface is the usual first indication. (6.1.8)

6.2 Substrate Flatness

6.2.1 The substrate shall be flat within the tolerance indicated in the datasheet, measured as the maximum gap beneath a 10 ft straightedge placed anywhere on the surface.
Substrate Flatness Tolerance in 10 ftrange
in
0.06250.1250.18750.25
Default: Not more than 0.1875 in
6.2.2 High spots shall be ground down and low spots filled with a self-leveling underlayment or patching compound specified under Cementitious Self Leveling UnderlaymentCementitious Self-Leveling UnderlaymentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/cementitious-self-leveling-underlayment and approved in writing by the carpet and adhesive manufacturers.
6.2.3 The Contractor shall verify flatness after patching and before carpet is installed, and shall record the locations checked.
6.2.4 The party whose work created an out-of-tolerance condition shall bear the cost of correcting it, and where the parties disagree about the origin of the condition the Architect of Record shall make the initial determination.
NOTE The 3/16 in tolerance is the figure ASTM F710 and CRI 104 state for adhered floor coverings; a tighter tolerance is the one to select for thin hardback modular tile, which telegraphs every ridge and depression beneath it, and for broadloom with a smooth level-loop face under grazing light, while cushion-backed tile and broadloom over a separate cushion mask a substrate that a hardback tile would reveal. (6.2.5)

6.3 Concrete Moisture and Alkalinity Testing

6.3.1 Concrete substrates shall be tested for internal relative humidity in accordance with ASTM F2170 before carpet, adhesive, or mitigation material is ordered.
6.3.2 Supplementary moisture vapor emission rate testing in accordance with ASTM F1869 shall be performed where the datasheet requires it.
Supplementary Moisture Vapor Emission Rate Testing, ASTM F1869radio
○ Required
● Not required
6.3.3 In-situ probes shall be placed at 40 percent of the slab depth for slabs drying from one side and at 20 percent of the slab depth for slabs drying from two sides, and shall be allowed to equilibrate for the period ASTM F2170 requires before a reading is recorded.
6.3.4 Testing shall include three test locations in the first 1000 ft² of slab area and one additional location for each additional 1000 ft² or fraction thereof.
6.3.5 Test locations shall include the areas of the slab most likely to be wet, including areas adjacent to below-grade walls, construction joints, the lowest point of the slab, and areas that were exposed to weather during construction.
6.3.6 The installation area shall be held within the ambient range this standard requires for not less than 48 hours before testing and throughout the test period.
6.3.7 The surface pH of the concrete shall be tested in accordance with the ASTM F710 procedure at each moisture test location.
6.3.8 The measured internal relative humidity, moisture vapor emission rate where tested, and surface pH shall each be within the limits the carpet manufacturer and the adhesive manufacturer publish for the specified product and attachment method, and where those limits differ the lower limit shall govern.
6.3.9 Where any measured value exceeds the governing limit, carpet shall not be installed until a moisture mitigation measure rated for the measured condition has been installed in accordance with this standard.
6.3.10 The Contractor shall bear the cost of retesting after a failed test and the cost of any mitigation measure made necessary by a substrate condition the Contractor's own work caused.
NOTE The acceptance limits are written as the manufacturers' published limits rather than as a number in this standard because they belong to the adhesive: a standard releasable adhesive may carry a limit near 75 to 80 percent relative humidity, an elevated-moisture adhesive from the same manufacturer may carry one of 90 to 95 percent, and a mitigation membrane carries its own. A single number in the specification would either forbid an adhesive that is rated for the slab or admit one that is not. (6.3.11)
NOTE ASTM F1869 measures only the top 1/2 in to 3/4 in of the slab, so a slab whose surface has dried while its interior remains wet passes it and fails in service; ASTM F2170 reads the slab at depth and is the method CRI 104 and the adhesive manufacturers rely on. The emission rate test is selected as a supplement where an adhesive manufacturer still publishes its limit in those units. (6.3.12)
NOTE Electrical impedance meters covered by ASTM F2659 map wet areas quickly and are useful for choosing probe locations, but they are a comparative screening tool and not a substitute for an ASTM F2170 result. (6.3.13)
NOTE Alkalinity is a separate failure path from moisture. Water migrating through the slab carries hydroxides to the surface, and a surface pH above the adhesive's limit attacks the adhesive polymer directly, so a slab can read dry enough and still debond the carpet. (6.3.14)

6.4 Moisture Mitigation

6.4.1 The moisture mitigation measure shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Moisture Mitigation Measureselect
No mitigation measure
Elevated-moisture adhesive rated for the measured slab condition
Two-component resin moisture mitigation membrane in accordance with ASTM F3010
Sheet-applied moisture mitigation membrane
Cementitious moisture suppression underlayment over a mitigation primer
Derived — the measured slab internal relative humidity and surface pH relative to the limits published by the carpet and adhesive manufacturers (by default)
6.4.2 A mitigation product shall be rated by its manufacturer for the internal relative humidity and surface pH actually measured in the slab, and a generic rating shall not be accepted.
6.4.3 A mitigation membrane shall be installed over the full slab area receiving carpet and shall be continuous at penetrations, joints, and the perimeter.
6.4.4 The slab shall be prepared to the surface profile the membrane manufacturer requires before the membrane is applied, and a membrane applied over a slab that was not profiled shall be removed and reapplied at the Contractor's cost.
6.4.5 The adhesive used over a mitigation membrane shall be a product the membrane manufacturer and the carpet manufacturer both approve in writing for that combination.
6.4.6 Where a mitigation membrane is installed, the Contractor shall test the cured membrane for pinholes, holidays, and bond in accordance with the membrane manufacturer's written procedure, and shall repair defects before carpet is installed.
NOTE The measure follows from the reading, not the reverse. An elevated-moisture adhesive is the least costly measure and is enough where the slab reads modestly above a standard adhesive's limit and within the elevated adhesive's; a two-component resin membrane blocks vapor from a slab at or near saturation and is the measure the carpet manufacturers accept for the highest readings; a sheet membrane does the same without a cure period and with a thickness that has to be reconciled at transitions; and a cementitious suppression system adds flatness correction to the mitigation at the cost of thickness and drying time. A membrane rated below the slab's reading fails as reliably as no membrane. (6.4.7)

6.5 Wood Panel Substrates

6.5.1 Where carpet is installed over a wood structural panel subfloor specified under Wood SheathingWood Structural Panel SheathingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/wood-sheathing, the panel shall be of a grade the carpet manufacturer approves for adhered carpet, fastened so that it does not deflect or squeak underfoot, with no fastener heads proud of the surface.
6.5.2 Wood panel substrates shall be tested for moisture content before carpet is installed, and the moisture content shall not exceed the limit the carpet and adhesive manufacturers publish.
6.5.3 Panel joints and fastener heads shall be filled and sanded flush so that they do not telegraph through the installed carpet.
6.5.4 Crawl spaces beneath a wood panel substrate shall be ventilated or conditioned and shall have a ground vapor retarder before carpet is installed.
NOTE Moisture migrating up through a wood subfloor from an unconditioned crawl space debonds an adhered carpet as a wet slab does, and a panel that flexes under load works the adhesive bond and the seams until they fail. (6.5.5)

6.6 Raised Access Floor Substrates

6.6.1 Where carpet tile is installed over a raised access floor specified under Raised Access FlooringRaised Access FlooringResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/raised-access-flooring, the tile shall be a product the carpet manufacturer approves for access floor service, attached with a releasable adhesive or connector system the access floor manufacturer approves in writing.
6.6.2 Carpet tile over an access floor shall be laid so that its joints do not coincide with the panel joints beneath it, unless the Contract Documents require tile to be cut and bonded to individual panels so that each panel can be lifted with its tile.
6.6.3 The access floor panels shall be clean, level, and seated before carpet tile is laid, and the Contractor shall not install tile over a panel that rocks or sits proud of its neighbors.
NOTE An access floor is lifted panel by panel for its service life, and the two ways of carpeting it serve different Owners: tile offset from the panel grid gives a monolithic floor and is cut each time a panel is lifted, while tile bonded panel by panel lifts with the panel and shows the grid at every joint. (6.6.4)

7 Carpet Format and Construction

7.1 Carpet Format

7.1.1 The carpet format shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Carpet Formatradio
● Modular carpet tile
○ Broadloom
Per drawings — the room finish schedule
NOTE Modular tile installs with no cross-roll seams, allows a soiled or damaged tile to be lifted and replaced from attic stock, lies over an access floor, and tolerates reconfiguration, which is why it is the format most commercial interiors now specify; broadloom gives a continuous field with no tile joints, carries a pattern across a room without a repeat at every tile edge, and is installed over a separate cushion where underfoot comfort or acoustic absorption is the reason for carpet, at the cost of seams that have to be planned and of replacement by the room rather than by the tile. (7.1.2)

7.2 Carpet Construction

7.2.1 The carpet construction shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Carpet Constructionselect
Tufted
Woven
Fusion-bonded
Needle-punched
NOTE Tufted carpet needles face yarn through a primary backing and locks it with a coating and a secondary backing or tile composite; it is the construction of nearly all commercial carpet because it is fast to produce and available in every pile configuration and pattern. Woven carpet interlaces face and backing yarns on a loom in one operation, which gives it the dimensional stability and dense face that hospitality and assembly interiors specify for intricate patterns, at a higher cost and longer lead time. Fusion-bonded carpet embeds cut pile in an adhesive layer on a backing, giving a dense cut pile with very high tuft bind that suits modular tile. Needle-punched carpet entangles fiber into a felt with no pile yarn at all, which is why it serves walk-off and utility applications rather than finished interiors. (7.2.2)

7.3 Pile Configuration

7.3.1 The pile configuration shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Pile Configurationselect
Level loop
Multi-level loop
Cut pile
Cut and loop
Tip-sheared
7.3.2 Modular carpet tile shall have a dimensional change not exceeding 0.2 percent in either direction when tested in accordance with ISO 2551.
NOTE Loop pile keeps every tuft as a closed loop, so the face resists crushing, hides traffic lanes, and rolls a caster easily; a level loop reads as a uniform texture and a multi-level loop adds pattern through loop height. Cut pile opens every tuft, which gives a softer hand and a more formal appearance and shows footprints, vacuum marks, and crush under rolling loads in proportion to its pile height. Cut and loop combines the two for a sculptured pattern and inherits the wear behavior of its cut areas. Tip-sheared loop shears only the tallest loops and sits between the two in appearance retention. (7.3.3)
NOTE Where the floor carries rolling loads, pile configuration is the decision that governs appearance retention, and the manufacturer's approval for rolling traffic required under Service Loads is the mechanism that connects the configuration selected here to the load the room receives. (7.3.4)

8 Face Fiber and Color

8.1 Face Fiber

8.1.1 The face fiber shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Face Fiberselect
Nylon
Polyester (PET)
Triexta (PTT)
Polypropylene (olefin)
Wool
Wool and nylon blend
NOTE The face fiber sets the floor's resilience, its resistance to stains and to bleach, and its cost, and the fibers trade those against one another rather than ranking on a single scale. Nylon recovers from crushing better than any other synthetic and accepts solution dyeing, which is why it carries the heavy-traffic commercial market; polyester resists staining and costs less, with lower crush recovery that shows in corridors and under rolling loads; triexta sits between the two in resilience with polyester's stain resistance; polypropylene absorbs almost no moisture and resists bleach, with the lowest resilience of the group, so it serves loop pile in walk-off and utility areas rather than cut pile in traffic; wool is the most resilient natural fiber, inherently flame resistant, and the most costly, and it stains more readily than the solution-dyed synthetics; a wool and nylon blend keeps most of wool's hand and appearance while the nylon carries the wear. (8.1.2)

8.2 Nylon Polymer Type

8.2.1 Where nylon is the face fiber, the polymer type shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Nylon Polymer Typeradio
○ Type 6
○ Type 6,6
Manufacturer's standard (by default)
8.2.2 Where the datasheet leaves the polymer type to the manufacturer, the manufacturer shall state the type furnished in the product data submittal.
NOTE Both nylon types are commercial-grade fibers with the same service life in the same construction. Type 6,6 has a higher melting point and slightly greater stiffness, which some manufacturers market for heavy traffic; type 6 is more readily recycled back into carpet fiber and is the type most closed-loop take-back programs are built around. Across the market, the construction and density of the carpet matter more to its performance than which nylon it is made of. (8.2.3)

8.3 Dye Method

8.3.1 The dye method shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Dye Methodselect
Solution-dyed
Yarn-dyed
Piece-dyed
Printed
NOTE Solution dyeing adds pigment to the polymer before the fiber is extruded, so the color runs through the fiber rather than sitting on its surface, and the fiber resists fading from daylight and bleaching from oxidizing cleaners; it is the method to select wherever the carpet is cleaned with bleach or peroxide, as in healthcare and education, or sits in daylight. Yarn dyeing and piece dyeing apply color to the spun yarn or to the finished carpet and give a broader and more nuanced palette, which hospitality and corporate interiors select where color range outweighs colorfastness. Printing applies the pattern to the face of a finished carpet and gives the widest pattern freedom with the least color penetration. (8.3.2)
NOTE The colorfastness grades under Colorfastness are met most reliably by solution-dyed fiber, and a yarn-dyed or piece-dyed selection is the case in which the test reports under the action submittals carry the burden of proof. (8.3.3)

9 Pile Mass and Density

9.1 Face Weight

9.1.1 The minimum face weight, measured in accordance with ASTM D5848, shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Face Weightrange
oz/yd²
1012141618202224262830323640455060
NOTE Face weight is the mass of pile yarn above the backing per square yard, and it is the figure most often quoted and the least predictive on its own; a heavy face weight in a tall, loosely packed pile crushes sooner than a lighter weight in a low, dense one. Commercial loop pile commonly sits between 14 and 28 oz/yd² and commercial cut pile between 24 and 40 oz/yd², with the higher values reserved for hospitality and executive interiors where the hand of the carpet is the point. (9.1.2)

9.2 Finished Pile Thickness

9.2.1 The finished pile thickness, measured in accordance with ASTM D6859, shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Finished Pile Thicknessrange
in
0.060.080.0940.1090.1250.1560.1870.250.3120.3750.50.75
NOTE Pile thickness is the height of the pile above the backing, and for a given face weight a lower pile means a denser one. Commercial loop and tile constructions commonly sit between 0.09 in and 0.19 in; cut pile for hospitality and residential-grade use runs taller. The accessibility limit under Accessibility caps the combined pile and cushion thickness on an accessible route. (9.2.2)

9.3 Average Pile Density

9.3.1 The minimum average pile density shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Average Pile Densityrange
oz/yd³
2000250030003500400045005000550060007000800010000
Derived — the specified minimum face weight and finished pile thickness (by default)
NOTE Average pile density is the face weight in oz/yd² multiplied by 36 and divided by the finished pile thickness in inches, so it follows from the two values above and expresses how tightly the pile is packed. Density, not face weight, is what predicts crush resistance and appearance retention: a floor that needs to hold its texture under heavy traffic or rolling loads is specified by density first, and face weight and pile thickness are then chosen to produce it. Values near 5000 oz/yd³ and above are common where traffic is heavy; values near 3000 oz/yd³ serve private offices and light traffic. (9.3.2)

9.4 Appearance Retention

9.4.1 The minimum texture appearance retention rating, assessed in accordance with ASTM D7330 after exposure in a hexapod drum per ASTM D5252 or a Vettermann drum per ASTM D5417, shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Texture Appearance Retention Rating, ASTM D7330range
rating
2.533.54
NOTE The appearance retention rating grades how much the carpet's texture has changed after a standardized drum exposure, on a scale where 5 is no change. The industry's traffic classifications map onto it: a rating of 2.5 or better serves moderate traffic, 3.0 or better heavy traffic, and 3.5 or better severe traffic such as main corridors, lobbies, and classrooms, which is why the value is selected from the traffic the room receives rather than from the product line. (9.4.2)
NOTE Appearance retention is the one durability measure that combines construction, density, and fiber into a single tested result, which is why it is the figure to lean on where the face weight, pile thickness, and density fields have been left to the manufacturer. (9.4.3)

10 Backing and Construction Integrity

10.1 Tuft Bind

10.1.1 The minimum tuft bind, measured in accordance with ASTM D1335, shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Tuft Bindrange
lbf
356.2581012152025
NOTE Tuft bind is the force needed to pull a tuft out of the backing, and it governs resistance to snagging, zippering, and ravel from a vacuum beater bar, a chair caster, or a dog's claw. Loop pile is specified at higher values, commonly 10 lbf and above, because a single pulled loop in a loop pile unravels a row; cut pile is specified lower, commonly 3 to 6.25 lbf, because each cut tuft is held independently and a pulled tuft does not propagate. (10.1.2)

10.2 Delamination Strength

10.2.1 The minimum resistance to delamination of the secondary backing or tile composite, measured in accordance with ASTM D3936, shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Delamination Strength of the Secondary Backingrange
lbf/in
2.533.5457.510
Default: Not less than 2.5 lbf/in
NOTE Delamination strength is the force needed to peel the secondary backing from the primary backing assembly. A backing that delaminates under traffic, rolling loads, or wet extraction produces bubbles, edge curl, and a carpet that is no longer one piece; 2.5 lbf/in is the industry's long-standing minimum for commercial carpet, and higher values are selected where wet extraction is frequent or rolling loads are heavy. (10.2.2)

10.3 Modular Tile Backing and Size

10.3.1 Where modular tile is the format, the tile backing shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Modular Tile Backingselect
Vinyl composite
Polyolefin thermoplastic composite
Polyurethane cushion composite
Modified bitumen composite
Manufacturer's standard (by default)
10.3.2 Where the datasheet leaves the tile backing to the manufacturer, the manufacturer shall state the backing furnished in the product data submittal.
10.3.3 Where modular tile is the format, the nominal tile size shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Modular Tile Sizeselect
18 in × 18 in
24 in × 24 in
36 in × 36 in
50 cm × 50 cm
9 in × 36 in plank
12 in × 36 in plank
12 in × 48 in plank
18 in × 36 in plank
25 cm × 100 cm plank
NOTE The tile backing is what lets a tile lie flat without curling, hold its dimension, and be lifted and relaid, and the composites differ in what they add. A vinyl composite is the longest-established and most widely available; a polyolefin thermoplastic composite is specified where the project excludes vinyl and is commonly the recycled-content and take-back option; a polyurethane cushion composite adds underfoot comfort, acoustic absorption, and masking of substrate irregularity at a higher cost and with manufacturer limits under rolling loads; a modified bitumen composite is heavy, lies flat, and is the backing most often used for free-lay and adhesive-free systems. (10.3.4)
NOTE Tile size sets the joint pattern the floor shows and the waste the room geometry generates. A 24 in square is the common size and the one most patterns are designed around; an 18 in square reduces waste in small rooms and shows more joints; a 36 in square shows the fewest joints and the most telegraphing; a plank format reads as a linear pattern and is laid ashlar or herringbone, which is why its pattern is selected together with its size. (10.3.5)

10.4 Broadloom Secondary Backing

10.4.1 Where broadloom is the format, the secondary backing shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Broadloom Secondary Backingselect
Woven polypropylene
Non-woven synthetic
Unitary latex or polymer backing
Attached polyurethane cushion
Jute
Manufacturer's standard (by default)
10.4.2 Where the datasheet leaves the secondary backing to the manufacturer, the manufacturer shall state the backing furnished in the product data submittal.
10.4.3 Broadloom intended for stretch-in installation shall have a secondary backing the carpet manufacturer approves for power stretching and tackless strip attachment.
NOTE A woven polypropylene secondary backing is the standard for glue-down and stretch-in broadloom and gives the edge strength a power stretcher needs; a non-woven synthetic backing gives a smoother back for glue-down at some loss of stretch-in suitability; a unitary backing has no separate secondary and is the backing for glue-down carpet in rolling-load and wet-extraction areas because there is no secondary layer to delaminate; an attached polyurethane cushion gives a double-glue result in a single product and limits the carpet to glue-down; jute is the traditional backing, absorbs moisture, and is selected for woven and wool goods installed stretch-in over a separate cushion. (10.4.4)

10.5 Moisture-Barrier Backing

10.5.1 Whether the carpet backing shall be a moisture-barrier backing that prevents liquid from passing through the carpet to the substrate shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Moisture-Barrier Backingradio
○ Required
● Not required
NOTE A moisture-barrier backing holds spills and cleaning water on the face side of the carpet where extraction can remove them, instead of letting liquid reach the adhesive and the slab and wick back as odor or bond failure, which is why healthcare, senior living, and pet-occupied residential interiors specify it; it also seals the carpet to the substrate, so the adhesive and the substrate's moisture condition have to be accepted for an impermeable floor covering. (10.5.2)

11 Fire Performance

11.1 Every carpet product shall pass the surface flammability test of 16 CFR 1630, which is technically equivalent to ASTM D2859.
11.2 The critical radiant flux class of each carpet product shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Critical Radiant Flux Classselect
Class I
Class II
Pill test only
Derived — the floor finish flammability class IBC Chapter 8 requires under Adopted Building CodeAdopted Building CodeParameterEach project supplies its own value.adopted-building-code for the occupancy group and for the location of the carpet, whether within an exit enclosure, exit passageway, or corridor or within a room (by default)
11.3 Where a critical radiant flux class is required, the carpet shall be tested in accordance with ASTM E648 or NFPA 253 as a system with the specified separate cushion or adhesive, and a report covering a different cushion or adhesive shall not be accepted as evidence for the specified assembly.
11.4 The smoke density limit applied to the carpet shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Smoke Density Limitradio
○ Limit required
● Not required
11.5 Where a smoke density limit is required, the specific optical density of the carpet shall not exceed 450 in the flaming mode when tested in accordance with ASTM E662, which is technically equivalent to NFPA 258.
NOTE Class I is a critical radiant flux of not less than 0.45 W/cm² and Class II of not less than 0.22 W/cm², both measured to ASTM E648. The class follows from the code and the location rather than from a preference: carpet within an exit enclosure, exit passageway, or corridor carries the class the code assigns to that location for the occupancy group, and carpet within a room carries the pill test alone unless the Owner's program adds a class. (11.6)
NOTE The pill test is the federal floor for every carpet sold in the United States and screens only for ignition from a small source; the radiant panel test measures how much radiant heat the floor needs before it propagates flame along a corridor, which is the hazard the code regulates in the means of egress. A separate cushion lowers the critical radiant flux of the system, which is why the test is run on the assembly. (11.7)

12 Static Control

12.1 The maximum electrostatic propensity of the carpet, measured in accordance with AATCC 134 under the step test at 20 percent relative humidity, shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Electrostatic Propensity, AATCC 134range
kV
11.522.533.55
Default: Not more than 3.5 kV
12.2 Static control shall be achieved by a conductive filament or carbon-core fiber permanent in the face yarn or backing, and a topical antistatic treatment shall not be accepted as the means of meeting the limit.
12.3 Where a room requires a grounded conductive or static-dissipative floor for electronic equipment, laboratory, or healthcare use, that floor shall be a system specified under Resinous FlooringResinous FlooringResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/resinous-flooring rather than a carpet relying on the limit above.
NOTE The 3.5 kV figure is the industry's threshold of human perception of a shock and is the value CRI and nearly every commercial carpet manufacturer publish, so a limit below it is selected only where sensitive electronics are in use, and a limit of 2.0 kV is the value most electronics-area specifications carry. A carpet meeting a static limit under AATCC 134 dissipates the charge a walker generates; it is not a grounded path and does not protect equipment from discharge. (12.4)

13 Colorfastness

13.1 The minimum colorfastness to light, assessed on the AATCC gray scale for color change after exposure in accordance with AATCC 16.3 to 40 AATCC fading units, shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Colorfastness to Light, AATCC Gray Scale Graderange
grade
35
Default: Not less than 4 grade
13.2 The minimum colorfastness to crocking, wet and dry, assessed on the AATCC gray scale for staining in accordance with AATCC 165, shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Colorfastness to Crocking, AATCC Gray Scale Graderange
grade
35
Default: Not less than 4 grade
NOTE Grade 4 on the five-point gray scale is the figure commercial carpet specifications have carried for decades, and most solution-dyed products exceed it; a grade of 4.5 or 5 is selected for a carpet in a daylit atrium or along a south-facing curtain wall, where the fading that a grade 4 product shows over a few years would be visible against the field. Crocking matters where light-colored upholstery, shoes, or a pale resilient floor adjoin the carpet and would pick up transferred dye. (13.3)

14 Indoor Air Quality and Sustainability Certification

14.1 The low-emitting certification required of the carpet, the separate cushion, and the adhesive shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Low-Emitting Certificationselect
Not required
CRI Green Label Plus
FloorScore
Third-party certification to CDPH Standard Method v1.2
14.2 Where a certification is selected, the carpet, the separate cushion, and the adhesive shall each carry it, and the certification shall be current at the time of submittal and shall cover the specific products furnished.
14.3 The sustainability certification level required of the carpet under NSF/ANSI 140 shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
NSF/ANSI 140 Certification Levelselect
Not required
Silver
Gold
Platinum
NOTE CRI Green Label Plus is the emissions program written for carpet, cushion, and carpet adhesive and is the certification nearly all commercial carpet carries, which is why it is the default; FloorScore is the equivalent program administered for hard-surface flooring and is selected where one certification is wanted across every floor finish in the building; a direct third-party certification to the CDPH Standard Method is what both programs are built on and is the certification to select where the rating system names the method rather than a program. The adhesive matters as much as the carpet, because a wet-applied adhesive can emit more than the carpet it holds down. (14.4)
NOTE NSF/ANSI 140 scores the manufacturer's public health and environment practices, energy and material efficiency, recycled content, and end-of-life take-back on a points scale with Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels; most commercial carpet lines carry Platinum, so the level is selected to satisfy a rating-system credit or an Owner's purchasing policy rather than to narrow the market. (14.5)

15 Accessibility

15.1 Carpet on an accessible route shall comply with the floor surface provisions of ICC A117.1 and the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design.
15.2 Carpet on an accessible route shall be securely attached, shall have a firm separate cushion or no separate cushion, and shall have a level loop, textured loop, level cut, or level cut and loop pile with a finished pile thickness not exceeding 1/2 in.
15.3 Exposed edges of carpet on an accessible route shall be fastened to the substrate and trimmed along the entire length of the exposed edge.
15.4 A change in level between carpet and an adjacent finish of not more than 1/4 in is permitted without treatment, a change greater than 1/4 in and not greater than 1/2 in shall be beveled with a slope not steeper than 1:2, and a change greater than 1/2 in shall be eliminated by adjusting the substrate, the cushion, or the transition.
NOTE The pile and cushion limits exist because a wheelchair caster and a walker tip sink into a soft, tall pile and a thick cushion, and the energy a user spends crossing the room goes into deforming the floor; a firm, low pile is what makes the surface stable and the route usable. (15.5)

16 Attachment and Accessories

16.1 Modular Tile Attachment

16.1.1 Where modular tile is the format, the attachment method shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Modular Tile Attachment Methodselect
Full-spread releasable adhesive
Grid-pattern releasable adhesive
Factory-applied pressure-sensitive backing
Adhesive-free connector tabs
Loose-lay with perimeter adhesive
16.1.2 The releasable adhesive shall be a product the carpet manufacturer approves in writing for the specified tile backing over the specified substrate and mitigation measure.
NOTE A full-spread releasable adhesive holds every tile in plane while letting any tile be lifted and relaid, and it is what nearly all commercial tile is installed with; a grid-pattern application uses less adhesive and leaves the field relying on tile weight between the grid lines, which suits a heavy bitumen-backed tile and not a light one; a factory-applied pressure-sensitive backing removes the field adhesive application and its open time and is limited to the substrates the carpet manufacturer rates it for; adhesive-free connector tabs join tiles to one another into a floating sheet, which is the method for an access floor or a substrate that cannot take adhesive; and loose-lay with perimeter adhesive serves a temporary or reconfigurable installation and depends on the tile backing's weight and stability for everything inside the perimeter. (16.1.3)

16.2 Modular Tile Installation Pattern

16.2.1 Where modular tile is the format, the installation pattern shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Modular Tile Installation Patternselect
Monolithic
Quarter-turn
Ashlar
Brick
Herringbone
Non-directional
Per drawings — the finish plans (deferred by default)
16.2.2 The installation pattern shall be one the carpet manufacturer publishes for the specified product.
NOTE A monolithic pattern lays every tile with its arrow in one direction and reads as a continuous field, so it shows any shade variation between tiles and depends on a product designed for it; quarter-turn rotates alternate tiles and reads as a checkerboard that hides shade variation; ashlar and brick offset the joints in one direction and are the patterns plank formats are designed around; herringbone is a plank pattern that depends on precise tile dimension; and a non-directional pattern lays tile in random orientation and is available only on products designed to read as a field regardless of orientation. (16.2.3)

16.3 Broadloom Installation Method

16.3.1 Where broadloom is the format, the installation method shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Broadloom Installation Methodselect
Direct glue-down
Double-glue over separate cushion
Stretch-in over separate cushion
16.3.2 The adhesive for glue-down and double-glue installation shall be a product the carpet manufacturer approves in writing for the specified backing over the specified substrate, cushion, and mitigation measure.
16.3.3 Unless the datasheet selects it, stretch-in installation shall not be used in areas that receive rolling loads or frequent wet extraction.
NOTE Direct glue-down bonds the carpet to the substrate across its whole area, resists rolling loads and wet extraction better than any other method, and is the method most commercial broadloom is installed by; double-glue bonds a separate cushion to the substrate and the carpet to the cushion, adding underfoot comfort and acoustic absorption while keeping the carpet restrained, at the cost of a second adhesive and a thicker assembly; stretch-in power-stretches the carpet over a separate cushion and hooks it onto tackless strip at the perimeter, giving the most cushioned feel and the simplest removal, and it is the method that buckles under rolling loads and wrinkles when the carpet is wet-extracted, which is why its use in those areas is a deliberate selection. (16.3.4)

16.4 Broadloom Seam Construction

16.4.1 Where broadloom is the format, the seam construction shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Broadloom Seam Constructionselect
Seam sealer only
Hot-melt seam tape
Latex seam tape
Hand-sewn seam
Derived — the broadloom installation method selected in the datasheet (by default)
16.4.2 Every cut edge that forms a seam shall be sealed with the seam sealer the carpet manufacturer specifies before the seam is closed, in every seam construction.
NOTE The seam construction follows the installation method: a direct glue-down seam is held by the adhesive beneath it and needs only sealed edges, and a tape under a glue-down seam telegraphs as a ridge; a stretch-in or double-glue seam carries the stretch across the seam and needs a hot-melt tape, with a latex tape used where heat would damage the backing; and a hand-sewn seam is the construction for woven and wool goods whose backing a tape will not hold. (16.4.3)

16.5 Separate Cushion

16.5.1 The separate cushion shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Separate Cushion Typeselect
No separate cushion
Bonded polyurethane foam
Prime polyurethane foam
Synthetic fiber felt
Flat sponge rubber
Rippled sponge rubber
16.5.2 A separate cushion shall be provided only beneath broadloom installed by the double-glue or stretch-in method, and shall be a product the carpet manufacturer approves in writing for the specified carpet and installation method.
16.5.3 The cushion thickness and density shall be within the limits CRI 104 states for commercial installation and within the limits the carpet manufacturer publishes for the specified carpet.
NOTE A separate cushion adds underfoot comfort, acoustic absorption, and insulation, and it is where the installation method puts its flexibility. Bonded polyurethane is the common commercial cushion and is specified by density; prime polyurethane is lighter and softer and serves residential-grade installations; synthetic fiber felt is firm, thin, and the cushion for double-glue under rolling loads; flat sponge rubber is firm and dense and the traditional commercial stretch-in cushion; and rippled sponge rubber is the softest of the group and is limited to residential-grade stretch-in. A cushion that is too thick or too soft lets the carpet flex at seams and under loads until the seams and backing fail, which is why the carpet manufacturer's limit governs. (16.5.4)

16.6 Transition Strips and Edge Guards

16.6.1 Carpet shall be finished at every change in floor finish, every change in finish floor elevation, and every doorway where the carpet stops with a transition strip, reducer, or edge guard of the material indicated in the datasheet.
Transition Strip Material at Carpet Edgesselect
Vinyl reducer
Rubber reducer
Extruded aluminum
Brass or bronze
Wood
Stone or solid surface threshold
Per drawings — the interior finish details (deferred by default)
16.6.2 Every exposed carpet edge not covered by a base or a door threshold shall be held by an edge guard or transition strip so that it cannot be lifted or kicked loose.
16.6.3 Transition profiles shall be fastened to the substrate rather than to the carpet, and shall satisfy the change-in-level limits under Accessibility.
NOTE A vinyl or rubber reducer is the least costly transition, ramps a carpet edge down to a lower hard finish, and is replaced when it wears; an extruded aluminum profile carries rolling loads and is the transition where carts cross the edge; brass and bronze match a hospitality or civic interior and wear to a patina; a wood transition is selected where the adjacent floor is wood; and a stone or solid surface threshold is the transition at a tile or stone floor where the doorway is detailed in that material. (16.6.4)

16.7 Carpet Base

16.7.1 The carpet base shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Carpet Baseselect
No carpet base
Bound carpet base
Serged carpet base
Carpet base with vinyl top cap
16.7.2 Resilient wall base is specified under Resilient FlooringResilient FlooringResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/resilient-flooring and wood base under Architectural Wood Trim And PanelingArchitectural Wood Trim and PanelingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/architectural-wood-trim-and-paneling, and where the datasheet selects no carpet base the base at carpeted walls shall be the base those standards provide.
16.7.3 Carpet base shall be cut from the same product and dye lot as the field carpet unless the Contract Documents select a different product for the base.
NOTE Carpet base is the hospitality and corporate detail that carries the carpet up the wall as a continuous surface; a bound base has a fabric binding sewn over the cut edge, a serged base has the edge overcast with yarn and reads as a softer line, and a vinyl top cap adds a wipeable cap where the base takes abuse from cleaning equipment. Resilient base is the usual choice because it is cleaned with the floor and does not hold soil at the wall. (16.7.4)

17 Installation

17.1 Layout

17.1.1 The Contractor shall establish the layout from the room centerlines or from the control lines indicated on the finish plans so that the pattern, pile direction, and tile orientation run as indicated and the cut pieces at the perimeter are balanced and not less than half a tile or half a pattern repeat wide.
17.1.2 Modular tile shall be laid with the arrows on the tile back oriented in accordance with the installation pattern and the approved layout diagram.
17.1.3 Broadloom seam locations, seam direction, and pile direction shall be as shown on the approved seaming diagram.
17.1.4 Broadloom seams shall be kept to the minimum number the roll width and the layout allow, located out of the main traffic lanes and pivot points and away from doorways wherever the room geometry permits, and run parallel to the primary direction of travel rather than across it.
17.1.5 The pile shall run in the same direction on both sides of every seam.
17.1.6 Patterned broadloom shall be matched across every seam and aligned at every doorway and at every wall the pattern runs parallel to, within the pattern tolerance the carpet manufacturer publishes.
17.1.7 The layout shall be dry-laid or chalk-lined and reviewed with the Architect of Record before adhesive is applied.
NOTE A seam across a traffic lane is walked across thousands of times a day and is the seam that peaks and ravels first; a seam running with the traffic is walked along and lasts. A pile direction change at a seam reads as a color change under any directional light, because the two sides reflect it differently. (17.1.8)

17.2 Adhesive Application

17.2.1 Adhesive shall be applied with the trowel notch or roller, at the coverage rate, and within the open time and working time the adhesive manufacturer publishes for the product, the substrate porosity, and the ambient conditions.
17.2.2 A releasable adhesive shall be allowed to dry to a clear, tacky film before tile is laid, and tile laid into a wet releasable adhesive shall be lifted and relaid after the adhesive has dried.
17.2.3 A wet-set adhesive for glue-down broadloom shall receive the carpet within the published working time, and carpet laid onto adhesive that has skinned over shall be lifted and the adhesive removed and reapplied at the Contractor's cost.
17.2.4 The Contractor shall lift one tile or one broadloom edge in every 500 ft² during installation to verify adhesive transfer to the carpet back, and shall record the results.
NOTE The two errors that account for most adhesive failures are opposite: laying into adhesive before its open time has passed, so that the solvent or water trapped beneath the carpet never leaves and the bond never develops, and laying after the working time has passed, so that the carpet sits on a skin that never transfers. The open time depends on the slab's porosity and the room's temperature and humidity, which is why the published figure is a starting point the installer verifies by lifting a piece. (17.2.5)

17.3 Modular Tile Placement

17.3.1 Tile shall be laid in the installation pattern from the starting reference lines, pressed into the adhesive, and butted to adjacent tiles without gaps and without compression at the joints.
17.3.2 Tile shall be cut at the perimeter with a straight, clean edge and fitted to walls, columns, and penetrations with no gap wider than the base or transition conceals.
17.3.3 Tile from different dye lots shall not be mixed within one visual field, and tile shall be installed in the carton sequence where the manufacturer sequences it.
NOTE Tile compressed at its joints domes and peaks as it acclimates; tile laid with gaps shows the substrate as a dark line at every joint. Both are irreversible once the adhesive has set, and both are prevented by laying each tile against its neighbor without forcing it. (17.3.4)

17.4 Broadloom Placement and Seaming

17.4.1 Broadloom shall be cut to length with an allowance for pattern match and trimmed at the seam with a cushion-back cutter or row cutter so that the seam edge follows a row of pile.
17.4.2 Seam edges shall be sealed, the seam closed in the construction indicated in the datasheet, and the seam rolled or hand-pressed so that it is flat, tight, and free of peaking, gapping, overlap, and visible sealer.
17.4.3 Glue-down broadloom shall be rolled in both directions with a roller of the weight the adhesive manufacturer specifies immediately after placement and again before the adhesive sets, with particular attention to seams and edges.
17.4.4 Where the parties disagree whether a seam is conspicuous beyond the standard set by the accepted mock-up or the approved samples, the Architect of Record shall make the initial determination.
NOTE A seam cut between pile rows rather than along one shows a line of exposed backing the width of the cut; a seam left unsealed ravels from its first vacuuming; and a seam that is not rolled bonds only at the tops of the adhesive ridges and lifts where the floor is walked across. (17.4.5)

17.5 Stretch-In Installation

17.5.1 Where the stretch-in method is selected, tackless strip shall be fastened to the substrate around the entire perimeter and at every doorway and column, with the pins angled toward the wall and the gap between strip and wall equal to the carpet thickness.
17.5.2 The separate cushion shall be laid in the largest pieces practicable, fastened or adhered to the substrate as the cushion manufacturer requires, butted without overlap, and taped at the joints.
17.5.3 Broadloom shall be power-stretched in both directions to the stretch the carpet manufacturer publishes for the product, hooked onto the tackless strip, and trimmed and tucked at the perimeter.
17.5.4 A knee kicker shall be used only to position the carpet and to set it onto the strip, and shall not be the means of stretching it.
NOTE A stretch-in carpet that is under-stretched buckles and wrinkles in its first warm season, because the backing relaxes under traffic and heat and the carpet has nowhere to go but up; the power stretcher is the only tool that stretches the full width of a commercial roll evenly. (17.5.5)

17.6 Rolling and Cure

17.6.1 Glue-down broadloom and adhered modular tile shall be rolled in both directions with a roller of the weight the adhesive manufacturer specifies after placement so that the adhesive transfers across the full area of the carpet back.
17.6.2 Rolling loads, heavy furniture, and wet extraction shall be kept off adhered carpet until the adhesive has reached the cure the adhesive manufacturer specifies for that exposure.
NOTE Carpet that is placed but not rolled bonds only at the tops of the adhesive ridges and at the centers of tiles, and it releases first at edges, seams, and tile corners, which are the places the floor is most vulnerable. (17.6.3)

17.7 Protection

17.7.1 The Contractor shall protect the installed carpet from traffic, soiling, spills, and other trades until the carpet work is accepted.
17.7.2 Protective covering shall be vapor-permeable, shall not transfer color or adhesive, and shall be a product the carpet manufacturer approves.
17.7.3 Protective covering shall not be taped to the carpet face, and non-breathable film shall not be laid directly on carpet over uncured adhesive.
17.7.4 Rolling loads and equipment shall be moved over installed carpet on protective panels rather than directly on the covering.
NOTE Non-breathable film over uncured adhesive traps the adhesive's water or solvent beneath the carpet and keeps the bond from developing, and tape pulled off a carpet face takes pile with it. (17.7.5)

18 Transitions to Adjacent Finishes

18.1 Finish floor elevations at every boundary between carpet and an adjacent floor finish shall be reconciled on the interior finish details so that the installed carpet meets the adjacent finish within the change-in-level limits under Accessibility.
18.2 The transition to resilient flooring and to resilient wall base shall be coordinated with Resilient FlooringResilient FlooringResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/resilient-flooring.
18.3 The transition to ceramic and porcelain tile shall be coordinated with Ceramic TileCeramic TileResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/ceramic-tile, and to natural stone tile with Natural Stone TileNatural Stone TileResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/natural-stone-tile.
18.4 The transition to terrazzo shall be coordinated with TerrazzoTerrazzoResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/terrazzo, to resinous flooring with Resinous FlooringResinous FlooringResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/resinous-flooring, and to polished concrete with Polished ConcretePolished Concrete FlooringResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/polished-concrete.
18.5 The transition to wood flooring shall be coordinated with Wood FlooringWood FlooringResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/wood-flooring, and the wood flooring's perimeter expansion space shall not be filled by the carpet or its transition strip.
18.6 The transition at an entrance system frame shall be coordinated with Entrance FlooringEntrance Flooring and Walk-Off SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/entrance-flooring so that the carpet meets the frame flush within the accessibility limit that standard states at its frame perimeter.
NOTE A carpet floor is among the thinnest finishes in a building, and the transition problem at every boundary is a tile, stone, terrazzo, or wood floor that sits higher; where the detail is not resolved before the substrates are placed, the only cure is a reducer long enough to ramp the difference, and that reducer is the trip edge every accessibility inspection finds. (18.7)

19 Field Quality Control

19.1 The Contractor shall not install adhered carpet until the documented ASTM F2170, ASTM F710 pH, and, where required, ASTM F1869 results show the substrate within the governing limits, or until the mitigation measure has been installed and verified.
19.2 After installation, the carpet shall be inspected under the permanent lighting or equivalent temporary lighting for full adhesive transfer or correct stretch, with no bubbles, hollow or unbonded areas, edge curl, lifted or peaking seams, raveling edges, gapped, compressed, or lifting tiles, telegraphing of substrate defects, pattern or pile direction misalignment, shade variation between dye lots, soiling, or trapped debris.
19.3 Hollow or unbonded areas shall be re-adhered or replaced, raveling edges re-sealed, defective seams re-seamed, and gapped or compressed tiles relaid.
19.4 Where a condition is present in more than 2 percent of the carpeted area, the Contractor shall investigate and report the cause to the Architect of Record before making repairs.
19.5 The Contractor shall bear the cost of retesting and reinspection following a failed test or a rejected area.
19.6 Where the parties disagree whether an observed condition is a defect or is within the range of the accepted mock-up and approved samples, the Architect of Record shall make the initial determination.
NOTE A floor with a scattered hollow spot or two has an installation error at that spot; a floor with hollow spots across a percentage of its area has a substrate, adhesive, or cure problem that re-adhering the visible spots will not fix, which is why the threshold for investigation is set before repairs begin. (19.7)

20 Cleaning and Owner Maintenance

20.1 After installation, the Contractor shall vacuum the carpet and remove construction soil, adhesive residue, and loose fiber using only the method and products the carpet manufacturer approves.
20.2 Wet extraction shall not be performed until the adhesive has reached the cure the adhesive manufacturer specifies for wet cleaning.
20.3 The Contractor shall furnish the Owner with the carpet manufacturer's written maintenance program identifying the approved cleaning agents and methods, the vacuuming and extraction schedule, and the spot-cleaning procedure for each product.
20.4 The Contractor shall demonstrate the routine vacuuming and spot-cleaning procedure to the Owner's maintenance personnel before turnover.
20.5 Entrance walk-off systems that keep soil and moisture off the carpet are specified under Entrance FlooringEntrance Flooring and Walk-Off SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/entrance-flooring.
NOTE Most of the wear a carpet takes is abrasive grit tracked in from outside and ground into the pile, so an entrance walk-off and a vacuuming schedule do more to extend the carpet's appearance life than any construction property; the carpet manufacturer's approved-products list is a deliverable rather than advice because a cleaning agent that leaves a sticky residue resoils the carpet faster than it was soiled before. (20.6)

21 Delivery, Storage, and Handling

21.1 Carpet, cushion, adhesive, and accessories shall be delivered in the manufacturer's original packaging with the product, color, pattern, dye lot, and roll or carton sequence number identified on each package.
21.2 Carpet shall not be delivered to the site until the building is enclosed and weathertight, the permanent conditioning is operating, and the installation area is within the ambient range this standard requires.
21.3 Carpet shall be stored flat in the conditioned installation area, off the floor, protected from moisture, soiling, direct sunlight, and crushing, with broadloom rolls laid flat and not stood on end or stacked so that the pile is crushed.
21.4 Adhesive, seam sealer, and mitigation products shall be stored within the temperature range their manufacturers specify, protected from freezing, and shall not be used past their published shelf life.
21.5 All carpet for one visual field shall be from one dye lot, and the Contractor shall install rolls and cartons in manufactured sequence where the manufacturer sequences the product.
21.6 The Contractor shall bear the cost of material damaged by storage in conditions outside those specified.
NOTE A dye lot change inside one room reads as a stripe at the seam or the tile joint where the lots meet, and the difference is invisible on the sample and obvious on the floor; a releasable adhesive that has frozen never recovers its tack, and the failure appears as tiles that drift under traffic months later. (21.7)

22 Warranty

22.1 The manufacturer wear warranty period shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Manufacturer Wear Warranty Periodrange
years
1510152025
22.2 A limited lifetime wear warranty satisfies any period selected in the datasheet.
22.3 The installation workmanship warranty period shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Installation Workmanship Warranty Periodrange
years
1235
Default: Not less than 1 years
22.4 The carpet manufacturer shall warrant the carpet against manufacturing defects, against loss of more than 10 percent of the face fiber by abrasive wear under the manufacturer's published maintenance program, and against edge ravel, delamination, zippering, and dimensional change beyond the limit of this standard, for the specified period from the date of Substantial Completion.
22.5 The Contractor shall warrant the installation, including substrate preparation, moisture mitigation, adhesive bond or stretch, seaming and edge sealing, cushion, and transitions, against defective workmanship for the specified period from the date of Substantial Completion.
22.6 Warranties shall be issued in the Owner's name and shall be transferable to a subsequent owner of the building.
22.7 The Contractor shall bear the cost of removing and replacing other work that has to be disturbed to reach a warranted repair, and shall bear the cost of repairing collateral damage caused by the repair work.
22.8 Work repaired or replaced under warranty shall carry a new warranty of the full original period from the date of the repair, or the remainder of the original period, whichever is longer.
22.9 The Contractor shall retain the substrate record for the duration of the warranty period and shall furnish it on request.
NOTE Commercial carpet warranties run from 10 years to limited lifetime, and the period is a weaker signal than its terms: a wear warranty measures fiber loss by abrasion and excludes crushing, matting, and appearance change, which is why the appearance retention rating in the datasheet and the maintenance program in the closeout data matter more to the Owner than the number of years. (22.10)
NOTE Most manufacturer warranties are conditioned on the substrate having been within the published moisture and alkalinity limits at the time of installation and on the carpet having been maintained by the published program, both documented, which is why the substrate record is the operative document in a claim rather than supporting paperwork. (22.11)

23 Spare and Extra Materials

23.1 The attic stock quantity shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Attic Stock Quantityrange
% of installed area
123510
23.2 The Contractor shall deliver attic stock of each carpet product, color, and pattern installed, drawn from the same dye lots as the installed carpet, in full unopened cartons for modular tile and in one piece not less than the full roll width for broadloom.
23.3 Attic stock shall be labeled with the product, color, pattern, and dye lot, and shall be delivered to the location the Owner directs together with the transmittal required under the closeout submittals.
NOTE Attic stock is what makes a modular tile floor repairable by the tile: a soiled or damaged tile is lifted and replaced from the same dye lot and the repair disappears, whereas tile bought later matches the specification and not the floor. For broadloom the stock serves patching, and a patch from a different dye lot is as visible as the damage it replaced. (23.4)