Despite the popularity of carpet
as a finished flooring
material, few builders know
much about its characteristics or the
way it should be installed. A goodlooking,
long-wearing carpeted floor
depends as much on the prep work
and planning done by the carpenters
as it does on the skills of the carpet
mechanic. Even if you never touch a
piece of carpet yourself, it's worth
knowing what your subcontractor is
up against so you can help make the
job more trouble-free.
Estimating Carpet
Carpet is measured in square yards,
but the manufactured sizes are more
important in determining how much
material you'll need. Although different
face constructions result in different
manufactured sizes (see "What's
Underfoot," page 32), the standard
width for American-made commercial
carpet