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
