fitting & care
the flatweave texture of nature carpets should be fitted by professionals and once installed they are simple to care for thanks to the weathersafe® yarn.
The fitting methods used to install your nature carpet indoors, also apply to outdoor living spaces. Loose fitting is not recommended.
FITTING
The Weathersafe yarn of NATURE carpets means that it can be installed indoors or outdoors. When installing Nature Carpets outdoors, you should follow the same rules and make sure the surface on which your installing should be dry, smooth, clean, sound and without cracks or dust. NATURE carpets cannot be installed directly onto patio or paving stones, decking or other unprepared outdoor surfaces.
The flatweave texture of Nature carpets should be fitted by professionals and once installed they are simple to care for thanks to the Weathersafe yarn.
The subfloor should be dry, smooth, clean, sound, without tears and dust. It should be shock resistant in conformity with standard VOB DIN18365 or BS 5325. The floor should also be levelled with a filler at least 24 hours before fitting.
Balta recommends a 24 hour acclimatisation of the carpet in the room where it will be fitted. The floor temperature should be maintained at 15°C before, during and at least 72 hours after the fitting. The ambient moisture level should not exceed 75% and the recommended room temperature should be at least 18°C.
Open the packaging with care. Ensure that the carpet is not damaged with sharp tools when unpacking. Check the carpet before fitting for possible defects.
FITTING TIPS
The following points should be observed for a correct fitting:
• Only carpets from the same dye lot should be fitted together. The dye lot is printed on each roll label
• Adjoining carpet strips should always be fitted in the same direction.This is especially important for the NATURE products. The direction of the strips can be recognised on the production print on the back of the carpet.
Balta recommends to fully adhere the carpet using quality adhesives.
Intensive research allowed the adhesive industry to offer low emission and solvent free (EC1) products.The glueing of the full carpet therefore fulfils our strict health standards.
After very strict tests the manufacturers guarantee the high standards of the following products, if they are used properly (always use a glueing spatula with appropriate ridges):
Bostik Findley
Ardatec T15
Objekt A4
Ridge type: B3
Eurocol
Eurostar Tex 609
Eurosafe Tex 509
Eurostar Multi 600
Ridge type: B3
Forbo Erfut
Greenstar 509-600-605
Ridge type: B3
Henkel
Thomsit T410-T440
Ridge type: B2
Mapei
Ultra/bond Eco 185 (Indoor)
ADESILEX G19 Epoxy-PU (Outdoor)
Ridge type: B3
Uzin
Ökoline UZ 57
Ridge type: B3
Wakol
D 3311 Lino and Carpet glue
D3309
Ridge type: B3
Wulff
Multi-Coll
Tex Spezial
Ridge type: B2
Check with your local adhesive supplier as the adhesive types and names can change over time and be different from country to country.
For the fitting of a seam you should proceed as follows:
• Both strips should be cut separately in advance (do not lay them on each other and cut through both at the same time!)
• The cutting should be done from the top with a sharp knife. For a perfect seam the knife should be held slightly tilted.
• Always cut between the white threads.A top seam should always be avoided.
• For a nice seam and to avoid fraying, both edges should be treated with a cold sealer adhesive e.g. Roberts 8015-A Solvent Free Universal Carpet Seam Sealer or similar, before the strips are fitted. www.robertsconsolidated.com
A freshly fitted and glued carpet can have that typical ‘new’ smell. This smell disappears after a few days of ventilation and heating.
NATURE can also be installed traditionally indoors only on grippers and underlay. This must be done in conformity with the directives of standard BS 5325. The seams should then be fixed with a strong hot melt tape. The use of short pin grippers is recommended.
Loose fitting of NATURE, even in small rooms, is not recommended,and therefore is carried out at your own risk.
We recommend the use of a protective sheet for office chairs.
caring for nature carpets outdoors
Outdoor carpets attract a lot of dirt, especially in an area that's used often. While vacuuming and professional cleaning are the best methods for cleaning carpets indoors, NATURE carpets can withstand all-types of cleaning, including pressure washing and hosing. Remember these helpful tips for caring for your Nature carpet outdoors:
Regular outdoor cleaning
When NATURE carpets are used it is impossible to stop dirt. so make sure your regularly clean your carpet to prevent long-term damage. NATURE carpets are tough enough to be swept with a broom, or can be vacuumed. While mould cannot grow on Weathersafe NATURE carpets, it can on the dirt left behind, so regular sweeping and vacuuming will help to prevent any build-up.
Intensive outdoor cleaning
If your NATURE carpet is exposed to extreme periods of inclement weather, or is subject to larger spillages, use a hose or pressure washer to clean your carpet. Try and avoid doing this in extreme sunlight. Allow to dry naturally.
Mould & mildew
Though Weathersafe yarn is resistant to mould and mildew, build-up can occur on dirt trapped in the carpet. Should you see mould on your NATURE carpet, you can use a diluted bleach solution (10-parts water to one-part bleach). Pour into a spray bottle and apply to the affected area before scrubbing using a suitable brush. Once removed, use a dry cloth to absorb any moisture and residue left and allow your NATURE carpet to dry naturally.
Eliminating odours
If your Weathersafe NATURE carpet is exposed to pet urine, vomit or other smelly messes, lingering odours can be left even after cleaning with a hose or pressure washer. In these instances you can use a commercial deodoriser or mix equal parts white vinegar with water and spray the affected area. Leave to dry naturally.
caring for nature carpets indoors
The Stainsafe fibres of NATURE have the property of absorbing practically no moisture. This means that dirt and spilt liquid do not penetrate the fibres and most stains can easily be removed with ordinary cleaning products. Remember the three ground rules of caring for your NATURE carpet indoors:
Prevention rather than the cure
You should avoid bringing dirt in from outside. So called ‘dirt buffers’ offer a good solution. They consist of a brush mat, placed in front of the door and a dust mat of sufficient length in the entrance hall. The brush mat absorbs most of the dirt and the doormat ensures that fine dirt and moisture are removed from shoes.The mats should be fitted in such a way that anyone who enters the home is more or less forced to use them. Also remember that dark carpets show dirt and stains less than light carpets.
Regular care
Vacuuming: Preferably use a vacuum cleaner with rotating brushes. They are more expensive, but are more efficient at removing dust and dirt. The frequency depends on the use and the degree of dirt in the carpet. Rooms or places with higher usage should be vacuumed more frequently.
Stain removal: Please download our stain removal guide and always remove the stains as quickly as possible.
Intensive cleaning
To preserve the quality and performance of your carpet, Balta Industries recommend they are cleaned professionally on a regular basis. We recommend three possible cleaning methods: spraying extraction, powder cleaning and shampooing.
Extraction cleaning
Extraction cleaning is the best way to clean textile floor coverings. You can do this yourself by hiring a specialised extraction cleaning machine, however it is preferable to leave it to a professional who will be familiar with the treatment requested for your type of carpet. Extraction cleaning uses pure water with added cleaning agents. Dirt is removed as the water is vacuumed out of the carpet.We recommend it be rinsed after to ensure removal of any remaining cleaning agents.
Powder cleaning
This method uses dried powder soaked in cleaner. It is sprinkled on the carpet and worked into the carpet. The surface dirt is absorbed by the cleaner. After evaporation, the powder saturated with dirt is vacuumed. The advantage of this method is that there is no need for drying time. In principle, it is possible to walk on the carpet during cleaning
Shampooing
This method achieves an effective but careful shampooing through the combination of a special shampoo with soft brushing mechanism and the added air oxygen in the cleaning agent. This creates a relatively dry micro-crystal foam which penetrates deep into the dirt and gives excellent cleaning results.The shampoo cleans deeply without water, dries to a fine powder with the dissolved dirt, which is simply vacuumed after drying without sticky residues.
