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Carpet Laying And Estimating Website
Depending on how large each area is, or how the main area can be broken down conveniently into a series of sections or subordinate areas, your scale may be either the usual 1/4 in. = 1 ft, or any fraction thereof, such as f in. or 1/16 in. to the foot. With the architect's scale described on page 53, you can usually find a convenient scale for almost any set of measurements which will fit the size of paper you use for your scale drawing. For commercial installations, don't try to fit everything on an 81 X 11 sheet —take the next largest size, which is 11 x 17, or even 17 x 22— you'll need the larger size to show all of the smaller but important irregularities and offsets.
On your scale drawing, after you have carefully drawn in every significant detail, the next step is to show distinctly how the carpet breadths will run, and where any special cutting, sewing, or matching will be required. With a scale drawing of this sort for ready reference at all times, any mistakes can be easily detected and corrected before the carpet is actually cut and seamed. Assuming that you have already determined, from the nature of the areas to be carpeted, whether to use a series of 27-in. carpet breadths or broadloom in the various widths, the biggest advantage of having a scale drawing is that nearly all of the breadths can be cut, matched, and sewed together—and even special cutouts made of offsets or slants in the walls or aisles—right in the shop. Obviously when time and even carpet material can be saved in the shop, the actual installation will be that much cheaper and faster.
With such a set-up, you can nearly always underbid your competitor and yet make the normal profit on the job—especially if the competitor has no definite and accurate measurements to follow and must therefore add yardage and time to be on the safe side.
Direction of Breadths and Seams. In laying out the carpet breadths on the scale drawing, or for that matter right on the premises, always have the breadths running in line with the greatest amount of traffic, yet with the least amount of cross-seams. For example, in the entrance lobby, foyer, or reception area, the breadths should always run from door saddles to door saddles. In the event that these areas are of such widths that a half-breadth is wasted, try to work this half-breadth (if of the same design or pattern) along the side wall of the main area or side aisles. In some special cases these half-breadths can be installed with a cross-seam on stairways, but this should be avoided wherever possible, as the wear and pull are exceptionally heavy on stairways.
