Am I the only installer who skips the seaming iron for heat welding in commercial jobs?

I was at a big warehouse install in Austin last Thursday and saw a crew using a hot air welder on carpet tile seams instead of the standard iron. Everyone says the iron is faster but I timed it and the hot air guy was actually quicker on long runs. Has anyone else ditched the iron for this?

2 comments

2 Comments

nancy9297d ago

Feel you on that, the humidity down here is brutal on seams. I've had to do rework on jobs where the hot air didn't fully melt through and the iron would have saved me the headache.

west.claire8d ago

Have you actually tried seaming carpet tile with an iron on a humid day in Texas? I have, and I've seen too many seams pop loose when the hot air didn't get the adhesive hot enough from underneath. The iron gives you better control and a more consistent bond, especially on those tricky corners and curves where air can miss spots.