How to join carpets, how to prevent edges from fraying

[MM]

I've bought an end roll of carpet that I'm cutting into 75cm wide strips, like runners, to protect the GOOD carpet (which is beige and needs a lot of hoovering). How could I join the strips end on? And how could I stop the edges from fraying over time? For the latter I thought of applying a diluted PVA to the edges, say about 10mm into the weave to "lock" the fibres. This would dry transparent. It doesn't have to look especially good, as these "runners" are simply laid on top of the normal room carpet.

MM

[Adrian C]

'Whipping' is what you need. Or rather the carpets do :-) It's a threaded 1 inch binding of the edges very similar to that done with the carpet sample that are bound into the large book ye find in ye old carpet shop.

e.g.

quotes from various places on costs of doing it. We were quoted three times at one place the cost of doing 5 mats and a centre rug, which was eventually possible for us for fifty quid.

Joining the carpets would be just some very strong carpet tape. Dunno.

[NT]

PVA works well, just take care not to get it high up the pile, and not for the pile to get pressed down into the glue. PVA doesnt feel nice to walk on initially, but it soon softens and becomes comfortable. Latex glue avoids this initial stiffness. The downside compared to whipping is that of course the edge of the backing is visible.

NT