Ping Sonny: How do you carpet a 2 x 4?

[DerbyDad03]

I need to wrap carpet around the end of a 2 x 4 that is attached to
a sheet of plywood. Take a look at the images below.

https://i.imgur.com/0cm7wAE.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/uEE9cFC.jpg

The following is what I trying to get to, but without the bulky seams.
(It looks bulkier in real life)

https://i.imgur.com/CHIXh59.jpg

I managed to get that one sort of OK, but took me way too long. Snip,
try, pull, fold, snip, fold, try, pull, staple, staple, staple, staple, staple.

I've got 5 more that I need to do. I'm sure that there is some angled
cuts that I'm supposed to use, like the triangle cuts for a curve, but I
can't figure them out for the corners.

The carpet is pretty stiff so that isn't helping either. Oh, yeah, the
cut ends unravel too, so I can't have any exposed edges.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

[k...@notreal.com]

Score the backing and fold?

[Markem618]

On Thu, 8 Jul 2021 18:25:27 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
<teama...@eznet.net> wrote:

If you had some tack strip, attach it to a 2x4 use it for tension.
Stapling along the inside of the 2x4 in your first pic and then
getting it tight across the plywood. The corners are relief cuts with
a lot of remove creep up on it, tucking and experimenting.

[Bill]

I won't give you any suggestions, I'll just tell you what I did in a
related situation. Depending on where appearance matters or not.
Where there are two layers of materials, cut away most of the layer
underneath which doesn't matter much (provided it is stapled up to that
point). Give the carpet a finished edge with a needle and thread, fold
it over and staple it. Sounds like a PITA. Maybe the likes of Joann
Fabrics have something you can glue on to give you a finished edge.
It seems like a "problem" carpet layers would encounter--I know they
often use a "strip". Maybe you could do the same??? Maybe emulating
this last approach would make the best use of your time? Good luck!

[DerbyDad03]

There’s not much backing to score but even if that would help,
I still need to figure out where to score and fold to line the
seams up and hide the edges. First, there’s carpet that needs to
be removed and that’s part of the technique that I’m missing.

For example, when you have to go around a curve, you cut out
triangles and fold the tabs under the panel. If nothing lies on top
of anything on the bottom, you don’t get any wrinkles on the top
or along the edge. I got that to work perfectly.

I need a trick/technique like that to go around the “corner”,
behind the 2 x 4 and then continue wrapping the edge of the
plywood, leaving no gaps or exposed ends. I’m sure there’s
a cut pattern for that.

[Just Wondering]

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=carpet+tape&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

[knuttle]

On 7/8/2021 9:25 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:

I would do it like I put carpet in the cabin of my sailboat. It has held
up for many years

Cut the carpet so that the problem corner meets like the like the sides
of a picture frame. Then sew the two sides fo the miter together.

ie make a carpet box to cover the 2x4 by sewing the parts together.

[DerbyDad03]

Thanks, but...

1 - This carpet does not cut to a very clean edge. Sewn together butt joints
will probably not just blend in. Fairly stiff backing from which the carpet
fibers unravel once cut. There's a lot of this which is hard to control:

https://i.imgur.com/EQi0Iw1.jpg

Maybe I should have mentioned that these corners will be exposed.

2 - Take a look at the images in my OP. At the end of each 2 x 4 there are 2
open corners and 2 corners where the 2 x 4 is screwed to the plywood. Even
if the miters matched up perfectly and the seams disappeared, how would
you sew a nice flat surface tight against the end of the 2 x 4 considering
that the sewing has to be done from the face (good side) of the carpet?

I've got 4 corners to do, so the "box" you mention has to be created right
at the corner as shown.

3 - I staple...I don't sew ;-)

But seriously, I'm not sure how I would apply your technique in this situation.

[knuttle]

When you sew carpet, you need bigger stitches than you would for fabric.
If it is really unravelly, you may use carpet tape and sew through that.

When I sewed the carpet in the boat the nap was was about an 1" and I
was surprised how the seam disappeared once done

[knuttle]

In addition to the sewed pocket You may also wish to tack the carpet to
the end of 2X4 for additional strength

[DerbyDad03]

I certainly wouldn't want the carpet tape exposed. Putting it only on the back
wouldn't stop the unraveling.

You also haven't explained how I would sew the miters and keep the carpet
tight against the end of the 2 x 4. Even a large, curved needle would make that
difficult.

> > When I sewed the carpet in the boat the nap was was about an 1" and I
> > was surprised how the seam disappeared once done

I'm not surprised at all that a 1" nap would hide a seam very well. A 1"
nap could hide a lot of things, maybe even some small animals.

The nap on the carpet for this platform is about 3/16", in a loop style. It's
too short to overlap a seam and hide it, especially the way it cuts.

Just curious...where would you use 1" nap carpet on a sail boat? Even the
plushest carpets typically have naps of 1/2" - 3/4". Did you use shag carpet?
I assume (hope) that it never gets wet.

> In addition to the sewed pocket You may also wish to tack the carpet to
> the end of 2X4 for additional strength

Again, the nap on this carpet is really short. Even the 18g 1/4" crown staples
I'm using leave a visible dent on the face of the carpet.

While I appreciate the suggestion, I'm not going to be sewing this carpet.

[Eli the Bearded]

In rec.woodworking, DerbyDad03 <teama...@eznet.net> wrote:
> I still need to figure out where to score and fold to line the
> seams up and hide the edges. First, there's carpet that needs to
> be removed and that's part of the technique that I'm missing.
>
> For example, when you have to go around a curve, you cut out
> triangles and fold the tabs under the panel. If nothing lies on top
> of anything on the bottom, you don't get any wrinkles on the top
> or along the edge. I got that to work perfectly.
>
> I need a trick/technique like that to go around the "corner",
> behind the 2 x 4 and then continue wrapping the edge of the
> plywood, leaving no gaps or exposed ends. I'm sure there's
> a cut pattern for that.

I'd practice with something easier to work with than carpet, then
transfer my insights. Maybe work it out with corrugated cardboard
first? Or newspaper first, and cardboard second.

Elijah
------
cardboard because it has some thickness and fold resistance

[DerbyDad03]

That's a thought. I'm currently practicing with extra carpet and a
mock-up of a 2 x 4/plywood corner so I can deal with the thickness
issues. Maybe I should try figuring out the angle cuts with some
material that is a bit more forgiving, then move on to carpet and
my mock-up.

Having already done 1 corner and 2 curves, I know how the carpet
will "act" once I get the cuts right. It's really all about getting the cuts
right at this point so I can bang out the last 5 corners without pulling
my hair out.

The first corner was, as I said, nothing more than trial and error,
snipping and stapling as I went. That's not a process I want to
replicate 5 more times.

Thanks!

[Brian Welch]

May sound crazy, or lazy, but what about epoxying a piece on, securing with tape or stretch wrap, then trimming to size after cure?
A mock up as suggested before seems to be a great idea regardless of your method(s) of choice

[hub...@ccanoemail.ca]

>May sound crazy, or lazy, but what about epoxying a piece on,
>securing with tape or stretch wrap, then trimming to size after cure?
>A mock up as suggested before seems to be a great idea regardless of your method(s) of choice

Or what about a nice piece of Corinthian leather < naugahyde >
stapled over the end - then it's a straight wrap with the carpet ?
.. a stylish contrast ! :-)
John T.

[DerbyDad03]

Exposed edges will ensue. Not favorable with this particular carpet for this particular project.

In addition, I'd still have to turn the corner to continue along the plywood.

[DerbyDad03]

[DerbyDad03]

So I found a cutting pattern that works good enough. It's still a bit of
snip, try, pull, fold, snip, fold, try, pull, staple, staple, staple, staple, staple
but it's getting the job done pretty quickly. 2 more corners to go.

Perfect? No. The cut edges of this carpet are never going to seam invisibly
and will continue to unravel, so some "under-tuck" and staple is required,
resulting in some bulkiness at the corners. So be it.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Markem618]

Putting a bit of RTV will stop the fraying.

[DerbyDad03]

It will also stop it from looking good.

[hub...@ccanoemail.ca]

I'm curious what you're building ?
John T.

[DerbyDad03]

Soon to be revealed. ;-)

[Artistick]

Pay a carpet expert to do one and watch and video.

Check outside your local Home Depot and see if there any standing around.

[k...@notreal.com]

On Sat, 10 Jul 2021 13:14:26 -0700, Artistick
<Arti...@Artistick.com> wrote:

>
>
>Pay a carpet expert to do one and watch and video.
>
>Check outside your local Home Depot and see if there any standing around.
>

That's something I've never seen around here. People have mentioned
that day laborers hang around box stores looking for work. I've never
seen it. Perhaps it's frowned upon here.

[DerbyDad03]

First, I'm done. (I posted that yesterday)

Second, how much do you think it would cost me to have
an expert do "one"? I'm guessing that the cost of having
one done would be a whole lot more than 1/5th of having
all 5 done. IOW words, once he's on site for the 10 minutes
it would take him to do one, he might as well do 'em all.
Probably end up being the same price.

[DerbyDad03]

Same here, although I'm rarely at the home centers at 6, 7, 8 AM on a
weekday.

Even if they are not at the home centers, I'll bet the contractors know
where to find them.

[whit3rd]

On Thursday, July 8, 2021 at 6:25:29 PM UTC-7, DerbyDad03 wrote:
> I need to wrap carpet around the end of a 2 x 4 that is attached to

> a sheet of plywood. ...

> The following is what I trying to get to, but without the bulky seams.
> (It looks bulkier in real life)
>
> https://i.imgur.com/CHIXh59.jpg

If this needs staples in end grain, I'd want to put some liquid nails
between the fabric and wood. I'd also want to round the wood off, those
hard-to-form corners aren't all design-essential, are they?

[DerbyDad03]

No staples in endgrain, in fact no staples on any face that shows.

All edges, 2 x 4's and plywood have a slight roundover.

I'm not sure how you are using the term "design-essential". I always try to
consider both form and function. In terms of function, even the carpet itself
is not essential. In terms of form, I want to cover the wood in a way that
looks the best, even if I am the only one looking. So, for me at least, the
corners are design-essential.

The project is done and pictures will follow soon. I think you'll see what I mean,

[Sonny]

On Thursday, July 8, 2021 at 8:25:29 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
> I need to wrap carpet around the end of a 2 x 4 that is attached to

> a sheet of plywood. Take a look at the images below.
>
> https://i.imgur.com/0cm7wAE.jpg
>
> https://i.imgur.com/uEE9cFC.jpg
>

Well, I'm late to the party. Just haven't been on the computer in a while AND been swamped with upholstery projects, home chores/up keep (mowing is difficult these days), picking & canning figs, etc. Also, 2 weeks ago I discovered this little girl in my wood rack. Not one to dismiss a needy animal, I think I've settled with adopting it. After a visit to the Vet, she's in much better shape today.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/43836144@N04/51248418897/in/photostream
https://www.flickr.com/photos/43836144@N04/51248420352/in/photostream

Bulk "fabric" as carpet is a practice in patience and trial and error, as you have discovered. No matter if its wood, metal, fabric, etc., all those sorts of corners require miter cuts, folds, pleats, snips, etc. and figuring them out is the task, again as you have discovered. As for as cut edges, I would have tried hot glue to secure any raveling.... apply the glue before cutting or apply glue as you cut to limit raveling as you cut.

I covered an upholstery work table with carpet and use crown staples to secure it. Some of the staples shot through the carpet backing. I ended up hot gluing a nickel size spot on the backside and shot the staple into the glued area. And actually, I thought to build a crawl-through upright box, of sorts, wrapped in carpet, for the kitten to play and scratch. I'm sure I'll be challenged with upholstering this project. Rather than crown staples, I'll use 1/2" or 5/8" vinyl staples. These staples have a 1/16" wide flat crown, hence more surface area to secure the fabric.... less likely to shoot through the fabric.

Updating my goings on: I'm still helping my nephew with his shop. Today I'll go assemble a shop cabinet I built a few weeks ago. I bought him a used Unisaw, a few new parts and will try to do some assembling of that.... side table, Unifence rail assembly, etc. and bring Jennifer some plumeria plants.... hers had died in this past winter's freeze.

Sonny

[Joe Gwinn]

On Sat, 10 Jul 2021 19:30:06 -0400, k...@notreal.com wrote:

>On Sat, 10 Jul 2021 13:14:26 -0700, Artistick
><Arti...@Artistick.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>Pay a carpet expert to do one and watch and video.
>>
>>Check outside your local Home Depot and see if there any standing around.
>>
>That's something I've never seen around here. People have mentioned
>that day laborers hang around box stores looking for work. I've never
>seen it. Perhaps it's frowned upon here.

Try looking at 6 AM.

[Leon]

On 7/10/2021 6:30 PM, k...@notreal.com wrote:
> On Sat, 10 Jul 2021 13:14:26 -0700, Artistick
> <Arti...@Artistick.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Pay a carpet expert to do one and watch and video.
>>
>> Check outside your local Home Depot and see if there any standing around.
>>
> That's something I've never seen around here. People have mentioned
> that day laborers hang around box stores looking for work. I've never
> seen it. Perhaps it's frowned upon here.

You do not live near a border, the Mexican border to be more specific.

[k...@notreal.com]

Good point. Rarely.

>Even if they are not at the home centers, I'll bet the contractors know
>where to find them.

Sure. Given the economy, I'll bet that they're full-time, or more.

[k...@notreal.com]

On Sun, 11 Jul 2021 12:36:34 -0500, Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet>
wrote:

There are a lot of Mexican workers around, particularly in roofing and
lawn care, though the latter are probably the owners of the business.
I just haven't seen them at the BORG.

[k...@notreal.com]

On Sun, 11 Jul 2021 08:16:01 -0700 (PDT), Sonny <cedar...@aol.com>
wrote:

>On Thursday, July 8, 2021 at 8:25:29 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
>> I need to wrap carpet around the end of a 2 x 4 that is attached to
>> a sheet of plywood. Take a look at the images below.
>>
>> https://i.imgur.com/0cm7wAE.jpg
>>
>> https://i.imgur.com/uEE9cFC.jpg
>>
>Well, I'm late to the party. Just haven't been on the computer in a while AND been swamped with upholstery projects, home chores/up keep (mowing is difficult these days), picking & canning figs, etc. Also, 2 weeks ago I discovered this little girl in my wood rack. Not one to dismiss a needy animal, I think I've settled with adopting it. After a visit to the Vet, she's in much better shape today.
>https://www.flickr.com/photos/43836144@N04/51248418897/in/photostream
>https://www.flickr.com/photos/43836144@N04/51248420352/in/photostream

Any idea what's wrong with her eye? When we got our tuxedo, he had a
lot of discharge in his eyes. The vet told us to isolate him from our
other cat, so we did. For a month. That didn't help so the vet said
he probably got a herpes virus from his mother at birth. He's still a
very happy camper but his eyes constantly weep. He *hates* when we
clean his eyes.

>Bulk "fabric" as carpet is a practice in patience and trial and error, as you have discovered. No matter if its wood, metal, fabric, etc., all those sorts of corners require miter cuts, folds, pleats, snips, etc. and figuring them out is the task, again as you have discovered. As for as cut edges, I would have tried hot glue to secure any raveling.... apply the glue before cutting or apply glue as you cut to limit raveling as you cut.
>
>I covered an upholstery work table with carpet and use crown staples to secure it. Some of the staples shot through the carpet backing. I ended up hot gluing a nickel size spot on the backside and shot the staple into the glued area. And actually, I thought to build a crawl-through upright box, of sorts, wrapped in carpet, for the kitten to play and scratch. I'm sure I'll be challenged with upholstering this project. Rather than crown staples, I'll use 1/2" or 5/8" vinyl staples. These staples have a 1/16" wide flat crown, hence more surface area to secure the fabric.... less likely to shoot through the fabric.

About 20 years ago, I built a cat tower by making three boxes, each
about 24" cube with a 12" hole in the front and an 8" hole in the
corners so they could climb up from box to box. The box lids also
lock one to the next. They're all carpeted inside and out, using hot
clue.

>Updating my goings on: I'm still helping my nephew with his shop. Today I'll go assemble a shop cabinet I built a few weeks ago. I bought him a used Unisaw, a few new parts and will try to do some assembling of that.... side table, Unifence rail assembly, etc. and bring Jennifer some plumeria plants.... hers had died in this past winter's freeze.

Unisaw parts? Delta abandoning their tools scares me. PC abandoning
their dovetail jigs does too.

[Sonny]

On Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 3:21:02 PM UTC-5, k...@notreal.com wrote:

> Any idea what's wrong with her eye? When we got our tuxedo, he had a
> lot of discharge in his eyes. The vet told us to isolate him from our
> other cat, so we did. For a month. That didn't help so the vet said
> he probably got a herpes virus from his mother at birth. He's still a
> very happy camper but his eyes constantly weep. He *hates* when we
> clean his eyes.

I never considered herpes. Vet visit this Wednesday.

There was some brown/yellow smear on her hair below her eye. She'd paw at the eye irritation (as if cleaning?) and there was brown and black stickum on her paw. Initially in the wood rack, the lower supports being creosote posts, I had wondered if the blackness and smear was from the creosote, somehow. The fur and paw cleaned up with Dawn, but there is still some irritation of the eye lids. Topical triple antibiotic didn't clear up all the redness and irritation. I'm wondering if there is some sort of debris under her left eye lid. Her vision doesn't appear to be impaired. Right eye is normal.

[Tim Daneliuk]

On 7/8/21 8:25 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
> I need to wrap carpet around the end of a 2 x 4 that is attached to
> a sheet of plywood. Take a look at the images below.
>
> https://i.imgur.com/0cm7wAE.jpg
>
> https://i.imgur.com/uEE9cFC.jpg
>

> The following is what I trying to get to, but without the bulky seams.
> (It looks bulkier in real life)
>
> https://i.imgur.com/CHIXh59.jpg
>
> I managed to get that one sort of OK, but took me way too long. Snip,
> try, pull, fold, snip, fold, try, pull, staple, staple, staple, staple, staple.
>
> I've got 5 more that I need to do. I'm sure that there is some angled
> cuts that I'm supposed to use, like the triangle cuts for a curve, but I
> can't figure them out for the corners.
>
> The carpet is pretty stiff so that isn't helping either. Oh, yeah, the
> cut ends unravel too, so I can't have any exposed edges.
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
>

I've found that carpet glue works rather well for this sort of thing, though
I've admittedly never tried that small/tight a bend.

[DerbyDad03]

On Thursday, July 8, 2021 at 9:25:29 PM UTC-4, DerbyDad03 wrote:
> I need to wrap carpet around the end of a 2 x 4 that is attached to
> a sheet of plywood. Take a look at the images below.
>
> https://i.imgur.com/0cm7wAE.jpg
>
> https://i.imgur.com/uEE9cFC.jpg
>
> The following is what I trying to get to, but without the bulky seams.
> (It looks bulkier in real life)
>
> https://i.imgur.com/CHIXh59.jpg
>
> I managed to get that one sort of OK, but took me way too long. Snip,
> try, pull, fold, snip, fold, try, pull, staple, staple, staple, staple, staple.
>
> I've got 5 more that I need to do. I'm sure that there is some angled
> cuts that I'm supposed to use, like the triangle cuts for a curve, but I
> can't figure them out for the corners.
>
> The carpet is pretty stiff so that isn't helping either. Oh, yeah, the
> cut ends unravel too, so I can't have any exposed edges.
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

The project is done. Pictures can be found in this thread:

Title: The Platforms For My Vehicle Are Complete - (Carpeted 2 x 4's)
Author: DerbyDad03
Posted: July 10, 2021 7:23PM EST

[k...@notreal.com]

On Sun, 11 Jul 2021 16:13:57 -0700 (PDT), Sonny <cedar...@aol.com>
wrote:

Could be an irritation caused by the creosote. The stuff drives me
crazy.

[Sonny]

On Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 7:33:23 PM UTC-5, k...@notreal.com wrote:

> Could be an irritation caused by the creosote. The stuff drives me
> crazy.

I Googled feline herpes and read there's a few other symptoms that MAY show themselves. She hasn't/isn't showing any of those possible symptoms. Hope to find out Wednesday, 11AM appt.

[k...@notreal.com]

On Mon, 12 Jul 2021 16:45:45 -0700 (PDT), Sonny <cedar...@aol.com>
wrote:

I hope she's OK. Our cat's herpes hasn't bothered him much. He's
about the friendliest cat we've had and we've a several people cats.
He won't leave us alone. The other cat wants to be pet too but on her
terms. She sits on a short scratching post/platform thing (we call
her toll booth) and whines every time we walk by.

The only symptom of the herpes is the clear discharge from his eyes.
It just looks like he's constantly tearing.