CSLB C-15 Flooring and Floor Covering (Trade Exam) — All Questions
12 questions
Which way do the pins on carpet tack strip lean?
- a.Toward the center of the room
- b.Toward the nearest doorway
- c.Straight up
- d.Toward the wall✓
CRI requires tack strip to be placed with the pins angled toward the vertical abutment, so tension pulls the carpet down onto them. Pins toward the room would let the carpet slip off. Vertical pins hold poorly under tension. Doorways get transition moldings, not strip.CRI 105 §11.1
Where does CRI 105 say tack strip should NOT be installed?
- a.Around heat registers
- b.Along exterior walls
- c.Along closet walls
- d.Across doorways✓
CRI says to avoid installing tack strip across door openings and sills; the edge there is finished with a transition. Exterior walls, register openings and closet walls are ordinary vertical abutments that receive strip.CRI 105 §11.1
How does CRI 105 say separate cushion is finished at the tack strip?
- a.Trimmed flush to the inside of the strip✓
- b.Cut 3 inches short of the strip
- c.Lapped over the strip by one inch
- d.Tucked under the strip before nailing
CRI says to trim cushion flush with the inside contour of the tack strip and fasten it with staples or nonflammable cushion adhesive. Lapping it over the strip lifts the carpet off the pins. Tucking it under the strip raises the strip. Leaving a 3-inch gap creates a soft trough at the wall.CRI 105 §11.2
How are separate cushion seams secured, other than for fiber cushion, under CRI 105?
- a.With vinyl-coated cloth cushion tape✓
- b.With construction adhesive on the subfloor
- c.With hot-melt carpet seaming tape
- d.They are left loose and butted
CRI says that, except for fiber cushions, cushion seams are secured with appropriate vinyl-coated cloth cushion tape. Hot-melt tape is for carpet seams. Construction adhesive is not the stated method. Leaving them loose lets the cushion shift and gap.CRI 105 §11.2
Which carpet seam position does CRI 105 say to avoid?
- a.Out of the path of light across it
- b.Running the length of the area
- c.Perpendicular to a doorway opening✓
- d.Parallel to the main traffic
CRI says seams should not be perpendicular to doorway openings. It recommends seams that run the length of the area, run parallel to main traffic, and are not struck across by natural light, so the other three choices describe good placement.CRI 105 §5.1
Which trimming technique does CRI 105 prefer for carpet seam edges?
- a.Cutting through tufts at an angle
- b.Tearing along the backing weave
- c.Straightedge cutting from the back
- d.Row-cutting both edges✓
CRI says row-cutting both edges is preferred, though other techniques may suit some carpets. Cutting only from the back with a straightedge can cut tufts. Tearing damages the backing. Angled cuts through tufts leave a visible line.CRI 105 §10.1
What minimum adhesive width does CRI 105 recommend on premium hot-melt seaming tape?
- a.1/2 inch
- b.6 inches
- c.2-3/4 inches✓
- d.1-1/4 inches
CRI recommends premium tape with a minimum adhesive width of 2-3/4 inches. One and a quarter inches and half an inch are narrower than the recommended minimum. Six inches is not CRI's figure.CRI 105 §10.3.1 note
Which power stretcher head does CRI 105 recommend for a loop-pile carpet?
- a.A cotton head✓
- b.A pin head
- c.A spiked roller
- d.A rubber suction cup
CRI recommends pins for cut pile and a cotton head for loop construction. A pin head is for cut pile. A spiked roller is a seam tool CRI cautions against. A suction cup is not a stretcher head in the standard.CRI 105 §11.4
In CRI's stretch diagram, what is the first step at corner A?
- a.Staple the carpet along both walls
- b.Hook about 3 feet in both directions✓
- c.Glue the corner to the subfloor
- d.Power stretch straight across the room
CRI's Step 1 is to hook onto the tack strip approximately 3 feet in both directions along corner A. Power stretching comes next, at about 15 degrees toward corner B. Stapling carpet to tack strip is prohibited. Gluing the corner is not part of a stretch-in method.CRI 105 §11.4, Figure 2
On stairs, which way do most carpet manufacturers want the pile to run?
- a.Down the stairs✓
- b.Alternating each step
- c.Up the stairs
- d.Across the stairs
CRI notes that most manufacturers recommend carpet pile direction run down the stairs, with the machine direction in the length direction of the stairs. Up and across are not the recommended directions. Alternating each step makes every other tread look different.CRI 105 §15.4
Why does CRI 105 say not to place plastic sheeting over a new carpet installation?
- a.It pulls up the carpet pile
- b.It voids the carpet's fire rating
- c.It leaves the carpet too warm to stretch
- d.It is a slip hazard and traps moisture✓
CRI says plastic over carpet may present a slip hazard, and that plastic coverings trap moisture, retard adhesive curing and may promote mold. Plastic does not change a fire rating. It does not pull pile. Stretching is finished before protection goes down.CRI 105 §12.7.2
After a direct glue-down carpet installation, for how long does CRI 105 recommend restricting traffic to installation personnel?
- a.At least 30 days
- b.No restriction once rolled
- c.At least 4 hours
- d.At least 24 to 48 hours✓
CRI recommends limiting traffic to installers for a minimum of 24 to 48 hours so adhesives can cure. Thirty days is the period for keeping cleaning water off the carpet. Four hours is too short. Rolling does not cure the adhesive.CRI 105 §12.7.1