Page 10 - November 2017 inLEAGUE Resource Guide (Vol. 40, No. 5)
P. 10
Carpeting Here are the questions that you should
ask when you are selecting your
carpeting:
(continued from previous page)
1.) Has the selected carpet been tested and
passed the CRI Green Label Plus for indoor air
ing the scale of the pattern as well as the quality?
overall pattern repeat of the entire design.
2.) Using a Federal approved NVLAP laboratory on
There are a few archives of historic carpet the actual carpet being produced for the theatre,
patterns that have been identified as hav- what are the results of the colorfastness testing?
ing been designed and installed in a specific 3.) Using a Federal approved NVLAP laboratory on
theatre or chain of theatres. Stuart Jackson the actual carpet being produced for the theatre,
LLC owns several hundred of these patterns. what are the results of the NBS Smoke and Radiant
Within these archives are also collections of Panel Fire Testing?
“woven carpet point sheets” that indicate 4.) Has the selected carpet been tested for the
a color palette within these beautiful hand Federal standard Appearance Retention Rating?
drawn designs. What today takes a matter of If it has, what was the score?
hours to draw and design on a computer of- 5.) Has the finished carpet been measured for bow
ten took weeks or months to draw and color and shew by roll? If it has, what were the results
by hand. and do they comply with Federal and industry
standards?
The only real unknown is the exact colors
used in the original carpet. I have been sur-
prised with original carpet you can find in at- an old file cabinet in a closet, behind the
tics, storage rooms, in the open foundation’s walls of an addition to a space, and what
spaces, under the threshold of doors, under people have in their homes. A simple inquiry
in a local newspaper is often answered with
an original piece of the carpet that was
saved by an employee, friend or patron. Un-
The best of both worlds like the tufted carpets manufactured today,
woven carpets often found a second or third
life when a theatre decided to replace car-
pet.
World class theatre and We know there is a direct relationship be-
tween colors used to paint the interiors of
acoustics design consulting for these theatres and the colors used in the de-
historic performing arts venues. sign of carpets. A good color analysis of the
layers of paint on the wall is another source.
Deciding on the pattern and color place-
We are proud to support the ment within a pattern is one issue. Remanu-
League of Historic American facturing a replacement is another. The key
is selecting the proper carpet construction
Theatres. and then selecting a woven carpet manu-
facturer that uses the appropriate yarns,
dyes and backing yarns needed to construct
a long-term performing woven carpet. More
(732) 333-8003 importantly, will the replacement carpet pass
info@stagesconsultants.com current local fire codes, Federal Indoor Air
www.stagesconsultants.com
PAGE 8 | INLEAGUE League of Historic American Theatres
