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DIY source for wool/low-flammable carpet?

A

alpinelakespilot2000

Well Known Member
Time to add some insulation and carpet to the floor to knock down a bit of vibration and make for a bit more finished look.

Don't want to go with the Classic Aero carpet b/c of it's thickness and the fact that I would need non-standard cutouts to fit my floor. I actually would like to do what Mike Seager has in the RV-7: four individual pieces of insulation and carpet to fit in between the floor stringers.

Does anyone know where I might go to find good carpet, reasonably priced, with good meaning non- or low-flammability? I've looked for wool remnants at my local carpet stores but have never been able to find any.

Thanks.
 
alpinelakespilot2000 said:
Does anyone know where I might go to find good carpet, reasonably priced, with good meaning non- or low-flammability? I've looked for wool remnants at my local carpet stores but have never been able to find any.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

This is a bit out of the box, but corporate aircraft are delivered with extra carpet and throw rugs made out of the same die lot. They always use 100 percent wool. That way they don't have to do flame tests to repair what they have installed. When I was in a corporate department we always had leftovers from former aircraft and never used throw rugs that I would have given away. If you have any buddys that fly corporate stuff you might ask.

Don
 
Find a commercial (not residential) carpet dealer. Ask for something with a "Class 1" fire rating. You can look up the requirements for that rating, but basically, it means any fire is self extinguishing unless there are outside influences (very close proximity to a fire, soaked in gasoline, whatever).

Most commercial carpet has a nylon face fiber. Nylon (both type 6 and type 6.6) has good burn characteristics. Wool is better, but is harder to find. Don't get a wool/poly blend.

One disclaimer - most carpet is only fire rated for installation on horizontal, not vertical surfaces. So if you run it up the sides of your footwells, well, you're back in the experimental world.
 
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