Proper installation can make carpet seams invisible, while poor installation makes them painfully obvious.
During a carpet inspection, the flooring inspector should look at the following when it comes to the carpet seams:
- Fraying or unraveling
- Pattern mismatch
- Overlaps or gaps
- Color variations or color changes
- Improper positioning
- Lack of seam sealer
- Poor application of seam sealer and/or seam tape

[…] notice that the zigzag line is approximately six feet long and runs the length of the carpet. Upon closer inspection, a zigzag line in the carpet is the result of a tensioning issue during manufacturing. The carpet […]