Seamable, gap-free paper-making fabrics

A woven press felt for paper making, the woven press felt comprising:

• a base weave;
• a batt layer disposed on at least one side of the base weave;
• a seam for joining a first end of the woven press felt with a second end of the woven press felt, the seam configured to receive a pintle inserted through seam loops of a first end of the base weave interdigitated with seam loops of a second end of the base weave;
• and
• a flap defined in the batt layer, wherein when the woven press felt is seamed, an edge of the flap extends at an angle relative to a paper side surface of the woven press felt and, the flap having a flap height extending beyond a paper side surface of the woven press felt,
• wherein the flap height is in a range of 45% to 55% of a thickness of the woven press felt,
• wherein the flap height is less than a flap length of the flap in the machine direction of the woven press felt, and the flap length is in a range of 90% to 100% of the thickness of the woven press felt,
• wherein the flap length is in a range of 90% to 100% of the thickness of the woven press felt, and
• wherein the angle at which the flap extends is in a range of 60º to less than 90º.

A method of making paper, the method comprising:

• installing, on a paper making machine, a woven press felt comprising:
• a base weave;
• a batt layer disposed on at least one side of the base weave;
• a seam for joining a first end of the woven press felt with a second end of the woven press felt, the seam configured to receive a pintle inserted through seam loops of a first end of the base weave interdigitated with seam loops of a second end of the base weave;
• and
• a flap defined in the batt layer, wherein when the woven press felt is seamed, an edge of the flap extends at an angle relative to a paper side surface of the woven press felt and, the flap having a flap height extending beyond a paper side surface of the woven press felt,
• wherein the flap height is in a range of 10% to 50% of a thickness of the woven press felt;
• and
• applying a tension to the woven press felt to draw the first end of the woven press felt apart from the second end of the woven press felt, wherein while tension is applied to the woven press felt, substantially no gap is present between the first end of the woven press felt and the second end of the woven press felt, and the flap protrudes by an amount in a range of 0 mm to 0.2 mm above the paper side surface of the woven press felt.