Nowadays, getting professional help could be really expensive so we try to do different tasks on our own, especially when it comes to home improvement. One home improvement task we can try doing ourselves is installing carpets.
You are looking at the flooring in your living room and wonder how hard it would be to install carpet. The installation of any type of flooring in a home is a huge investment in your home and you want it to last a long time.
Carpet is made on a loom like fabric. The pile of the carpet can be Berber or plush. Berber carpet is a loop pile, while plush is a cut pile. It can be made of wool or nylon. Wool carpet is very expensive.
Most carpet is made in 12′ or 15′ width, and in various lengths which are usually rolled at the factory for ease of transportation.
When looking at carpet, there is also the decision of what type of pad to install under the carpet. Natural material padding is commonly used and has a good life expectancy. A synthetic pad is cheaper and used a lot.
There are several colors and patterns available when choosing carpet. A carpet with a pattern woven in it is more expensive.
Most carpet is installed on a concrete or subfloor. Measuring is done carefully so that there is not a shortage of carpet when it is installed. Make sure that enough carpet is ordered in the initial order, since there can be a noticeable difference in the shade of the same color from one roll to the next.
Are you going to install the carpet on your own? Remember that this is hard on your knees, back, shoulders, and neck. It will also take up your time to install.
You will need to purchase carpet strips, carpet tape, rolling pin, work gloves, safety glasses, and knee pads. The following items will needed to be rented for the project; a knee kicker, power stretcher, utility knife, seam cutter, seaming iron, seam tape, wall trimmer, strip cutter, and a seam roller.
Assistance may be needed to get the old carpet out of the house and move the new carpet into the house. Check with your family and friends to see who will be able to help you.
If there is furniture in the room that will be carpeted, you need to move it out of the room. You will need to tear up any old carpet, pad, and carpet strips that may be there.
The old carpet will need to be disposed of, and most trash companies do not take big items. You will need to haul it to the garbage dump, some garbage dumps charge a fee to dispose of a large item and are only open Monday through Friday.
If you choose to have the carpet installed, the installer would be moving the furniture, tearing up the old carpet, dispose of the old carpet, and include all the supplies needed for installation. Some carpet installers charge as low as $39.00 to carpet a room $99.00 to carpet the whole residence. This is cheaper than renting the equipment, buying the supplies, and paying for the disposal of the old rug.
Make sure the floor is clean and dry. Install the new tack less strips, leaving about ½” between the wall and strips. At the corners make sure the strips are adjacent to each other.
You will need to bring the new carpet in and roll it out where it will be installed. If you are able to let the carpet rest over night, it will be able to rest and make it easier to install.
You will need to use the knee kicker to tighten the carpet and install it along one edge. The kicker will stretch the carpet while attaching it to the carpet strip. Work your way around the room with the carpet stretcher.
Below are lists of materials and tools you will be needing, and basic instructions about installing carpets.
Here are the materials you will need:
• Carpet
• Nails
• Screws
• Carpet pad
You will also be needing these tools:
• Hammer
• Tack strip cutter
• Knee kicker
• Trimmer
• Power stretcher
• Staple gun
• Carpet seam tape
• Carpet knife
Before starting the project you have to make sure all the materials and tools needed are complete. Follow these simple steps to properly install your carpet.
• Measure the room – Before doing any purchasing and cutting it is always best to first do the measuring. You have to measure the length and the width of the room as this is important to determine the size of the carpet you will be needing.
• Prepare the floor – Make sure that the floor is cleaned. Check for damages like squeaks. Have these repaired before installing your carpet. These will only damage your carpet when not properly fixed.
• Install tack strips – Install the tack strips along wall edges. Do not install them in front of door openings. You have to maintain about 1/4″ space between the walls or baseboard and the tack strips.
• Install the carpet pad – A carpet pad is essential in protecting the carpet and giving cushion to the feet. Starting along one wall, roll out your carpet pad or carpet cushion. You have to make sure that you overlap the tack strips a few inches. The padding should remain smooth and straight. To prevent it from bunching you can tape along the seams. Staple the pad thoroughly every 2 feet or so. When the carpet pad is secured, use a carpet knife to cut the excess padding along the tack strips. Make sure that the pad do not overlap the tack strips.
• Install the carpet – Same as installing the carpet pad, roll out the carpet along one wall making sure you leave an excess of about 3-4 inches that should overlap along the walls. When using more than one section of carpet, it is important that you create a seam. You can do this by placing seam tape under the seam. You can use a steam iron to melt the adhesive to fasten the ends of the carpet onto the seam tape. Hammer nails through the.
• Tack the carpet down and trim – Before trimming the excess ends of the carpet, you have to tack the carpet into the space you left between the baseboard and the tack strips. Use the knee kicker to install the carpet to the tack strip. Use a power stretcher to stretch the carpet over the tack strips. Trim the carpet using a carpet trimmer to trim the excess carpet along the wall. Use a stair tool to tuck the carpet in the space between the tack strip and wall. Don’t forget to install door edge strips along doorways to cover up the edge of the carpet.
When you have finished installing the carpet, it is important that you also vacuum the carpet.
Installing carpets could be really easy and fun if you follow certain steps. You have to use the right materials and the appropriate tools to achieve the result you are looking for.