4 Methods To Install Carpet
If you want to install the carpet by yourself, then here are the 4 easy methods to install it.
Method 1: Getting New Materials
- Vacuum & mop the floor clean. Now is a good time to make sure the floor under your carpet is clean. Now you need to use a vacuum cleaner to sweep up any debris from the area & then wipe it with a mop. Let it dry at least an hour before continuing.
- Now you have to take a measurement(Width & Length) of the room in order to buy padding & carpet, you need to know the square footage (meterage) of the room. Start by measuring the room on the longest side & writing the number down. Do the same going the other direction & write that number down.
- Multiply the measurement i.e length with width to get the actual square footage. To get the area of a rectangle, you can also accumulate length by the width.
- Add 10-20% to your estimate. You are going to make mistakes when putting on your carpet. Plus if you have issues with getting cut pieces to fit in areas you have left to cover after the main pieces are down.
- Buy carpet & padding based on your area measurements. When buying these supplies, they'll be listed in meters or square feet. Consequently, compare the square footage or meterage you found with what's being provided in the store.
- Determine how much tack strip you will need. If you are using an existent tack strip, just measure what you removed because it was damaged. If you are not using existent tack strip, just use your length & width measurements multiplied by 2, plus 10%.
Method 2: Putting The Padding And Tack Strips Down
- Nail the tack strips as per your requirement. Simply, place strips (0.25inch-0.50inch) from the wall in an uninterrupted line. Make sure the tacks are acanthoid toward the wall not the center of your room. Use two nails for each strip, nailing it into the wood below. Some tack strips come with the nails already in place & you just hit them in.
- Roll out the padding and start from 1 side of your room & moving to the other. Slice it off with a box cutter when you get to another wall, be sure that you have enough on both ends. Cut it just on the interior of the tack strips. Roll out the next set of padding-right next to the 1st.
- Walk across your floor & press staples into place, 2 feet (0.61 m) or so. Also, make sure to staple the padding along the inside edge of the tacking strip to hold it in place against the strip.
- After you have rolled & cut the whole floor, now cut a long piece of your duct tape down on each seam you can easily use more the one strips. Smooth it out with your hands to make sure it won't come up.
Method 3: Placing The Carpet
- Let your carpet sit for 24 hours in your home. It needs this time to adjust to the humidity & temperature in your home.
- Cut your carpet to size if you don't have space to do it in your room. If the room is small, you may not have enough floor space to bring your carpet in & cut it. Use the assessment you took earlier for the room to cut your carpet to size.
- Now, you can roll your carpet out. Start your work from one corner of the room. Leave three to 5 inches (7.6 to 10.2 cm) of excess on each side of your carpet up against the wall. Unroll your carpet roll, covering your floor & tack strips as you do. Line up carpet edges as needed to make seams & cover your whole floor.
- Place seaming tape subordinate seams. When you come to a seam, lay seaming tape down on your floor. The sticky part needs to be face up. Place your carpet seam over the tape, making sure both edges are covered.
- Set your seaming iron to 2-3. Lift up your carpet on both sides so you can slide the seaming iron underneath the carpet & on top of the tape. Leave your iron place for 8-10 seconds until the adhesive melts, then move it down. Press down on part of your seam you just heated so the carpet sticks to the tape.
- Seal the seam with help of a carpet roller. Run your thumbs over the very center of the seam to make sure it is in place. Then, use a carpet roller to go over it individual times, running it back & forth along the seam.
- Tack your carpet into place on one wall with a knee kicker. Place the tooth edge of the knee kicker on your carpet near the wall in a corner. Put it about the inches (7.6 cm) out from your wall. Hit the flat, perpendicular part sticking out on the other end with your knee by applying some force.
- Stretch your carpet across the room & tack it on the other side. Using as much strength as you can, pull your carpet so it's taut across your room. Use the knee kicker to tack it onto that wall, too.
- Secure the rest of your room with the knee kicker. Tack the other edges of your room with the knee kicker, stretching your carpet as tight as you can while moving around your room. Remember, you have extra carpet on each side that you can trim off in a minute.
Method 4: Trimming The Carpet
- Run a trimming tool(carpet) along with the edge. Press this tool flat against your carpet & right up against the baseboard on the sharp side. Push it along the wall, applying pressure as you do.
- Check that you cut the edges cleanly through with the carpet before taking the strip off.
- Press the edge of your carpet under the baseboard with the help of a carpet chisel. This tool has a wide & dull blade that lets you press the carpet in place.