Carpeting installation is one of the biggest expenses when renovating a home. The costs of finding a qualified carpet installer, hiring someone to trim doors and remove baseboards, and choosing the right carpet and padding all add up quickly. Occasionally, homeowners attempt to offset some of these costs by installing the carpet by themselves. While it is possible to do, installing carpet can be a lot of work, so it is important to know what you are getting yourself into.
First, you will need to measure the room that you will be carpeting. Add 10% of the square footage to the amount of carpet and carpet pad you purchase in case of errors and irregularities. Remove the old carpet and doors, and thoroughly clean the subfloor. ‘
Once the subfloor is clean, you are ready to place tackless strips and install the carpet pad. Tackless strips should never be placed in thresholds and doorways, as the tacks may poke through carpeting in those areas. The carpet pad should be installed perpendicularly to your intended carpet direction, and stapled near the tackless strips. Remember to staple the seams together, and trim any excess padding.
Once the carpet pad is placed, you are ready to start the carpet installation. Roll out the carpet in the room, keeping it as straight as possible. Trim the edges, leaving three inches next to the walls. Glue the seams together, making sure that both pieces of carpet face the same way. Attach the carpet to one of the tackless strips, and trim the excess. Then, use a power stretcher to attach the carpet to strips on the opposite side of the room. A power stretcher is crucial to correctly installing carpet, and no reputable carpet installer works without one. Lastly, use a binder bar to finish carpet edges where there are no walls.
Once you have trimmed the excess carpet, you are ready to install baseboards and thresholds, and you’re done!
By following these steps, you are sure to have a smooth, wrinkle-free carpet.