Brand new flooring will transform a room!
Thinking about laying carpet yourself and saving money on your new flooring? With the right tools and the right know-how, you may be able to tackle the project yourself in the span of a weekend.
First things first – Measure your room!
Start by measuring the length and width of your room. Then, add between two and four inches to each number. Multiply these numbers to calculate the square footage of the room. If your space isn’t rectangular, divide the room into square or rectangular parts, and repeat this process for each part. This will give your the total square footage. You may want to add about 10% more to make sure you have enough underlay and carpet to cover the room.
Here’s a list of tools you will need to get the job done. Don’t have all of these tools? Call Rental Country at (866) 692-7510 and rent the right equipment for the job!
Tack strips
Staple gun (for wood subfloor installation)
Utility knife
Chalk line
Tape measure
Duct tape
Seaming tape
Carpet kicker
Power stretcher
Rolling pin or carpet roller
Carpet Seaming iron
Once you have all the tools you need, you will have to prepare the existing floor.
If you are replacing existing flooring, you’ll need to remove the old floor before starting.
You will also want to remove your baseboards so the new carpet is flush with your walls.
Also, If the carpet will span between two rooms, you will want to take the doors off their hinges.
Once you have exposed the underfloor, scrape or sand away any residue left over from the old adhesive. Make sure you check and replace any damaged subflooring before you continue. Sweep and vacuum the floor so nothing gets stuck under your new carpet.
All walls, except entryways and doorways, need carpet tack strips, regardless of the flooring type. Leave about a half-inch of space between the strip and the wall and do not leave spaces between each strip. Angle the tacks toward the wall so the carpet grips properly.
Now it’s time to put down the carpet underlay. Lay the underlay sections perpendicular to the direction you plan on laying your carpet.
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The underlay should butt up against the tack strips, but should not overlap them. Use a staple gun to secure the carpet underlay to the subfloor. If you are installing underlay on concrete, layout a few beads of carpet adhesive instead.
A good tip is to, seal the seams between pieces of underlay with duct tape.
Ready to lay the carpet down? Cut each strip to size, but be sure to add an extra 6” just in case! You can always trim once it is in place, but cutting it too short will waste the entire strip.
Begin by pulling the carpet strip flush against one wall and across the room to the opposite wall. At the far end of the room, mark a chalk line on the carpet where it meets the wall and cut away the excess with a utility knife. The direction of the pile on the next carpet piece must match the direction of the first.
Here’s another tip – As you are laying the strips, overlap them by a few inches, and cut through both layers of carpet at the same time. This way, both pieces will fit perfectly even if your cut was less than perfect.
Line up your seaming tape under the carpet with the adhesive side facing up so that it spans the gap between two sections of carpet. To secure the strips together, activate the tape with a steaming iron. Run the iron over the tape, not the carpet. To complete the seam, press the pieces of carpet together with a carpet roller.
After it’s been laid, use your knee kicker to stretch the carpet. Wear knee pads so you don’t hurt yourself. You should start by placing the toothed end of the kicker about three inches from the center of any wall. Then, kick your knee into the tool to force the carpet into the wall.
Since the tacks on the tack strip angle toward the wall, the carpet should catch on the strip. After your first kick, move down the wall about a foot at a time. Go around the room the same way until you’ve stretched the carpet across the whole room.
You’re almost done! Now trim the carpet edges with a utility knife if there is any excess. Cut around any doorways and install an edge strip before reinstalling the door. Also be sure to, cut openings for floor vents.
Ready to tackle replacing the flooring at your home? Call Rental Country at (866) 692-7510 and rent the right equipment for the job!
