Installing the carpet can be one of the easiest flooring options to install. You can even do it by yourself even though it is advisable to contact a flooring expert to get it done. Before you start installing the carpet check if you have the following tools or not:
Tools needed to install carpet:
- Vacuum Cleaner
- Gloves
- Safety goggles
- Utility Knife
- Screws (if needed)
- Tape
- Measuring Tape
- Underlay
- Chalk
- Stair tool
- Stapler
Once you are positive that you have purchased all the tools needed you can start going through the following steps to understand how the carpet installment works.
Step 1: Removing old carpet
As the first step, it is important to start by removing any old carpet. You should also remove anything that comes in the way of installing in the new carpet. Remove the furniture, anything fragile, the doormat and moldings around the floor. However, before removing anything make sure that they are clearly free of any dust you can do so by vacuuming the old carpet and dusting the furniture. If the carpet was installed in and wasn’t just a regular rug then you can start using the utility knife and cutting the carpet into strips. Start cutting from one end to one end and roll the sections out. When reaching to the underlay you can check whether you can use it again or just throw it away. In most cases, the underlay is as used as the carpet and so it is advisable to purchase a new underlay so you can have a better new carpet experience. After getting rid of the old carpet completely, make sure that the flooring underneath is cleaned well with water and soap, later on make sure it is completely dry before installing any new carpets. You can also check your flooring and ensure that it is free of any defects like loosen boards for example.
Step 2: Placing the underlayment
After getting rid of everything that might come in the way, you can start placing the right underlayment for your carpet. As mentioned in the underlayment guide, you should purchase the right kind that matches with your carpet because there are different kinds of underlayment for different kinds of carpet, otherwise the underlayment can affect the carpet installment negatively by making the carpet uneven.
Step 3: Make sure the climate is fixed correctly for the carpet
Changes in temperature and pressure can affect the size and shape of the carpet to a certain degree. When the carpet is stored outside or inside in a certain temperature, bringing it inside the house to a certain different temperature might make it stretch or shrink and wrinkle. In order to prevent this problem you can allow the carpet to rest in its roll for 24 hours in the house or area that you want to install it in so that it adjusts to the right conditions.
Step 4: Measuring and cutting right amount of carpet
You are going to need different shapes of strips for the different amount of space covered. You can cut the strips by yourself but you need to be extremely careful in taking the right measurements and cutting the right shapes so that they do not bother you in the future. It is advisable to have an expert cut the strips of carpet for you to ensure that they exactly fit in the spaces required. Make use of the chalk that you have purchased by placing chalk lines on the areas that you want to cut the edges at. You can use a utility knife to cut the extra edges. Use the tape to tape down the carpet from the sides.
Step 5: Stretch the carpet
To ensure that the carpet is placed correctly all over the room you can start stretching your carpet on the area required so that you make sure it is taking up the right amount of space required for it. Use the carpet stretching equipment to make sure that the carpet is stretched all over the room.