How To Install Carpet

A Comprehensive Guide To Carpet Installation

Requirement Gathering

There is a set of materials and tools required that needs to be gathered before you even think about how to install carpet.

• Carpet
  
  
• Carpet padding
  
  
• Tack strips
  
  
• Carpet cutter or Utility knife
  
  
• Seam tape and iron
  
  
• Staple gun
  
  
• Measuring tape
  
  
• Pencil or Chalk
  
  
• Straightedge or carpenters' square
  
  
• Power stretcher
  
  
• Knee kicker
  
  
• Measuring tape and
  
  
• Chalk line
  

Prepare The Room

If there is existing carpet and furniture in your indoors, remove them after gathering the required materials. This is when the preparation of the room starts as clearing the working area to install the carpet is very important. Also, when you are removing the existing carpet make sure to remove the carpet padding as well. Now, it is time to clean and sweep the subflooring thoroughly to get rid of all the debris and dust particles present. Ensure the subflooring is free of any damaged gaps or uneven surfaces by levelling them and filling them accordingly.

Install Carpet Padding

Now, start the installation of the carpet by unrolling that padding material to a neat, tidy and prepared subfloor. Make sure when you are unrolling the carpet padding that the material is running wall to wall, without overlapping. Then, you need to trim the excess carpet padding along the walls using a carpet knife or utility knife. However, ensure you are leaving an approximate gap of ½ inch between walls and carpet padding edges. This is how you allow the carpet and its padding to stick into the space between walls and carpet tack strips. This step in the “How to install carpet” guide comes to an end when you secure the padding to your subfloor using a staple gun. Also, ensure the staples penetrate through the carpet padding and into the subflooring.

Install Tack Strips

Take materials such as tack strips, a staple gun, measuring tape and pencil or chalk to install tack strips for your carpet. You can start this step by measuring the room perimeter to cut the tack strips by the carpet. Ensure you are leaving at least ½ inch between the walls and tack strips as this allows your carpet to be safely tacked between walls and tack strips. Now, mark the required amount of placement of tack strips along the walls by maintaining a certain distance from the wall. Then comes the installation of tack strips where you need to position them around the perimeter of your room while ensuring the strips are facing the wall. The installation of tack strips is done based on different subfloor types as follows:

• Wooden Subfloor- Use a hammer to nail the tack strips and pre-drill the strips to secure them using a hammer.
  
  
• Concrete Subfloor- Using adhesive glue, stick the tag strips in place by following the manufacturers' instructions for certain applications and drying methods.
  

Install Carpet

Roll out the carpet over to the padding by making sure there are a few inches of excess carpet left on each side. Now, use a knee kicker to attach one edge of the carpet to another side of the tack strips of your room. Then, stretch to attach opposite ends of the carpet to the tack strips on another side using a carpet stretcher. Later, you need to trim the excess carpet along the wall using a carpet knife.

Seam Joints

This is an optional step that you need to follow only when you want to install multiple carpet pieces in your room. So, if you are considering the installation of multiple carpet places to your subflooring then use the same tape and join them together. To do this, you need to place the seam tape under the installed carpet joint and activate the adhesive using a seaming iron. Ensure to press the carpet edges so the seam joints are firm and together.

Finish The Edges To Secure The Carpet

Proceed how to install the carpet by tucking the carpet edges into the gap between walls and tack strips using a putty knife. You need to implement this step only once trimming is done and ensure the carpet is properly tucked throughout the room. Now, use a carpet knife and straightedge to do final trims along the carpet address by placing the straightedge against the wall. Then comes the use of carpet structure and knee kicker as it ensures your carpet is secularly attached to the tack strips.

Final Touches

The last step for how to install a carpet is giving a few final touches to your carpet by using a screwdriver and hammer. This is because both screwdriver and hammer help in securing all loose tack strips. Once securing the tag strips is done you need to use a vacuum cleaner with an attachment hose to get rid of excess debris after carpet installation is done.

Conclusion

If you are following all the steps one at a time on how to install a carpet, you are in for desirable results and beautiful new flooring. So, carpet your floor in the way we mentioned and give your flooring a luxurious style and comfort as soon as possible. In fact, for almost all the carpet types, the installation process we mentioned works and keeps the carpet secure to the flooring. However, if you want the carpet installation to be more finished and give a cleaner outlook, consider adding carpet cleaning to the process. Checking for licensed and experienced professionals who offer both installation and cleaning services can ensure a thorough and polished finish. You can find the best carpet installers in your area through our online marketplace. Moreover, professionals have different carpet installation methods like double glueing, stretching, and cutting to fit.