How Hard Is It To Install New Carpet?
Answers:
It depends on the type of carpet you are installing and whether there are going to be seams or pattern matches. Whether you are going to install over pad or glue it down. If it is a nice plush yet shaggy carpet the seams are less likely to show. For the most part if there are no seams it is supper easy. Some carpets you can get 12 foot, 13 foot or 15 foot widths. Just don't try to do a berber carpet with seams by your self that takes some practice. Usually you can rent a power stretcher, knee kicker, and iron at your local equipment rental place. Other than those tools you will need seam tape (if there is going to be seams), pad tape which is basically like brown packaging tape (the paper kind) a utility knife with lots of blades. If you have a local flooring supply house you can actually buy a carpet cutting knife for like 5 dollars (well worth the money), but a utility knife will work as well. If you go have a flooring suppy you should also purchase some tack strip and what is called a stair tool. The stair tool is great because you can shove the carpet under the base boards and over the tack strip with it. If you can't get one a large flat head screw driver will work. Place the new tack strip (if there is existing tack strip don't remove just backup in weak spots with new) approximately the thickness of your index finger away from the wall. Then lay the pad and staple the heck out of it and tape the pieces together with pad tape. Cut your carpet to fit the size of the room then place in room. Start stretching from one corner to the next using an "L" shaped pattern. Once you have reached the other corner trim any excess carpet (there should be quiet a lot as carpet really streatches). If there are to be any seams you do the seams after you put the carpet in (don't forget you will need seam tape) and before you stretch it. Good Luck. The hardest part is seaming up rug.
Other answers:
It's not that tough unless your rooms are over 12' in each direction causing you to have to run a seam. If you have the luxury of installing single rooms that transition to wood or ceramic at the hallways you will be alright.
Seaming carpet is a practiced art!
It's not that tough unless your rooms are over 12' in each direction causing you to have to run a seam. If you have the luxury of installing single rooms that transition to wood or ceramic at the hallways you will be alright.
Seaming carpet is a practiced art!
I have to agree with the jager writer above. Installing carpet is really hard on the knees and back, but making durable seams that last and stand up to traffic really is an art. You can go on line to find instructions as to how it is done, like HGTV, but often the results from a do-it-yourself effort are less than satisfactory, particularly in the long-term. The show Room to Improve just did a show over the weekend where they installed carpet in a garage conversion. They indicate the carpet tool kit you will need to rent for stretching the carpet, the iron for seaming and the knee kicker required to attach the carpet to the tack strip.
Watching my installers do this job for over 30 years has me convinced that this is a job best left to the experienced, professional. Ever wonder why you don't see old carpet installers? It is physically demanding and really requires knowledge of how the type of carpet you are laying will respond and lay.