How Do You Install Carpet?

Remove old carpeting

Remove the moldings from the floor. Vacuum the old carpet if it is dirty to avoid breathing in harmful particles. Use a utility knife to cut the carpet in strips of anywhere between 18 to 24 inches wide. Pull up the carpeting in strips, and roll it up to discard. Remove any remaining strips, and make certain the entire floor is clean.

Install the tackless strips

Lay the new tackless strips around the room, but avoid the front entrance. Leave a 1/2 inch of space between the walls and the strips. Pack the strips tightly at the corners.

Install the underpad

Lay the underpad in strips over the tackless strips. Butt the strips together instead of overlapping them. Staple the underpad strips to the interior edges of the tackless strip. Trim any underpad and tackless material, and seal the seams with duct tape.

Measure the carpet

Measure the entire room, and add 6 inches. Mark the back of the carpeting on both edges, and intersect the two marks with chalk. Fold the carpeting, and cut the backside with a utility knife. Follow the same process for extra carpeting if the room calls for it.

Cut the carpet

When joining two carpet pieces together, ensure that there is at least 4 to 6 inches of overlap for proper cutting with a seam cutter or utility knife. After cutting the carpet, use seaming tape at the center with the adhesive end facing up. Activate the adhesive with a seaming iron, and bunch the pieces together with a rolling pin.

Install the carpet

Place the toothed portion of the knee kicker 3 inches from the wall, and drive the padded portion of the instrument with your knee to stretch the carpet over the tackless strips. Use a carpet stretcher to firmly attach the carpet. Finish the job by using a stair tool to tuck in the carpeting.