Replacing and Installing New Carpet for the New Year (2024 Edition)

When it comes to making a room feel comfortable and inviting in the New Year, there is no better place to start than the carpet. However, there is a lot more to laying down the carpet than measuring tape and a utility knife.

To start out, you will need to select the types of carpet that best fits your needs. Many questions arise, such as: Is there a lot of traffic? Is there a pet in the house? Do you want it to be easy to clean? Typically, the last question is an easy one to answer. Nobody will ever say they want a carpet they have to clean constantly. Luckily, there are carpets that are treated with a chemical finish that makes them stain-resistant. Of course, this is not to say that all stain-resistant carpets are created equal, like anything else some research into what best fits your needs is necessary.

The pattern of your carpet can also help make carpet maintenance easier. Patterns can hide dirt or stains. Placing a carpet with a pattern in a high-traffic area or anywhere a child may go is a good idea. If there is a pet present in the house, it is a good idea to choose a carpet that matches the coat of the pet. This way it masks any loose hair he may have left behind.

After you have chosen the carpet to go into your room you need to prepare the room. Begin by removing all furniture from the room. Then give the room a quick vacuuming with either a normal vacuum cleaner or a carpet extractor, this way you will have less dust kick up when you take the old carpeting out. Now take out your trusty utility knife and begin cutting away at the old carpet. Throw everything out, this includes the old underpad and old tack strips. This would be a good time to hammer down any raised nails or fix squeaky floorboards if necessary.

Cut carpet for replacement

Now for the construction. You will want to nail down new tack strips, be sure to leave a small space between it and the baseboard. Then lay out a new underpad. Be sure the underpad is laid right up against the tack strips. If you are using more than one piece of underpads, tape them together. Once the underpad is in place, you can staple it to the floor.

Next, you will need to lay the carpet. Lay it out so the edges go up the wall a few inches. On the longest straight wall, attach the carpet to the tack strip. At this point you will need a carpet stretcher, you can rent one from most tool rental businesses. This is typically the point when do it yourselfers have a difficult time, but it can be a simple process if done properly. Attach the carpeting to the tack strips and cut the edges of the carpet to match the walls.

Beautiful Stair Carpet

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