The process of installing your own carpet from one wall to another may seem overwhelming. However, with the right tools and a little perseverance, you will certainly be able to install it on your own. If you already have a carpeted floor, be prepared to remove it before continuing. Installing a new carpet can strain your knees and back, so be prepared and take some time to get this job done. However, with a little perseverance, you will soon have a new carpet from wall to wall.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Get New Materials
Step 1. Vacuum and clean the floor
This is a good time to make sure the floor under the carpet is clean. Vacuum or sweep any debris in the area and then mop it. Let it dry for at least an hour before continuing to prevent water from seeping under the rug.
If you are installing a carpet on a hardwood floor that you don't need to remove carpeting from, you will only have to do this step
Step 2. Measure the length and width of the room
To buy enough padding and carpet, you need to calculate the square footage (footage) of the room. Start by measuring the room on the longest side and write down the number. Do the same in the other direction.
- For example, the room might measure 4 x 3 m (13 x 10 ft).
- If the room is not perfectly rectangular, you should divide it into rectangles and measure the length and width of each. Another alternative is to make the room more or less rectangular and add a little more to your calculations. For example, if a wall has a small sunken section, you would measure the 2 walls and then add 1 foot (30 cm) to the calculation for that wall.
Step 3. Multiply the length by the width to get the square footage
To get the area of a rectangle, multiply the length (1 side) by the width (the other side). You must do the same with the measurements of the room to calculate the square footage.
- For example, if the room is 4 x 3 m (13 x 10 ft), then you would multiply these numbers to get 12 m2 (130 square feet).
Step 4. Add 10-20% to your calculations
You are going to make mistakes when installing the carpet. Also, you will likely have trouble fitting the cut pieces into the areas that remain to be covered after placing the main pieces. It's always better to have more than you need than to have to run back to the store because you ran out of padding or carpet.
Step 5. Buy rugs and padding according to the measurements of the area
When purchasing these supplies, you will find them listed in meters or square feet. Therefore, all you need to do is compare the square footage or footage you measured with what the store offers you.
Step 6. Determine how much stud band you will need
If you are using an existing tack band, you should only measure what you removed, as it will be damaged. If you are not going to use this band, you should simply use the length and width measurements multiplied by 2, plus an additional 10%. The band of studs should go around the entire edge of the room.
When deciding on a stud band, you should go for the widest you can find
Part 2 of 4: Placing the Padding and Tack Bands Side Down
Step 1. Nail tack bands in place as needed
Lay the bands 6-12mm (0.25-0.5) from the wall in a straight line. Make sure the tacks are pointing toward the wall and not toward the center of the room. Use 2 nails for each band, driving it into the wood below. Some bands come with the nails already in place, and you just have to hammer them in.
- If you need to cut a band to size, this should be done with a hand saw.
- In particular, you can hit it the same way if it is soft enough. Otherwise, you can drill holes where the nails go with a concrete bit of the same size and then hammer the aluminum nails.
- You will also need tack bands around items like floor vents.
Step 2. Spread the filling on the ground
You should spread it out, starting from one side of the room and working your way to the other. Cut it off with a utility knife when you get to the other wall, making sure you have enough on both ends. You should cut it just inside the bands. Then, spread out the next set of fillers right next to the first.
Make sure to join the seams evenly so there are no slopes or bowls on the floor
Step 3. Staple the filler in place with a staple gun
Walk across the floor and press the staples into place every 2 feet (60 cm) or so. Also, be sure to staple the padding along the inside edge of the stud band to keep it in place against the band.
If the floor is concrete, you should apply glue under the filler instead. In this case, you only need to lift one side at a time to apply the glue in an even layer
Step 4. Apply silver tape to join the seams
After rolling and cutting the entire floor, use a long piece of tape over each seam. You may need to use more than 1 band, but the tape will help hold the seams together. You should smooth it out with your hands to make sure it doesn't come off.
Part 3 of 4: Laying the mat
Step 1. Let the carpet sit for 24 hours in the house
You will need this time to adjust to the temperature and humidity of the house. This is because it can expand or shrink depending on these conditions, so make sure this process is complete before leaving it installed.
You can leave it rolled up during this time
Step 2. Cut the rug to size if you don't have space to do so in the room
If the room is small, you may not have enough floor space to spread out the rug and cut it. Use the measurements you previously took for the room to cut the rug to size.
Make sure to leave an extra amount on each end so you don't end up with a piece that is too short
Step 3. Unroll the rug
It starts in a corner of the room. Leave 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) of excess on each side of the rug against the wall. Unroll the rug, cover the floor, and glue the strips as you do so. Align the edges as needed to create seams and cover the entire floor.
Look at the texture of the rug to make sure it faces the direction you want
Step 4. Tape under the seams
When you get to a joint, you should apply the tape to the floor. The sticky part should point upwards. Lay the rug seam over the duct tape, making sure both edges are covered.
If possible, try to place the seams in inconspicuous, low-traffic areas
Step 5. Heat the tape with a bonding iron
Set the iron to 2 or 3. Lift the carpet up on both sides so that you can slide the iron under the carpet and over the tape. Leave it in place for 8-10 seconds until the adhesive melts. Then move it down. Press down on the area of the seam that you just heated so that the carpet adheres to the duct tape.
Step 6. Seal the seam with a carpet roller
Run your thumbs over the center of the seam to make sure it snaps into place. Then use the roller to roll it back and forth across the joint several times. Do this while heating each section, and not to the extreme.
- A carpet roller is small and looks a bit like a paint roller.
- Wait 20 minutes after taking care of the seams before they set and stretch.
- Continue working your way through the seam in this manner until it sticks in place.
Step 7. Set the rug in place on a wall with a rug stretching tool
Place the notched trowel of the tool on the carpet near the wall in one corner. Place it 3 inches (8 cm) away from the wall. Hit the flat, vertical part that sticks out at the other end with your knee, making sure to apply a little force. When hitting it, you need to glue the mat to the band. Move along the wall, hitting the tool every 1 foot (30 cm) or so.
- You may want to use knee braces to carry out this process.
- The carpet will stick out over the edge.
- A carpet pulling tool is made of solid metal and is about 1.5 inches long with “teeth” holding the carpet on one end and a heavily cushioned “butt” on the other. Stretch the rug over the tack band. The studs hold the rug in place and hold it firmly in place.
Step 8. Stretch the rug across the room and glue it to the other side
Pull the rug as hard as you can so that it is taut across the room. Use the tool to stick it to that wall too.
- Make sure you smooth out all the lumps on the carpet.
- You can use a carpet tensioner for this process, which is a good idea if the room is large. To use, place the flat end against the wall you nailed first. Then lay the flat part on the floor. This tool has a lever and head that helps you force the carpet across the floor to stretch it.
Step 9. Secure the rest of the room with the stretching tool
Grip the other edges of the room with the tool, stretching the rug out as far as you can as you move around the room. Remember that you will be left with an excess of carpet on each side that you can trim in a minute.
Part 4 of 4: Trim the rug
Step 1. Run a rug trimming tool along the edge
This tool has a flat metal guide on the bottom, a handle on the top, and a blade on the edge. Press the tool flat against the carpet and baseboard on the sharp side. Push it along the wall, applying pressure as you do so.
- You can use a utility knife for this purpose, but it must have a new, sharp blade. Run it under the baseboard to cut the carpet. If it starts to dull, you need to replace the blade.
- Also, you should use the utility knife to cut spaces for the floor vents.
Step 2. Check to see if you cut the carpet cleanly before removing the band
Look along the edge of the band that you cut. Make sure there are no strings connecting the band to the main mat. Then, pull it up and away from the rug.
If you pull the band without checking, you can tear the fibers out of the carpet, causing it to run
Step 3. Press the edge of the carpet under the baseboard with a carpet chisel
This tool features a wide, blunt blade that allows you to press the mat into place. You should use it to wedge the carpet under the baseboard by pressing it down until it snaps into place.
Step 4. Return all the items you have checked out
If you removed the doors, you must reinstall them in their place. Next, put on the doorstops. If you lifted the vents off the floor, screw them back into place. Finally, place your furniture and belongings where they belong, and voila.