5 Helpful Tips for Installing a Carpet for Your Home
Meta Title: 5 Helpful Tips for Installing a Carpet for Your Home
Meta Description: Carpet installation is not as easy as it seems. Read on to find out the five tips to help your DIY carpet installation go more smoothly.
Keyword: carpet flooring
When it comes to home improvement projects, many people have turned to DIYing. In many cases, home improvement projects can be pretty costly. So, doing these projects on your own can actually save you money and be quite fulfilling if you enjoy going hands-on.
If you think carpet flooring is something that can spice up your home, you might consider trying a DIY carpet installation. But be wary; carpet installation is not as easy as it seems. Here are five tips to help your DIY carpet installation go more smoothly.
Give Allowances for Patterned Carpets
Patterned carpets can be trickier to install than plain ones, as you’d need to consider the pattern when cutting and seaming. It’s best to purchase a little more than you think you need for patterned carpets. Yes, it is wasteful, but it’s better than realizing you don’t have enough to make the pattern work.
Use the Right Carpeting Tools
Installation of a home carpet isn’t as easy as one might think. You might assume having a standard utility knife might be enough, but you’ll eventually find out that that’s not the case.
It’s best to have the appropriate carpeting tools to help you out. Aside from a utility knife, you’ll need a hammer, chalk line, a utility tool, and tin snips. You will also need some mounting devices such as power stretchers, a seaming iron, and knee kickers. Since it’ll be too expensive to purchase all of these tools, it’s better to simply rent some.
Leave a Small Gap When Setting Up Tack Strips
Tack strips are sharp, pointed wood strips that carpet installers fix to the floor around the room’s perimeter. They ensure that the anchor point is fastened to the carpet’s edges.
A common mistake amateur carpet installers make is forcing the tack strips against the wall. However, you actually need to leave a tiny gap to tuck the edges into the strips. The gap should be smaller than the carpet’s thickness to ensure it is securely wedged.
Don’t Lay Padding Over the Tack Strips
You should always maintain the padding within the internal perimeter of the tack strips. Padding should only brush over the edge and not overlap the tack strips to avoid lumping on the sides.
Use a Carpet Stretcher
Your home carpet will look much more attractive when you use a carpet stretcher during installation. The carpet stretcher will eliminate wrinkling and lumping in your home carpet.
You will need two kinds of carpet stretchers when installing: the long power stretcher and the knee kicker. The long power stretcher will stretch the carpet over the whole area, while the knee kicker will push the edges into the corners and over the tack strips.
Final Thoughts
Carpet installation isn’t that easy, but it can go more smoothly when you follow these tips. If you’re still having trouble installing your home carpet, that’s perfectly fine. You can enlist the help of professionals to do the job for you. Remember, you don’t have to DIY everything. Sometimes, getting help is more practical than doing it all on your own.
For your carpet flooring needs in Vancouver, you can trust Global Carpets to deliver high-quality carpets that will look perfect in your home. Aside from carpets and rugs, we also offer hardwood, laminate, and vinyl flooring. You may also avail of our installation services for a neat carpet installation. Get an estimate now!