15 Things You Need To Install Carpeting In Your Home

There are plenty of benefits to be gained from installing a carpet in your home. First, you can achieve a super comfortable surface to walk on. Secondly, you can get great sound insulation so that when you’re watching a movie, you’ll enjoy thinking that you’re at the cinema. Third, a carpet also provides insulation, helping to make the house warmer. In addition, your choice of carpet could end up making your house seem more aesthetically pleasing.

To properly install your carpet, you’ll need a number of tools–cutting tools to measuring tools will all work together to ensure you get the perfect fit. You can then contact Jeff’s Quality Cleaners whenever you need your carpet cleaned. Let’s find out the things you need to install carpeting in your home.

1. The Tape Measure

Before you can install your carpet, you need to find the total area of the room in which you’ll be placing the carpet. For that, you’ll need a tape measure. The tape measure will help you measure the length and width. You’ll then multiply the length to the width and then divide the figure by 9. Doing so provides you with the square yardage. To ensure the perfect fit, you’ll need accurate measurements. The best tape measure should have a durable and robust design. Check the auto lock as well as a belt holder. The blade of the tape measure should also be robust enough and stand out when extended.

2. Power Drill and Hammer

When installing your carpet, you’ll need to remove the doors in the room. This will allow you free space to work around. If the hinges on the doors are installed using nails, then you could use a hammer to pull them out. Alternatively, if the hinges are installed using screws, a power drill can help remove them. All you’ll need to do is to change the settings so that the drill rotates counterclockwise. Make sure to install the right drill bit so as not to ruin the teeth on the screws. Once you’re done with the carpet installation, you can then use the screws to attach the doors to the hinges.

3. Tackless Strips

Once installed, tackless strips are used to hold the carpet in place. To hold it in place, tackless strips have hooks that are angled towards the wall that attaches to the carpet. Tackless carpet strips come in a variety of sizes. Make sure that you choose the size that’s most ideal for your type of carpet. When installing the carpet strips, use a snip or a strip cutter to cut them to the correct size. Ensure that you place the strips 1 ½ inch from the wall. Also, ensure that you don’t install the tackless strips across doorways and other entrances. This is because the sharp hooks could pierce through the carpet and injure someone when they walk into the room.

4. The Carpet Pad

Before installing the carpet, you’ll need a carpet pad. This helps boost the longevity of your carpet. First off, your carpet is protected from the hard surface beneath, preventing people from crushing the carpet fibers. Secondly, the pad ensures that there’s no dye transfer and acts as a buffer between the floor and the carpet. While placing the carpet pad, ensure that it’s perpendicular to the direction in which you’ll lay the carpet. Make sure that the carpet pad doesn’t go over the tackless strips as these are meant for the carpet only. To hold the carpet pad in place and in the proper position, ensure it doesn’t move under pressure. You can do this by stapling it on the floor using carpet staples.

5. Utility Knife

If the carpet pad is long and goes beyond the tackless strips, you’ll need to cut it to the proper size. For this, you’ll need a utility knife. Make sure that the knife is sharp as the padding can be quite thick. Then, by using your hand, feel through the carpet pad, then locate the tackless carpet strip. Then, use the utility knife to cut along the inner edge of the carpet strips. This should expose the tacks to readily place the carpet. You’ll also need the utility knife to trim the carpet to the proper size.

6. Power Stretcher

A power stretcher will allow you to stretch the carpet and attach it to the strips. This is a long, handy tool that reaches from one end of the room to the other. If you halve a larger room, the power stretcher can help ensure a flat and consistent surface. The power stretcher works by holding one edge of the carpet and extend the other edge. It features a long pole that stretches from the head of the stretcher to the opposite wall. To use the power stretcher, you’ll need to first hook one end of the carpet to the strips. The head of the power stretcher will have teeth that go through the fabric and hook into the carpet. Note, however, that the teeth shouldn’t go all the way through the carpet backing. Before you stretch the carpet, make sure that you’ve created a padding for the wall on the other end to prevent damage when stretching.

7. The Knee Kicker

The knee kicker essentially performs the same task as the power stretcher. The knee kicker gets its name from the method of application. You’ll kick the back of the tool at the knee to achieve small consistent stretches. Due to its smaller size compared to the power stretcher, it’s ideal when carpeting small areas, such as hallways or on staircases. The knee kicker allows you to work on these areas where the power stretcher is simply too big to function effectively.

8. A Large Magnet

When installing your carpet, there’s a tendency that you may drop a few nails or sharp objects on the carpet, which can easily hide between the carpet’s fabric, causing injuries when left on the carpet. A large magnet serves two purposes. First, it acts as a weight to hold down the carpet during installation. Secondly, the magnet will attract any metallic objects and nails that could fall on the carpet that’s hard to see. After installing the carpet, you can use the magnet to thoroughly sweep over the carpet, ensuring you’ve hit every corner and angle.

9. Adhesive

When installing your carpet, you’ll need adhesive. This allows you to attach the underpad to the floor, ensuring that it doesn’t move around under the carpet. But there’s more to the adhesive than being merely a sticker to the carpet pad. You can also apply it on the edges of the carpet to prevent it from fraying. This ensures that the carpet remains intact and lasts a long time. Moreover, after cutting the carpet during installation you can opt to apply adhesive on the edges as they’re most prone to fraying.

10. Nails

Nails, which you’ll mostly use on the edges of the walls and the carpets, are a crucial part when installing the carpet as they have many purposes. One of the main functions of nails is to hold down the tackless strips to the floor. Note that you’ll need to use nails that are of the right size according to the tackless strip. Another function of nails is to hold down the carpet pad. Once you’ve applied adhesive, you can ensure an even more robust fit for the carpet pad by nailing it to the wooden floor in certain specific areas. Nails come in different sizes, so make sure that you choose nails that are the right size for your carpet installation.

11. Stapler

A stapler is an alternative tool that you could use to staple down the carpet pad. Note that you don’t always need to use this tool if you have nails or adhesive. However, in times when you lack the nails, the stapler can prove a highly efficient tool. This is because it’s faster to staple down the carpet pad than using nails. If you prefer to work fast, especially when dealing with a large room or multiple rooms, then you’re much better off with a stapler.

12. Trowel Notch

When you apply adhesive to the carpet pad, you’ll need to push it down evenly to achieve a smooth and consistent look, which the trowel notch can help. This handy tool helps you press down the carped pad, resulting in an even application. Without it, you may notice that some areas are bumpy where the adhesive is never attached to the floor. You’ll also use the trowel notch at the corners to ensure that the carpet lies perfectly at the edges. It helps prevent the carpet from taking an unpleasant and incomplete looking curve as it transitions from the floor to the wall.

Speaking of installing the carpet in smaller spaces, these spaces may not require tackless strips. Sometimes, all you need is good high-quality adhesive. You’ll apply the adhesive on the lower part of the carper, which you’ll then attach to the wooden floor. That said, you’ll need a tool to spread the adhesive evenly on the surface of the carpet and that’s where the notched trowel comes in. Makes sure to get the proper size notch trowel for your carpet for an even and successful installation.

13. The Seaming Iron

This is different from the iron you use to clean your carpet. The seaming iron is necessary to join up to two edges of the carpet. Depending on the shape of your room, you may find that you’ll need to install several cuts to the carpet. The edges need to be joined together, and you can do this by using a seaming iron. Create a seam where the carpet edges join. Then, place a piece of seaming tape right under the seam you created. Turn on the heat on the seaming iron, then place it over the tape for 15 seconds, causing the glue to melt. By sliding the iron along with the tape, then with your other hand, press the seam onto the glue. To hold the carpet in place, you can place something heavy onto the seam as you give it time to dry.

14. The Carpet Top Cutter

When installing a carpet in a large space. You’ll require a fast and efficient way to cut the edges and make the seams. Sometimes, a utility knife can prove tiresome. A carpet top cutter is an excellent tool as it features a blade with two sharp edges that you can use to make quick clean cuts. One of the main advantages of this tool is that you can work without strain or tire, allowing you to produce a high-quality installation. Moreover, this tool comes in different sizes, so it’s important to pick a size that works best for you. Also, the blade is normally at a 30-degree angle for efficient and effortless cuts.

15. The Carpet Seam Roller

When joining two parts of the carpet you will need a seaming tape as well as the seaming iron. However, this is not enough to create that perfect joinery that’s free of bumps and irregularities. For that, you’ll need a carpet seam roller. This helps smoothen out the joined edges, making them perfect that it would be hard to tell where the joint is. When shopping for a carpet seam roller, make sure to pick one that’s comfortable on your hands. This ensures that you don’t get tired while using it.

Final Thoughts

Laying a carpet can seem like a simple task. After all, you just need to spread it on the floor. However, there’s a lot more than goes into ensuring that the carpet fits perfectly as well as to ensure that it doesn’t move and is tight and secure. To help you install a carpet, the tools listed above will prove handy and highly useful. Make sure that when you’re shopping for your carpet installation tools, always go for quality and durability.