Step-by-Step Guide for Installing Carpet on the Floor

In This Post:
Tools for installing carpet
Four-step guide for carpet installation

We had previously shared a step-by-step guide for installing carpet on the staircase of your house to help you get through the process without any hassles. Similar to our previous attempt, we now present a DIY guide for carpet installation on the floor. As per usual, we have divided this blog into three segments. First, we will provide you a list of necessary supplies and tools for the installation process. Afterwards, we will share a detailed step-by-step guide for installing carpet on the floor. Lastly, we will shed some light on the key considerations for the care and maintenance of the carpeted floor.

So, without further ado, let’s get carpeting! 

Essential Supplies and Tools for Installation of Carpet on Floor

A carpeted floor can give your home a more ravishing and cosy look. If you can afford the maintenance and keep up with the replacement cost now and then, then it is one of the best floor remodelling ideas.

We know that covering your home with a carpet can be a little hefty on the pocket if you hire a professional to do the job for you. However, carpeting the floor isn’t as difficult as it sounds, provided you’ve all the essential supplies and tools, and you follow everything [as it is] mentioned below:  

• Tack strips
• Staple gun
• Utility knife
• Stair tool
• Chalk line
• Measuring tape
• Duct tape
• Seaming tape
• Knee pads
• Knee kicker
• Carpet roller
• Seaming iron

Step-by-Step Guide for Carpet Installation on Floor

Here’s a step-by-step guide for installing carpet on the floor:

• Step 1: Prepare the Room
• Step 2: Tack Strips Fitting
• Step 3: Underlay Installation
• Step 4: Cutting and Installing the Carpet

Step 1: Prepare the Area

The first step for carpet installation is preparing the room right after you have gathered all the essentials tools. To begin with, make sure you have bought the exact quantity of carpet needed to cover the room after measuring the area. 

Right before you get into the carpet installation process, make sure you have prepared the room or the area and pay attention to the following considerations:

• Wear the safety gear mentioned in the list above.
• Remove the old carpet and insulation and scrape away any adhesive residue. 
• If you have a wooden subfloor, make sure that you have fixed the loose floorboards. 
• Vacuum the subfloor to remove debris, dirt, and grit. 

On a side note, if you need assistance with removing an old carpet around your house, take a look at our step-by-step guide where we’ve covered everything from beginning to end. 

Step 2: Tack Strips Fitting

Right after preparing the room, the next step in carpet installation is fitting tack strips. This step is crucial, so make sure you follow everything to a T. 

• Nail tackless strips around the room
• Leave around a half-inch of space between every two strips.
• Secure them with the help of a stapling gun or hammer. 

Tack strips are used to secure the carpet to the floor and make it slip-proof. Also, you don’t need to carry out this step if your previous tacks are in good shape. 

Step 3: Underlay Installation

Underlay padding is usually installed over your subfloor or main floor that provides an extra layer of protection between your carpet and floor. It doesn’t only feel soft on your feet, it saves your carpet from many damages and helps in its maintenance. 

Another benefit of adding underlay padding is that it makes the installation process free of flows and bunching. Padding comes in a variety of materials, such as rubber and foam. Once you have bought the required padding, follow the steps mentioned below:

• For a wooden floor, staple the desired padding to the subfloor around the area you want to carpet. 
• For a concrete floor, daub a small amount of glue onto the floor and press the padding to hold it in place and make it slip-proof.
• Make sure to seal the seams between the strips and padding with duct tape. 

Step 4: Cutting and Installing Carpet

This step is extremely important, so make sure you have everything in place before you start cutting and installing the carpet. You will need more than one strip of carpet to cover an entire room. While you are measuring the required carpet strips, make sure you take account of six extra inches. This hack will help you trim the carpet nicely once it is entirely laid out. 

Afterwards, follow the below-mentioned steps for carpet installation: 

• Unfold the carpet strips and lay them against the wall from one end of the room.
• Chalk out the excess carpet and cut out the excess carpet. 
• Add a piece of seaming tape beneath the carpet. Make sure that the adhesive side is up. 
• Activate the seaming tape by using seaming iron. Avoid running the iron randomly on the carpet.
• Seal the seam by running over the carpet roller. You can use a rolling pin if you don’t have a carpet roller available in your house.
• Attach the carpet to tackles strips with a knee kicker. 

Congratulations! You have successfully installed the carpet. Once it is installed, make sure that you are taking all the measures for its maintenance and upkeep. Here’s what you can do to keep a carpet looking new and smelling fresh: 

• Make no-food and no-shoes policy for the carpeted area.
• Vacuum it once or twice a week. If you live in dusty regions, we’d recommend vacuuming daily. 
• Wash the carpet every three to six months or at least annually. 
• Use baking soda or invest in carpet products to keep it smelling fresh. 
• Deal with the stains and spills straightaway. 

So, this is where we talk about the gist of our blog. This blog comprises an easy guide for a DIY carpet installation that you can follow for remodelling the floor of your house. We have covered everything, including essential tools and some tips for the maintenance of the carpeted floor. If you have any questions or suggestions, write to us at blog@zameen.com. 

For more informative posts and DIY guides, stay tuned to Zameen Blog – Pakistan’s personal portal for everything home décor. Meanwhile, you can take a look at different ways to get rid of carpet stains to make it look clean and fresh. Similarly, if you are remodelling or renovating your house, check out our comprehensive guides on the types and rates of wooden flooring and different types of tile flooring in Pakistan. 

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