How to install a carpet

Installing carpets is a job that generally can be done by a competent DIYer - it doesn’t require specialist carpet layers, only a few good carpet tools..

Underlay or padding is vital for carpets, as it not only provides heat and sound insulation but also protects the carpet from rucking and slipping. If you’re replacing your existing carpets, you could keep the existing padding. Manufacturers want to sell you new padding and will tell you that you should get new ones - don’t believe them, just use your common sense.  If your existing underlay looks worn out then change it - if it looks in pretty good shape, keep it!

Carpet tools

You’ll need the following carpet tools:

• Tack strips or grippers
• Nails
• Hammer
• Duct tape
• Seaming iron
• Seaming Tape
• Rolling pin
• Stair tool
• Knee kicker
• Trimmer

Installing carpet

Cut the tack strips or grippers to fit along the walls. Leave a small gap between the wall and the strips (a bit less than the thickness of the carpet) and make sure that the strips join together at corners. Nail the strips to the floor.

Then lay the padding or underlay. Cut these into strips and lay them out on the floor. Make sure that the padding strips don’t overlap each other but are long enough to cover the tack strips or grippers. Cover the joining lines with duct tape and staple the padding to the floor ( the ridged side should be facing up). Then, using a Stanley knife, cut off the padding covering the strips and cover the seams with duct tape.

Measure the room and cut the carpet facing downwards. Don’t cut to exactly the correct dimension, add at least 5 inches to each side. Then lay out the carpet. Make sure that any patterns or piles of the carpet run parallel with your walls. If one piece of carpet is not wide or long enough to cover the whole floor then you’ll need to use more pieces of carpet. Make sure that the piles or patterns in your pieces face the same direction, then cut straight edges to create a seam. Put a seaming tape under the seam and melt it with a seaming iron. Press the carpet pieces down into the melted adhesive, with the edges meeting closely. Use a rolling pint to press down the seam and even the surface out.

Then stretch out the carpet towards one of the corners (you might need a knee kicker for a large piece) and cut off the excess carpet along the walls with a trimmer. Then use a stair tool to tuck the carpet between the gaps along the walls - you might need a plastic spatula around doorframes.

Install a gripper edge or metal strip at doorways and along lines where carpets join other flooring.

Read more about carpet flooring and carpet cleaning tips.