A carpet can be installed by professionals or homeowners. You’ll need the right materials, our step-by-step directions, some time, and a bit of effort to get the job done.
Is It Difficult to Install Carpet on Your Own?
Installing carpet for the first time may be a challenge, but you can complete the task and learn in the meantime by following some simple directions.
Be sure to:
- Measure your room
- Gather all necessary materials
- Prep the room
- Set up your tack strips appropriately
- Install your underlay
- Lay your carpet
- Finalize the room and use our bonus tips ; tricks for extra help
How Much Does It Cost to Install Carpet?
The typical price range to get carpet installed is between $750 and $2,500, with the average around $1,600. Per square foot, the price range is between $3.50 and $11. Per square yard, you are looking at $32-$100.
Sometimes when you buy carpet, it will come with free installation but, in reality, the price is inflated to cover the cost of labor. This cost could be worth it, though, as a professional team can move your furniture, remove and get rid of your old carpet, install padding and new carpet, and move all the furniture back in only a few hours.
What Do I Need to Install Carpet?
To lay carpet, you will need tack strips, a utility knife, stair tool, chalk line, tape measure, duct tape, seaming tape, knee pads, knee kicker, power stretcher, seaming iron, and a rolling pin or carpet roller.
If you are installing over a wood subfloor, you will also need a staple gun.
If you are installing over concrete, you will need a cement-based waterproof filler, masonry nails, carpet adhesive, and a construction adhesive such as Liquid Nail.
How to Install Carpet Step-by-Step
Learn how to install carpet as efficiently as possible in 7 steps.
Step 1: Measure
The first step is to measure the room. Measure the length and width, then add about 2-4 inches to each number. Multiply these numbers to get the room’s square footage.
Next, add about 10-20% to the area to ensure you have enough carpet to cover the room and account for any mistakes.
Step 2: Gather Your Materials
Select your carpet and gather all necessary materials.
Step 3: Prep the Room
Prep the floor. Remove old carpet, laminate, or tile flooring.
Next, remove baseboards and scrape or sand away any residue on the floor. Check for issues on the subfloor such as squeaking, musty patches, or sunken spots.
With a concrete subfloor, check for damage or moisture, fill any cracks with waterproof filler, and then level the floor. If you are installing carpet throughout multiple rooms, consider removing doors from their hinges. Finally, sweep and vacuum.
Step 4: Set Up Your Tack Strips
Install tack strips along every wall, avoiding doorways and entryways. Leave a half inch of space between the wall and strip. Make sure there are no spaces between each tack strip and angle them towards the wall.
Nail the tack strips into place over a wooden subfloor. With a concrete subfloor, use a construction adhesive and then nail the tack strips down with masonry nails.
Step 5: Install the Underlay
Install the padded underlay. Make sure it’s perpendicular to the direction the carpet will lay. If you have a concrete subfloor, use a synthetic fiber underlay to prevent condensation. Make sure the underlay butts right up to the tack strips but doesn’t overlap them.
To seal the underlay to concrete, use carpet adhesive and seal the seams with duct tape.
To seal underlay to wood, use a staple gun.
Step 6: Lay Your Carpet
Cut and lay your carpet. Before laying it out, cut each strip to your measured size adding an extra six inches.
Lay the carpet in the room starting flush against one wall and pulling it across to the other wall. Where the carpet meets the wall, use a chalk line to measure the exact size then use a utility knife to cut away the excess material.
Lay the next strip of carpet the same way, ensuring the carpet’s pile is in the same direction and overlap each strip by a few inches so you can cut through both layers simultaneously and the two pieces will fit perfectly.
Seal the seams with seaming tape under the carpet with the adhesive side up. Use a steaming iron over the tape to secure. Then, press the carpet together with a rolling pin or carpet roller. Continue this for each additional strip of carpet.
Step 7: Finalize the Room
Stretch your carpet using a knee kicker or power stretcher for larger areas. Cut away any excess carpet around the room’s edges and doorways with a utility knife. Cut openings for floor vents. Reinstall floor vents, baseboards, and doors.
Tips and Tricks for Installing Carpet
If you’ve never installed carpet before, you may think it is an easy task, but it can get tricky. Save yourself some of the hassle by using these expert tips.
- Rent carpet-specific tools from your local home improvement store if you don’t expect to install carpet often. This includes a knee kicker, power stretcher, and seam iron.
- Don’t skimp on carpet stretchers. Yes, you can get the job done without them, but the finished product will contain lumps and wrinkles. Instead, rent or buy a long power stretcher and a knee kicker.
- Leave old tack strips in place if they aren’t damaged.
- Do not place new tack strips against the wall. Instead, leave a space a bit less than the thickness of the carpet so you can tuck the end of the carpet between the tack strip and wall for a tight, seamless edge.
- Get an extra 10% of material if using patterned carpet and 5% for non-patterned carpet. The larger the pattern on the carpet, the more overage you should get.
- Splurge on high-quality padding and do not lay it over the tack strips. Instead, keep the padding within the interior of the outer tack strip border to ensure you don’t get weird lumps.
Final Thoughts
Installing carpet isn’t for everyone, but if you have the tools and will, you can upgrade your home yourself with a few tried and true tricks and a bit of hard work.
Did you find this blog post helpful? If so please share. Also take a look at our other most recent related posts by clicking on the tags available below: