How to Fit a Carpet

How to fit a carpet

Carpets are still as popular as ever, even with the rise in people opting for laminate and LVT. If you’re after a refresh, colour scheme change, or simply need something with a bigger fluffier pile, there’s the option of buying the carpet and fitting it yourself to save some pennies.

With carpet, it is really important to have all of the equipment and fittings that will keep it in place. Otherwise, your carpet can move and unravel, which is not only unsightly but can also be a trip hazard.

 

You will need:

• Carpet gripper
• Hammer or gripper adhesive
• Saw (jigsaw or handsaw)
• Cable detector
• Underlay
• Craft knife
• PPE (thick gloves and eye protection)
• Knee pads
• Heavy duty cloth/carpet tape
• Knee kicker or stretcher

Once your carpet is down, you will need to keep it clean and hygienic. Using a carpet cleaner once every six months will remove ground-in dirt and dust, as well as being able to clean spills and accidents. You should also vacuum daily with pets or children, or once a week if the carpet gets little traffic.

 

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The carpet gripper goes around the outside of your room to keep the carpet in place, preventing movement. Underlay keeps the carpet backing from wearing away and adds to the bounce or cushioning of the carpet. Then the tape will hold the underlay in place.

Knee pads will protect your knees from the hard flooring over time. Then, a knee kicker or stretcher is what professionals use to stretch out hessian-backed carpet to reach the grippers, minimising the chance of movement or an uneven surface.

Carpet grippers come with nails already fitted which you can knock into your floor. If you’re having to fit around awkward areas, however, you may want to remove the nails and use a gripper adhesive instead.

Finally, always wear PPE when doing any DIY jobs. Gloves will protect your hands from the sharp tacks on the grippers and when using tools. Eye protection is needed when sawing, cutting, or using sharp objects.

 

How to fit a carpet: Method

1. Remove old flooring

You need a base to work with and should not install carpet on existing carpet or laminate flooring. Remove the existing flooring bringing you back to the base, which will either be concrete or wood floors. Check for any repairs needed to the flooring, and make the necessary repairs.

Remove existing carpet grippers and anything else on the flooring which creates an uneven surface. You will then want to sweep or vacuum the floor to remove all debris and dirt, before checking for any final repairs needed.

 

2. Fit the carpet gripper

The carpet gripper goes around the outside of your room, except across the doorway.

Firstly, use your cable detector to detect any cables or pipes running along your room where the gripper will go. This could be electrical cables, or radiator pipework. Mark these areas with pencil or chalk as areas to avoid.

The carpet gripper will need to be fitted around 7mm away from the skirting board (or roughly 3/4 the thickness of the carpet).

If pipes are detected, you will need to use a gripper adhesive as opposed to nailing the gripper to the floor. An adhesive will also be needed if you’re fitting on top of a concrete floor. Remove any nails before using adhesive.

Cut the carpet gripper to size using a small jigsaw or handsaw. Remember to wear your gloves when holding the gripper and wear goggles when sawing or working with nails and tacks.

 

3. Lay the underlay

Loosely lay the underlay rubber side down around the room. Use a craft knife to cut it level with the carpet gripper. You don’t want the underlay to go over the gripper tacks as this will mean the carpet has nowhere to grip onto.

Each section should join seamlessly. Don’t overlap them as this will cause a bumpy uneven carpet. Join the sections with the carpet or fabric tape. If you have a wooden subfloor, you may wish to use a staple gun, but this isn’t necessary.

 

4. Cut and lay the carpet

Ideally, you want the carpet to be one large section. If this isn’t possible, you need to ensure the sections join seamlessly and the pile all goes in the correct direction.

Use a knee kicker to pull the carpet taut. Start from the centre of the room and drag towards the wall. Once you reach the edge, press the carpet down onto the carpet grippers ensuring there is no movement.

Trim any excess using a utility knife. Try to push some carpet underneath the skirting boards for a really clean finish.

If you’re joining sections of carpet, use seaming tape and an iron. Ensure the tape is placed down with the adhesive side facing up, and carpet sections are joined seamlessly, with no bumps or scuffs.

 

5. Repeat and adjust

Repeat step 4 for all required sections of your carpet, and for every wall or edge of the room. Once done and properly fitted to the carpet grippers, your carpet should not move. If it does, use the knee kicker to retighten the carpet to the edging.

 

FAQs

How do I know how much carpet I need?

Measure the length and the width of the room in metres, and multiply these numbers together. This will give you the total area of the room. Measure at the longest or widest sections of the room, and then add 10% on to the total to account for waste.

If your room is an odd shape, you may wish to work out the total area of sections and add these together, purchasing carpet sections separately. If you have any alcoves for example, include these in the overall measurements.

 

Which underlay do I need?

There are many different types of carpet underlay available. Think of your household's specific needs.

In high-traffic areas, you’re going to want something hardwearing, durable, high-density and comfortable underfoot such as PU foam. If you have pets or kids, hardwearing and stain-resistant is best.

Upstairs, you will want sound resistance for those below. So crumb or sponge rubber could be well suited, especially if you have floorboards.

Different types of carpet are also suited to different types of underlay, so if you’re going for a loop pile carpet for example, you can’t use a soft underlay as this will distort the pile.

When you buy your carpet, ask for advice from the sellers as to what is recommended.

 

Can I lay the carpet on top of the existing flooring?

It is not recommended.

Laying carpet on top of laminate flooring, which can be slippery and shiny, could cause the carpet to stretch and lose its position over time.

Laying over the existing carpet would result in a very uneven surface for walking on, and there would also be concerns about existing carpet dirt and dust causing wear on your new carpet. Essentially, it isn’t very hygienic as no carpet can be completely cleaned!

 

Should I hire or buy carpet installation tools?

Knee kickers often start around £20. Professional standard tools can reach upwards of £100, but these aren’t needed.

For anything else you need, such as saws and cable detectors, hiring ensures you get the best quality tools without investing or needing to store them. This will keep the cost as low as possible, too, so you are saving money versus hiring a professional carpet installer.