For people planning to replace their old carpet flooring for some new flooring options removing the old carpet is the first task. If you have already booked an installation service for installing the new flooring, the same service provider can also complete the task of removing the old carpet. However, removing the old carpet is a simple task, and if you are ready to give the time, doing it yourself can save you some good bucks. Here are some important tips for the DIY enthusiasts to make their task easier and more organized.
- It is important to decide how you will dispose the old carpet before you actually pull it off. Ask your installer and most probably he will be able to suggest you something. Otherwise, look for carpet recycling facilities in your locality or in the nearby area. Trash haulers might also collect it from you, so have a talk with them if they can help you about disposing the old material.
- If you have continuous carpet flooring covering more than one room and you are about to change the carpet for only one room, first cut the carpet with a sharp knife right at the door. This will ensure that removing the carpet from the floor of the room will not affect the carpeting in the other room forcing you to replace the carpet of that room as well.
- Make it a point to remove all the furniture from the room before you start with the project. If you are planning to keep the furniture at one corner of the same room while you tear out the carpet from the other side, it is the worst idea that is sure to give you trouble once you have started the tearing. So, remove all the furniture and make the room actually vacant before you start.
- Before you start, also ensure that all the swinging doors, including the ones of the closets in the room are well closed and they are not obstructing any part of the floor. If needed remove the doors and keep them in another room for the time being, and you can install them back after you have completed the project.
- Protecting your hands from any abrasion is necessary. The back side of the carpet itself as well as the tack strips can be hard on your hands and fingers. So put on a pair of good quality hand gloves before you start. Also wear a dust mask because it is most expected that there will be dust of years hidden under the carpet and all of it will start to flow around as you will pull out the carpet.
- Always start detaching a carpet from one corner. If you have already made an incision at the door, then you can also start pulling off the carpet from that point. First use a plier to pull off the carpet from the tack strips and then hold it in hands and continue pulling up along the wall. Removing the carpet along the wall can make the job easier and more organized for you.
- Handling the whole carpeting of a room together can be really problematic, so always make it a point to cut the removed carpet in strips that are easy to handle. Once you have pulled off the carpet to some length, fold back about 3ft and cut it off with a utility knife. It is much easier to cut a carpet from the back rather than from the front. So, always fold it back and cut off.
- Once you cut off a strip of the old carpet, fold it and carry it to the dumping place before starting with the next part and after you complete removing the carpet remove the padding underneath before vacuum cleaning the sub-floor.
The above tips can actually make your DIY project of removing carpet much simpler.
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