Carpeting is a great flooring option for your home when you need a quiet flooring upstairs or you want something soft and warm underneath your feet. Here are some simple tips to follow when you intend to install it on your own.

Clean and Prepare the Floor

As with all flooring installations, you need to prepare the floor before you begin installing the new carpeting. If there is carpet or other flooring materials, remove it and get down to the subfloor. This floor then needs to be cleaned thoroughly. If you notice any areas of damage or sinking in the floor, get it repaired first. Remove any joint compound you find and buff the subfloor until it is completely smooth. Sweep the subfloor as the final step. You may also want to remove doors in the room to make it easier to install the carpeting without anything getting in your way.

Cut and Lay Down the Carpet Padding

The next step of the process is installing your carpet padding. If you are skipping padding underneath the carpeting, you want to use tackless strips, as the carpeting is installed directly on top of the subfloor. However, if you are adding a carpet padding for comfort and extra protection underneath the carpeting, use tack strips. These prevent the use of adhesives to attach the carpet to the floor and is often the method used by professional carpet installers. It also keeps the carpet from moving around too much. You will install the first tack strip around the edges of the room, avoiding doorways. This is actually nailed to the subfloor for extra stability. Next, you will lay down the carpet padding, being sure it is stretched out and stapled to the floor.

Do the Finishing Steps

Once the carpet padding has been installed, it is time to lay down the carpeting. Start by laying it down loosely on the padding so you can begin stretching it. A knee kicker should be used, which helps to secure the carpet to the floor. You want the top of the knee kicker to be facing the wall. You will kick the padded side of the tool as you push and stretch the carpet in the direction of the wall. Place the carpet over the nails of the tack strip to secure it properly. Trim the carpeting as needed. Continue doing this around the room, using the knee kicker every time you reach the perimeter of the room.