Is your carpet old and dingy? Or are you simply looking for a change in the decor? Either way it is time to remove the old carpet and replace it with new carpet or hardwood floors or whatever your choice may be. But, there are some guidelines you should be aware of when removing carpet. These include the correct tools to use and for what task, safety precautions and obstacles you may encounter when removing a carpet from any room. Here is a simple step by step guide on removing carpet.
First you will need some tools:
1. Needle nose pliers - for pulling up staples
2. Heavy duty work gloves - to avoid any splinters or pokes to the fingers and hand
3. Mineral spirits - to remove any adhesive that may have been used to hold the padding down
4. Flooring scraper - to remove any glue that may have been used to hold the padding down
5. Hammer - for the removal of nails and tack strip
6. Pry bar - for the removal of tack strip
7. Utility knife - for cutting the carpet and/or padding up into easy to handle chunks
8. Safety glasses - for the safety of your eyes
9. Vacuum cleaner - to be used for final clean up
10. Broom and dustpan - to be used for final clean up
11. Garbage bags - to be used for initial and final clean up
12. Other warm bodies - to help you out when the going gets tough
Step number one:
Clear out the room and clean up the floor. Being able to pull up a carpet without have to stop to move furniture around is much easier. Be sure to vacuum and toss any garbage out that may get in the way of the work.
Step number two:
Decide which corner to start in. Usually this won't matter unless there is a specific obstacle you would like to or need to avoid.
Step number three:
Begin pulling and get an idea of what you're in for. Under the carpet is padding. Under that padding is either concrete or hardwood floors. If you want to keep the hardwood floors you have to work extra carefully. You also need to determine how the padding is held in place if at all. It could be held down with glue, adhesive, nails or staples. Keep pulling until all carpet is detached from the floor.
Step number four:
If the carpet is large then use the utility knife to cut it up into chunks and then remove from the room. Do this after the carpet is completely pulled off the floor, or you can do this in sections as long as what you're cutting is completely detached from the floor.
Step number five:
Remove the padding. Again, depending on how it is attached to the floor this could prove to be the hardest part of carpet removal. If there is glue then you can scrape it away with a flooring scraper. If it is nails use a hammer. If staples, try the needle nose pliers. If a special adhesive was used you may have to try mineral spirits to loosen it up.
Step number six:
Carefully work to remove the sharp tack strips and/or staples, nails and anything else that was used to hold the padding and carpet in place.
Step number seven:
Use the broom and vacuum cleaner to clean up what is left in the room.
Now you are finished and ready to move on to the new flooring you've chosen.