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Removing old carpeting is a relatively simple undertaking. It's getting the pad, the tack strips and the staples out of the floor that is the tricky part. It's a tough job to do on your own and sometimes it's just easier and less aggravating to let the professionals do the job.

CARPET TOOLS YOU WILL NEED

Sharpened hooked tile knife
Thin strip of wood
Pliers
Flat bar

Rope or Cord
Work gloves

Give yourself plenty of time to remove the old carpet, because you might need it. The first thing you should do is vacuum the old rug thoroughly before you start doing anything. You don't want to create a dust storm in the house while taking out the old carpet

WORK TIME

Before you start anything, put on some heavy- duty work gloves, to protect your hands.
Utilizing a sharp hooked tile knife, or a cutter, start cutting strips of carpet about 18 to 24 inches wide and long enough to be rolled up. Lift the carpet off the floor as not to scratch or ruin the existing flooring underneath the carpet. When you have finished a section, roll it up, tie it up with cord and set it aside. If the carpeting is still in good shape you may want to save some to utilize in another room.

Once you have all of the carpet off of the floor and bundled up, you will have to get the pad off the floor also. This is where the hard work really begins. You have to remove the tack strips and the staples from the floor. Cut the pad away from the tack strips with your carpet tools and throw it out, or save it to be recycled. Companies recycle pads nowadays and make it into new carpet padding.

All you should have left now are the tack strips and the staples. This is where it gets tricky, and you have to use your carpet tools very carefully, so they don't scratch the sub flooring. By using the small piece of soft wood as leverage, carefully place the flat bar under the end of the tack strip and lift it up a bit. Slide the carpet tool along the thin protective wood strip while gently prying up the tack strips. Use pliers or vice grips to remove the staples, by using the thin piece of wood once again. Place the wood near the staple and rock the pliers on the wood, until your carpet tool clamps on and remove the staple.

PROFESSIONAL CREW

Once you are done you will want to sweep up the area and clean the wood with a good wood cleaner. You can have a professional carpet installing crew do all the work for you, but what fun would that be? They can remove all the furniture for you, remove the old carpet, and tackle those nasty tack strips. All you have to do is remove your valuables and vacuum the carpet. They even will take the old carpet away for you, if you so desire. It will cost more to have professionals install the carpet, but it can be worth it in the long run.

They will do a great job of cleaning the floor underneath before installing new carpeting. Sometimes it is worth it to spend the extra money, because it will save you a lot of time and headaches. Besides, professional carpet installers will have all the correct carpet tools that you may not have. Some companies charge extra for the removal of existing carpeting. However, with other companies it is included in the overall cost of putting down new carpeting. Look around for the company that is right for the job and ask a lot of questions.

A professional company can do the work for you, saving you the time and aggravation. Or you can get some friends together and have some fun removing the old carpet.

Learn more about this author, Kate Johns.
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