Carpet Removal Tips
Whether you're swapping out older carpet for a newer design or going with a different type of flooring, you'll have to remove the existing carpet. And even if you're calling in a professional for the installation, you can save money by removing the carpet yourself.
First things first? Make sure you're wearing a pair of heavy-duty work gloves. Carpet tacks are numerous and sharp, so you'll want to make sure your hands are protected throughout the removal.
Start in a corner of the room and pull up the carpet with pliers. Pull the rest of the carpet from the first tack strip (you'll probably have several tack strips placed at intervals under your carpet).
As you free the carpet from the tack strips, use a sharp utility knife to cut the carpet into 3- or 4-foot sections, which will allow you to roll the carpet and easily transport it out of the house.
Once you have the carpet out of the way, you'll need to tackle the padding. Carpet padding can be attached in a couple of different ways: staples and glue. If your padding is stapled, try using needle-nose pliers to pull out the staples and remove the padding. If it's glued to the floor, use a a flooring scraper to free the padding.
If you're removing carpeting so that you can expose the hardwoods beneath, take care as you remove the carpet. You'll likely still need to do some refinishing work to the hardwoods, but minimizing any damage incurred during the removal process will keep your refinishing to a minimum.
Have you removed carpet in your home? Did it go fairly easily or is that project on your "Never Do Again" list?
Photo: Flickr.com/photos/luschei/1255558993/
