Get rid of old , haggard carpeting using this straightforward method .
Chip Nadeau
Over time , carpet wears out . The once - thick material can become compressed and flat , whileyears of small stainsor minor indemnification add up . If your flooring is in need of a refresh , you may remove an old carpet on your own with the correct tools and safety gearing . calculate on the size of it of the elbow room , it typically takes an good afternoon to pull up , pluck up , and absent the carpet , although you might also postulate to set aside some prison term to take the carpeting to the local landfill or recycling center .
Credit:Chip Nadeau
take in a plan for what to do with the floor after the carpet is removed is crucial , as this can affect the carpet remotion labor . For instance , if you are replacing the old carpet withnew carpet , you might not need to remove the tack strip or carpeting padding — but if you areputting in hardwood floors , everything must be hire up . Use this guide to instruct how to remove carpet .
Before You Begin
Before starting this job , consider what you ’ll do with the old rug after slay it . While some local trumpery pick - up services might drag short rolls of rug off with the even pick - up , others require you to cast aside of it yourself . Before dropping the previous rug at the curbing , check with the local recycling and trash peck - up service to fix whether they will take it or if you need to rule an alternate option .
One way to get rid of erstwhile carpet is to take it to a local recycling center . However , if the center does n’t swallow rug , you must take it to a nearby landfill for disposal . If you are also remove the tack striptease and carpeting padding , these materials will belike need to be taken to the local landfill after the task is complete .
Safety Considerations
Carpets are usually held in place by stable gear strips that are install along the walls . The tack strip are nailed into the floor , while the rug padding is typically secured with staple or adhesive agent . During the carpet remotion process , there is a high opportunity of poking or cutting your hands or knee with the various metal fasteners used in rug initiation .
to boot , work on your knees for lengthy periods can put substantial strain on them , and the dust from the carpet can get into your typeface , mouth , and eyes . To bide safe while you work , wear appropriate condom gear , including closed - toe shoes , knee launch pad , safety gloves , a dust mask , and safety glass .
What You’ll Need
Equipment / Tools
Materials
Instructions
How to Remove Carpet
Prepare the Area
Start by move out any article of furniture , contraption , or other point on the flooring . After the room is clear , employ a screwdriver to slay any doors that open up into the room where you will be take up the carpet .
Next , apply a pry ginmill to carefullyremove the baseboardsandshoe mold . Put the door , baseboards , and skid mouldings in a good , out - the - style station until they can be reinstall .
Cut the Carpet into Manageable Strips
If you design to reuse the carpet , you’re able to skip this footmark , but if the carpet will be fuddle out , make the job easier by cutting it into manageable strip before pulling it up . apply a usefulness knife to carefully cut the carpet into strips , driving the knife late enough to cut through the carpet backing but not so mysterious that you rationalize into the subfloor .
Detach Carpet From the Tack Strip
You ’ll find the carpet tack strip around the perimeter of the elbow room , where the baseboards were installed . These strips have curved tacks that hold the carpet in place , preventing it from bunching up or coming loose . To get rid of the carpet , you need to detach it from the tack slip .
Start in a corner . Use a set of pliers to snaffle the carpet and pull it toward the shroud cartoon strip , up , and away to unhook it from the tacking . If you are n’t implicated about the experimental condition of the carpeting or the weather sheet strips , cut the carpeting away from the tack strips with a usefulness tongue .
Pull Up the Carpet
When the carpet is detach from the tack strips , it can be pulled up . Grab the rug with gloved hands , draw up , and wrap the first comic strip of carpeting . As the carpeting comes up , secure each strip show with duct tape , toss it in a refuse bag , and take it from the room . Repeat this process until the total carpet has been take . habituate pliers for a good hold on the carpet , if necessary .
Remove the Carpet Padding
The rug padding is ordinarily secure to the subfloor with 100 of staples , although if the subfloor is made of concrete , the installers likely used an adhesive material . To remove the carpet cushioning , start by pulling out any staple with plier , a long - handled floor scraper , or a specialised tool known as a carpet staple remover .
If the carpeting padding is hold fast to the concrete subfloor with an adhesive agent , use a trading floor scraper to withdraw the patch of padding , although tough area may require a commercial-grade adhesive remover or an oscillating pecker to release the carpet cushioning .
Remove the Tack Strip
The tack strips are typically secured to the subfloor with nails . To take out them , use a hammer to drive the fragile sword of a pigment scraper under them and lift up enough to slide a pry bar into the gap . Pull out the paint scraper and use the pry bar to pry up the weather sheet strip . Repeat this process until all the tack strips have been removed , and dispose of them in a heavy - tariff garbage bag .
After the carpet , rug padding , and tacking strip have been bulge and removed from the room , use a broom , vacuum , and mop up to scavenge the floor before attempting toinstall Modern floor .
