How to Remove Carpet & the Wood Around It

Find the finishing nails in the wood trim used around the edge of the room. Slide a crow bar behind one of the screws and pull it up to pop it out. Use a hammer to help ease the crow bar behind the wood. Start at one part of the room and work your way around until you remove all the trim.

Grab the edge of the carpet with pliers. Start in one of the corners and pull the carpet up and away from the floor. Use a sharp knife to cut the carpet about 3 feet from the wall. Hold the carpet off the ground while you carefully cut so you don't cut the floor underneath. Roll this strip of carpet up and do the next 3-foot strip. Continue this way until you completely remove the carpet.

Remove the carpet padding by pulling up the staples that hold it down with needle-nose pliers. Start on one side of the room and work your way across, rolling the padding up as you go.