How to Pull Up Old Carpet From a Basement Floor

The carpet in basements is glued to the floor, rather than stapled or nailed, because the floor underneath is concrete. Glued carpet is much easier to pull up than stapled carpet. A simple utility knife is the only tool you need to get the carpet off the floor. The older the carpet is, the easier it will be to pull up because the glue has died out over the years and lost some of its grip. When carpet is glued to the floor, there is typically only a small amount of glue dabbed around the edges of the carpet, so once the corners are pulled up, the rest of the carpet will come up easily.

Utility knife
Work gloves (optional)
Pliers (optional)
Adhesive remover (glue solvent)

Instructions

- 1
  Run a utility knife along the edge of the carpet from corner to corner, wall to wall, to cut the carpet free from the wall.
- 2
  Peal back one corner of the carpet with your fingers. If you have a difficult time pealing the carpet back with your fingers, try using a pair of pliers to get a better grip. Lift the carpet up and pull it back with your hands.
- 3
  Continue to peel back each corner of the carpet towards the center of room until the carpet is free. Roll up the carpet or cut it into strips with your utility knife and dispose of it.
- 4
  Use an adhesive remover and a rag to clean up any glue residue. An adhesive remover is a cleaning product, similar to paint remover, designed to dissolve glue. Refer to the directions on the bottle for proper use.

Ideas for Carpeting Stairs

How to Lay Berber Carpet

Carpeting