How to Tear Out Old Carpet & Install New

Tear Out Old Carpet

• 1

  Empty the room of any furniture or other items so the floor is completely clear. Use a pry bar to carefully pull the baseboard trim away from the wall. To protect the paint on the wall, score the edge of the trim with a sharp utility knife where it meets the wall.

• 2

  Lift one corner of the carpet up and away from the wall to remove it from the tack strip underneath. Pull the carpet 4 feet back from the wall, and then begin cutting it into strips with the utility knife. Continue pulling it back and cutting it into strips until all the carpet is removed.

• 3

  Roll the strips and tie them with twine to get them out of the room and dispose of them.

• 4

  Pull up the foam padding under the carpet and away from the staples holding it to the floor. It usually tears into pieces, so bag it in large trash bags as you go. If it doesn't tear, cut it with the utility knife for easier handling and bagging.

• 5

  Pry the tack strips from the perimeter of the room. Use pliers to pull the staples from the floor that held the carpet pad. Dispose of all trash and sweep the subfloor with a broom so it is clean and ready for the new installation.

Install New Carpet

• 6

  Lay down new tack strips, approximately 1/2 inch out from the wall, all around the room. Be sure the strips are installed with the tacks up and the arrow printed on the strip pointing toward the wall.

• 7

  Butt the tack strip corners tightly so that there is no gap between the strips. Hammer the prenailed strips directly to the subfloor.

• 8

  Fill the area at the center of the tack strip outline with carpet pad. This is usually done with strips of foam padding. Cut strips to fit with a utility knife. Position adjoining pad strips tightly together and tape them with duct tape.

• 9

  Anchor the carpet pad to the subfloor, using a staple gun. Staples should be no closer to each other than 1 foot and no farther apart than 2 feet.

• 10

  Position the carpet stretcher approximately 6 inches from the wall, on the edge of the carpet directly opposite of the edge previously tacked down. Press the teeth down into the carpet so it reaches the carpet backing.

• 11

  Turn the carpet stretcher on and it will slowly stretch the carpet over the tack strip at that wall. Complete this wall and then work steadily around the other walls until complete.

• 12

  Trim any excess carpet around the room using the utility knife. Replace the baseboard trim and vacuum the new carpet to remove any debris or errant carpet fibers left over from the installation.