How to Install a Carpet with Carpet Tacks

Measure the width and length of the room to determine the square footage. Add an extra 4 inches to both measurements to account for thresholds or doorways. Keep in mind that spans larger than 15 feet in width will require a seam to fill the room.

Clean the floor and check for imperfections. Check for any squeaks and repair them by pushing a wood screw through the sub-floor and into the joist below using a power drill.

Add lengths of tack striping to the perimeter of the room with the printed directional arrows pointing at the wall. Leave a gap of a quarter-inch between the baseboard and the tack strip. Hammer in two 2-inch nails per foot of tack strip, being sure to place them around floor vents, columns and other items.

Lay down the carpet pad in complete strips, and trim it around doors. Get it as close inside the tack strips as possible, and staple it with a staple gun every couple of feet or where it seems loose.

Bring the rolled carpet into the room (it is easier to transport rolled). Position the carpet in its approximate location, getting it as straight and close to the wall as possible.

Begin in one corner and use a plastic paddle to push the edge of the carpet down into the quarter-inch space between the tack strip and baseboard. Don't press down directly on the tack strip and risk damaging the tacks.

Use a power stretcher to steadily work your way around the room as you also push the carpet into place. These are available from any tool rental and some home improvement stores.

Trim the excess carpet from the final edge near the wall, and tuck it down into the space between the tack strip and baseboard.