Carpet Installing Tools

Seam Cutter

• This carpeting tool is used to cut two pieces of carpet at the same time when they are overlapping to ensure that they are cut in a matter that will allow them to line up nicely to cover a floor. This tool is only needed if the room is so large that it requires more than one piece of carpeting to be covered.

Seaming Iron

• A seaming iron is used to activate seam tape before a carpet seam in laid on top of it. The iron is placed on top of the tape, not the carpet, so that it can activate the adhesive and then the two pieces of carpet are butted up against each other atop the activated seam tape.

Knee Kicker and Carpet Stretcher

• A knee kicker has a long piece of toothed metal on one end that grips the carpet and a very thick padding on the other. This tool is used to attached the carpeting to the tack strips that are placed around the edge of the room the secure the carpet. Placesthe tool a few inches away from the wall and forcefully drive your knee into the padded end of the knee kicker, which stretches the carpet toward the tack strip, which then grips the carpet, holding it in place. A carpet stretcher does the same job as a knee kicker, only on a larger scale.

Wall Trimmer

• Once the carpet has been stretched over and gripped by the tape strips around the edge of the room, a wall trimmer is used to trim the excess carpet around the edge of the room. A utility knife can be used in place of a wall trimmer if you don't own a wall trimmer or don't want to rent one.

Safety

• Just like most major home improvement projects, safety gear should be worn when installing carpet. Safety glasses prevent carpet particles from getting in your eyes. Heavy duty gloves protect your hands from getting cut. Finally, knee pads should be worn because much of the carpet laying work will be done on your knees, also, knee pads will help to protect your knees when using the knee kicker to stretch the carpet over the tack strips.