How to Remove Carpet

Save money on the installation of new hardwood flooring or a new room of carpeting by removing the old carpeting yourself. Removing old wall-to-wall carpeting requires no specialized skill and few tools, but a plan makes the work faster and cleanup a snap. Even though the carpet is destined for the trash heap, give it a good vacuum first then mist with water to keep the dust to a minimum.

Utility knife
Utility knife blades
Masking tape
Pry bar
Hammer

Instructions

- 1
  Grab the carpeting in the corner of the room and pull it from the tack strip.
- 2
  Cut a strip of carpet about 3 feet out from the corner with a utility knife. Cut the strip wall-to-wall, or whatever is manageable for you.
- 3
  Roll the cut strip of carpet, pulling it from the tack strip when necessary.
- 4
  Secure the carpet roll with masking tape.
- 5
  Continue cutting and rolling 3-foot strips of carpet until all carpeting is removed.
- 6
  Cut and roll strips of the carpet padding as you did with the carpet until all carpet padding is removed.
- 7
  Remove the tack strip with a pry bar and hammer. Insert the pry bar under the tack strip near a nail, use the hammer to hit the pry bar in place then lift the nail out of the floor with the pry bar.

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