How to Install Carpet Padding

Removing Old Underlay

• 1

  Collect the following: hammer, nails, gloves, tackless strips, utility knife or carpet knife, stapler and pliers.

• 2

  Start at an edge and pull up old carpet underlay and discard it.

• 3

  Use pliers to pull up all the staples that held the underlay to the floor. (Any staples left behind will create bumps in the new underlay and carpet.)

• 4

  Remove glued underlay. This will require pulling up by hand as much old underlay as you can, and then applying a solvent (such as a citrus stripper) to soften the glue and scraping the remaining underlay off the floor.

Installing Carpet Padding

• 5

  Fill any holes in the subfloor surface and fasten any loose floor boards or panels to eliminate creaking floors.

• 6

  Install tackless strips 1/2" from the wall, around the perimeter of your room (but not in front of doorways). Ensure the tacks point towards the wall and the strips meet at all corners.

• 7

  Cut the underlay in strips that will run the length of the room, long enough to cover the tackless strips.

• 8

  Install the underlay strips from one end to another. Put staples every 6-8 inches running from the inside of the tackless strip at one end of the room to the other.

• 9

  Lay the underlay strips parallel to each other with their edges butting against each other (but not overlapping).

• 10

  Trim away the excess underlay at the inside edge of the tackless strips all around the room.

• 11

  Cover the seams with carpet or duct tape.