How to Lay Carpet at a Door Threshold

Vacuum the floor of the area you are carpeting to remove all dust and dirt.

Measure and cut pre-nailed gripper strips to fit around the perimeter of the room, using measuring tape and a utility knife. Place the strips one-quarter inch away from and parallel to the floor edges, but do not place them at door thresholds. Tap the strips’ pre-installed nails flush with the floor so the ends point toward the wall.

Lay underlay in a staggered pattern over the floor up to the gripper strips, but do not cover the gripper strips. Cut excess underlay with a carpet cutter. Nail down the underlay every 5 inches with 20 mm nails and join the seams with duct tape.

Lay a threshold strip perpendicular to the door jamb. Insert nails into the pre-drilled holes and tap them in place using a hammer.

Cut carpet to fit the room using a carpet cutter. Lay the carpet flat over the floor so that the pile faces the doorway. If the carpet isn’t large enough to fit the room, use double-sided tape on the underside of the floor to make joints.

Push the knee gripper’s teeth into the carpet about an inch from the wall and kick the other end of the gripper with your knee to hook the carpet onto the gripper strips. Continue this method all around the perimeter of the room to stretch the carpet and hook it in place.

Trim away excess carpet with a carpet cutter, leaving one-quarter inch of space on all edges. Using the tucking tool, tuck carpet into the threshold strip and underneath molding.

Open and close the door to test how it moves over the new carpet. If it doesn’t move smoothly, remove the door’s hinges, using a screwdriver, and sand the bottom of the door until it can accommodate the carpet. Alternatively, take the door to a carpenter to have it sanded or cut.

Wait at least a week before vacuuming the new carpet.