How to Install Metal Trim From Carpet to Concrete Floors

The metal trim commonly used to conceal the transition point between carpet and a concrete floor within a doorway is called a carpet bar. The carpet bar provides durability and an attractive finish, while minimizing the amount of dirt that collects underneath the carpet. Fortunately, carpet bars are fairly inexpensive and straightforward to install, and because they feature carpet tacks, a separate tackstrip is not used.

Hacksaw
Nails
Hammer
Utility blade
Carpet knee kicker
Stair tool
Block of wood
Hammer

Instructions

- 1
  Cut a carpet bar with a hacksaw to the length of the carpet/concrete transition if necessary. Carpet bars are available to match common doorway widths but are also sold in bulk lengths.
- 2
  Position the carpet bar in the doorway with the side of the bar that features tacks facing upward.
- 3
  Drive nails through the carpet bar and into the floor with a hammer.
- 4
  Fold the carpet over the carpet bar and draw a trim line across the carpet backing. Mark the trim line to allow the edge of the carpet to be between 1/8 and 1/4 inches away from the corner of the carpet bar to permit the carpet to be stretched into the edge of the bar.
- 5
  Slice across the trim line on the back of the carpet with a utility blade.
- 6
  Stretch the carpet toward the carpet bar with a carpet knee kicker until the carpet is snug against the interior edge of the bar.
- 7
  Press the edge of the carpet into the pins within the carpet bar with a stair tool.
- 8
  Bend the vertical side of the carpet bar over the edge of the carpet with a block of wood and a hammer. Position the wood block against the bar and tap the block toward the carpet. Bend the entire length of the carpet bar down in increments to avoid distorting the bar.

How to Determine Thread Pitch With a Ruler

Information on Carpet Padding

Carpeting