Carpet Underpad Installation

Remove the old carpet underlay if applicable. Strip out the old padding by starting at the edge of the floor and peeling the under-padding back. Remove any remaining staples with a pair of pliers.

Take the under-padding outside and call a local carpet pad recycling center to arrange for disposal.

Secure loose floorboards or panels by hammering larger nails in at a slight angle. Fill any deep gouges in with wood filler and sand the surface smooth with 80-grit sandpaper and a sanding block.

Repair any cracks and fill any holes in a concrete sub-floor with an epoxy concrete compound. Remove any excess and smooth the surface down with a metal finish trowel.

Vacuum the floor thoroughly to remove any loose dirt or debris.

Secure wooden tack strips to the perimeter of the floor with wood or masonry nails and a hammer, whichever is applicable. Position the strips 2/3 of the carpet thickness away from the wall. Ensure that the arrows on the tack strip and the securing pins point toward the wall. Do not install tack strips directly in front if doorways.

Cut strips of carpet under-pad into lengths long enough to span the room. Position the first strip of padding, with the waffle side upward, 1/2-inch away from the tack strips along the side. Trim the ends of the strip with a utility knife and straightedge to maintain the 1/2-inch gap around the perimeter; this will prevent the padding from riding up over the tack strips during carpet installation.

Roll out subsequent layers over the rest of the floor with the waffle side up and the edges butting to form a clean seam without overlapping. You may have to trim the width of the final layer to size with a utility knife and straightedge.

Secure the padding seams to a wood floor with staples and a stapling gun, or over concrete with an approved adhesive as directed on the container.

Cover all seams with duct tape to keep the layers together and to prevent them from creeping or shifting once the carpet is laid.