How to Install Carpet on Ceramic Floor and Vinyl Tile

Double-Sided Tape Method

• 1

  Remove all loose items from the room. Empty out all the furniture, accessories and shoe molding if applicable.

• 2

  Clean your floors thoroughly. Remove all dirt, dust and debris so your carpet materials have a clean and level surface to work with.

• 3

  Cut the rubber-backed carpet with a utility knife 4 to 6 inches larger than the size of the room.

• 4

  Place double-faced carpet tape around the edges of the room. Make a grid pattern with the tape for the center of the room by placing 1-foot crosses every 4 feet on top of the pad or directly onto the ceramic tile or vinyl floor. Don't remove the protective backing from the tape.

• 5

  Place the carpet in the room. Reposition the carpet in the room so an equal amount of excess carpet rises up each wall.

• 6

  Trim the edges as necessary. Use a putty knife to form a 90-degree angle crease on the carpet where the floor butts the wall. Use a utility knife to make the cut.

• 7

  Fold one-half of the carpet onto the other half of the carpet. Remove the protective cover from the carpet tape. Place the carpet over the tape and smooth out the carpeting, starting in the center of the room and working your way out.

• 8

  Repeat the process for the rest of the room. Smooth out the carpet starting in the center and move outwards. Walk along the perimeter of the room to get the carpeting to adhere to the tape.

Tackless Strip Method

• 9

  Remove the ceramic tiles around the perimeter of the room with a chisel to make space for tackless strips. Vinyl tile can be left in place. Sweep the floor and remove any debris.

• 10

  Measure the length of each wall. Use a saw to cut the tackless strips to the length of each wall.

• 11

  Nail the tackless strips around the perimeter of the room with at minimum two nails. Use masonry nails if the floor underneath the tile or vinyl is concrete. The pointed pins should face the wall and leave a space between the wall and tackless strip that is two-thirds of the carpet's thickness.

• 12

  Cut the carpet pad so it covers the room from wall to wall, inside the tackless strips. Multiple lengths may be necessary, as carpet padding generally comes in 6-foot widths. Lay the strips of padding on the floor with seams butted smoothly together.

• 13

  Fold half the carpet padding back and apply adhesive to the ceramic tile floor with a trowel. Lay the half of the padding strip onto the glue and use your hands to smooth out any bubbles. Fold the other half of the padding back, apply glue and smooth the padding back down. Repeat with ever padding strip across the room.

• 14

  Seal the seams between each strip of carpet padding with duct tape.

• 15

  Cut the carpet with a utility knife 6 inches larger than the size of the room.

• 16

  Place the carpet in the room. Reposition the carpet in the room so an equal amount of excess carpet rises up each wall.

• 17

  Use a knee kicker to hook the carpet to the tackless strip on one wall by kicking the cushioned end of the knee kicker against the tackless strip.

• 18

  Stretch the carpet to the adjacent wall with the help of the knee kicker. Start at the corner that is already attached to the tackless strip and ensure that the carpet doesn't move as you move along the wall.

• 19

  Stretch the carpet to the third wall with a power stretcher. Secure the carpet to the tackless strip. Repeat for the last wall.

• 20

  Trim the excess carpet material with a utility knife. Use a stair tool to tuck the carpet edges between the tackless strips and the wall.