How to Lay Carpet at an Exterior Door Threshold

When installing carpeting in a home, special transition strip molding is required at edges that end in a doorway. These strips cover the exposed carpet edges and transition to the flooring in the adjoining room. When you reach the threshold of an exterior door, you need a square nose transition strip so it fits flush with the threshold under the door. In addition, special tacks hold the carpet firmly in place under the transition pieces.

Tape measure
Pencil
Tin snips
Tack strip
Hammer
Thick work gloves
Transition strip
Hacksaw or jigsaw
Construction adhesive
Bricks

Instructions

- 1
  Open the exterior door and measure the width of opening with a tape measure. Transfer the width to a wooden tack strip using a pencil and cut it using tin snips.
- 2
  Place the tack strip between the carpet and the door threshold, ensuring that the tacks face the door and not the carpet. Leave a ½-inch gap between the strip and the threshold. Hit the nails on top of the tack strip firmly with a hammer to sink them into the subfloor.
- 3
  Pull the carpet over the tack strip as firmly as possible and press it down onto the tack strip to secure it. Wear heavy work gloves when performing this step.
- 4
  Measure a square nose transition strip to the same width as the door and cut it down using a hacksaw. You may need a jigsaw to cut metal strips.
- 5
  Apply an additional 1/4-inch bead of construction adhesive in the space between the tack strip and the threshold all the way across the door opening.
- 6
  Turn the square nose transition strip so the flat side faces the threshold and press it into place on top of the adhesive. Place three bricks over the strip and leave them in place for one to two hours until the adhesive dries.

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