Getting a Remnant to Repair a Carpet

Tools

• Replacing a damaged area of carpet with a remnant piece requires the following tools: a utility knife, a roll of double-sided carpet tape, a pen or marker, and a pair of scissors. While the utility knife and double-sided carpet tape are specialty items that can be found in a home improvement store, a common writing implement or pair of scissors should be useful in this task.

Technique

• Cut closely around the damaged area of the carpet with a utility knife. Remove the cutout, and lay pieces of double-sided tape into the opening. Make sure the double-sided tape sticks firmly to the carpet backing and covers the entire perimeter of the opening. Take the cutout of damaged carpet, and lay it on the underside of the carpet remnant. Trace the outline of the cutout with a pen or marker. Using a utility knife, follow the outline of the cutout to form the replacement patch. Fit the replacement patch into the carpet opening. Press firmly on the replacement patch to ensure that it adheres to the double-sided tape. Using your fingers, feather the edges of the replacement patch to blend in with the surrounding carpet.

Tips

• When cutting out the damaged area of carpet, try to follow the outline of a circle or triangle. Unlike squares or rectangles, these shapes have a tendency to blend in more easily. It is also critical that the grain of the replacement patch flows in the same direction as the rest of the carpet. This will ensure that the mended carpet has a consistent pattern. And once the replacement patch has been installed, homeowners should trim any long fibers to even out the surface with the surrounding carpet. Homeowners can take an extra step to evening out the carpet by covering the repaired area with a heavy weight (e.g., heavy furniture, stack of books) for a day or two.

Alternatives

• If homeowners do not have access to remnants of their carpet, they can create replacement patches from similar-looking carpet samples.