How To Remove Carpet Flooring

If you are looking for a cost effective remodel that you can do on your own, you should definitely consider changing your floor. Materials like hardwood and tile are quite easy to install. Furthermore, they are a great upgrade from carpet flooring. In many cases, preparing your subfloor will be just as demanding as installing the new product. This article explains how to remove carpet so your subfloor will be completely ready for the new product, whether it be hardwood, tile, vinyl or something similar.

The Essential Tools for the Job

There are a few basic tools you will need for this job. You will definitely need a utility knife so you can cut the carpet into manageable pieces. You will also need some sort of prying device. If you don't have a pry bar, you can usually use a hammer it with a normal claw end. Also, you definitely want to invest in some heavy-duty protective gloves because the carpet base can be sharp. You might also need some pliers to remove staples from a wooden subfloor and flathead screwdrivers to help remove the carpet tack strips.

Removing the Carpet in Strips

To get the carpet up and off the floor, you will need to use some force and pry it up. Usually, you can find an edge and start to peel up from there. If your edge is too buried underneath your baseboard molding, you can cut a slit in the carpet and insert the prying device (hammer or pry bar) there. As you lift the carpet, use the utility knife to cut it into long, straight sections that you can roll up and carry out of the house. Usually, if the sections are less than 6' wide, you can easily carry them out over your shoulder. Once the carpet is off of the floor, the carpet pad should be easier to remove because it is much lighter.

Removing Staples and Tack Strips

Most carpet pads will be stapled to the subfloor, but these staples should easily pop out of the wood as you lift up the pad. Any staples that stay stuck in the wood can be removed with your pliers. Often, the tack strips are the most stubborn to remove. You will need to hammer a couple of flat head screwdrivers underneath them to pry them up.

Once this is done, you can vacuum and/or sweep your floor. Now that your floor is completely clean, you will be ready to begin the next step in your new floor installation. Even if you end up paying professionals to install your new floor, doing this part of the job will save you a substantial amount of money. For more information, contact a company like Sure-Fire Contracting Inc.


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