Wed, 15 Mar 2017 01:18:57 GMT
- Pliers
- Dust mask
- Gloves
- Knee pads or an old towel
- Flathead screwdriver
- Carpet blade or utility knife
- Mini crowbar
- Hammer
- Vacuum
- Safety glasses
- Floor scraper
- Blue painter’s tape
Steps for removing carpet
The very first step in the carpet removal process is to check and see if the baseboards go over the top of the carpet edges. Most of the time, this is not the case, but in the rare instance baseboards are over the top of the carpet, the baseboards will need to be carefully removed first. Alternatively, if the baseboards are flush with the carpet, blue painter’s tape will need to be applied in at least a three-inch band to protect the baseboards during the prying process. Once the tape is in place, get the knee pads, eye protectors, gloves, and face mask for the prying.
The loosening of the carpet should start in one corner. Using pliers, attempt to pull on the edge of the carpet to start the loosening process. If it is difficult to get a handle on a piece of carpet, try using a mini crowbar or flat-head screwdriver to pry between the carpet and the baseboard. As the carpet is loosened, it might reveal other agents that need to be removed individually with pliers such as staples or nails. Once the corner is loosened, it will expose a strip of upside-down nails that hold the carpet in place along the edges that are called tack strips.
Loosening a corner of the carpet will also reveal any padding. Under the padding, there may be a need to use the floor scraper to remove any excess adhesive with padding still attached. You can use the hammer to tighten up any nails loosened during the carpet removal process.
Let us help you remove carpet
Now that you understand all of the ins-and-outs of removing carpet, the next step is to decide whether or not you want to complete some of the steps. From tack strips, gloves, eye safety equipment, shop vacs to carpet cutters, we already have the supplies you need to get the old carpet ripped up. After you have your old carpet out of the way, you can also get your new flooring supplies and let us install them. Thank you in advance for choosing Real Estate Contractors, and be sure to tag us on social media when you take your before and after photos.