How to Fit a Carpet

January 17th 2020

Fitting a Carpet

Most of the time when you purchase a carpet you will be given the option of installation. Installation by a professional carpet fitter will provide you with a high-quality finish but with the right tools and knowledge you can do a pretty good job yourself. In order to help you get the best possible finish when fitting your carpet, we’ve compiled some handy hints and tips along with a guide to fitting your own carpet.

Prior to fitting your carpet there are a few steps you will need to undertake first. The first thing you’ll need to do is measure for your carpet; remembering to add 5% extra just in case. Following this you’ll want to ensure you have removed your old flooring and prepared the floor for the new carpet; this includes adding carpet grippers to your floor if you don’t already have them. The grippers will need to be nailed to the floor. Following this make sure you fit carpet underlay; underlay is an essential part of carpet fitting and shapes how your flooring feels and also insulates the home better.

Assuming you have done the above steps, you now need to ensure you have the tools you may need to fit the carpet. We have a variety of fixing tools available for hire which will make fitting your own carpet that much simpler.

Tools:

• Knee Pads

• Tape Measure

• Pencil and Masking Tape

• Hammer or Nail Gun

• Nails (19mm and 10mm)

• Hardboard Sheets

• Pipe and Cable Detector

• Gloves

• Carpet Tape

• Craft or Stanley Knife

• Carpet Stretcher

• Carpet Tucker

• Drill

• Vacuum Cleaner

Fitting your Carpet

1. Loosely Position your Carpet

Start by laying your carpet loosely in position. You should look to leave around 50-75mm excess on every edge; cut the carpet to size if necessary. Cut the excess vertically above the corners and make sure to trim the overlapping triangles.

2. Work Backwards to Fit the Carpet

Start fitting at the longest wall and work your way backwards. Use a carpet tucker to make a firm crease in the carpet along the skirting board; giving you a fold line.

3. Use a Sharp Knife to Cut Along the Edge

Cut around 5mm higher than the carpet surface and make sure you hold the carpet to the floor while you cut.

4. Use the Carpet Stretcher to Hook the Carpet to the Gripper

Place the carpet stretcher about 25mm from the skirting with the teeth facing downward. Push the padded end firmly with your knee so that the carpet hooks onto the gripper on either side of the corner.

5. Use the Carpet Tucker to Push the Excess Carpet Down

Use the carpet tucker to push the carpet down between the skirting and the gripper. Repeat this process along the entirety of each wall in the room.

6. Trimming the Carpet to Fit

In tricky places such as door frames or pipes cut down the edge of the carpet to fit so it is flush.

7. Fitting Across a Doorway

Make sure to cut the carpet so it is in line with the next room’s flooring. You will also need to fit a door bar and make sure the carpet edge is firmly in place underneath it.

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About the Author

Lauren King

Lauren works in our Ecommerce Team, with over 6 years of experience at HSS. She brings product knowledge and is able to give her advice on the right tool for the job no matter how big or small.