All carpets have seams. When these seams open they can become potentially dangerous. The problem may start as a small fray but will turn will turn into a bigger problem like a lift. Your carpets can be re-stretched in as a little as a day. Our latest blog looks at whether you should tackle the carpet stretching yourself or hire a professional like DM Carpet Cleaning!
Tools Used to Stretch Carpet; Power Stretcher & Knee Kicker
A “power stretcher” will do the bulk of the stretching. If a power stretcher is unable to reach tight spaces, then you will need a knee kicker to tighten carpeting along the edges. A carpet cutter is good to have around too. It is used to cut off carpet edges cleanly and more precise than a utility knife. You will also need a pry bar to remove the tack strips, a stapler to reinstall padding and a pair of tin snips or a chisel to cut the new strips to length. That is quite a few specialized tools. Before you go and and try to purchase them, you would be wise to consider hiring a professional instead! We have the best tools that aren’t typically available to the general public.
Do It Yourself Steps to Stretching Carpet
Step 1- It is way too easy to unravel carpet fibers so be careful when lifting a corner of the carpet. When freeing the carept from the tack strip, be careful not to pull it past the doorways where there may be seams that can be broken. If this happens you’ll need to have a professional come in to fix it.
Step 2- You will then need to pull back the padding. Remove the staples with pliers or a screwdriver first. If you skip this step you will rip the pad as it’s being pulled back. Once the padding is pulled back you can walk around the room and listen carefully for any squeaks. When you find a squeak you can screw the subfloor to joists underneath using 2-1/2 inch screws.
Step 3- Tackling tack strips is next. Wear gloves when doing so as these strips have prostrated setting nails and needle-sharp nails that are driven in on an angle to grab the carpet to secure it after stretching. The easiest way to pull tack strips up is to use a pry bar under the setting nails. If you need to pry them off concrete, then you may leave some divots in the concrete so you’ll need to make sure new strips are laid out to avoid these when nailing in the new ones. The strips need to be positioned and installed with the gripping nails facing the wall otherwise the carpet will not hold after it has been stretched.
Step 4- You will now be able to trim the carpet pad so it lays right next to the tack strips. Staple it down in 3 inch intervals. The power stretcher will brace one end against the wall as you embed the teeth of the head in the carpet about 6 inches away from the unanchored edge.
Step – After the carpet has been stretched and has grabbed the tack strips it’s time to cut off any excess carpet. A carpet cutter is designed to trap carpet against baseboards to cut it precisely.
Professional Carpet Stretching in Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Roswell, Duluth, Stone Mountain, Covington, Conyers, Loganville and Atlanta Georgia
Don’t the above steps sound exhausting and confusing. Not only will you have to buy the right tools but you’re going to have to figure out how to use them. And what if mistakes are made? Then you will end up wasting your time and money as well as damaging your carpets. If you are tired of lumpy and loose carpet, contact DM Carpet Cleaning to have it professionally stretched.
