How to Stretch a Buckled Carpet
How to Stretch a Buckled Carpet
When installed correctly,
wall-to-wall carpeting stretches taut across the floor with no visible bulges
or wrinkles. Over time, heavy foot traffic and repeated carpet cleanings can
loosen the carpet fibers, leaving lumps and buckles. Once a ripple appears in
the carpet, the rate at which the carpet wears out increases because the loose
carpet pulls and moves every time you vacuum, walk or move your furniture. You
can prolong the life — and the good looks — of your carpet through
restretching. The tools you need are available from a hardware or construction
rental store.
Related
Articles
- 1 Get Rid of a Ripple in the Carpet
- 2 Rippled or Buckled Carpet After Cleaning
- 3 Get Bumps Out of Carpets
- 4 Prevent Carpet From Buckling
1 Work the tip of an awl beneath the
carpet in one corner of the room. Pry upward, freeing the corner of the carpet
from the tack strips that hold it in place.
2 Pull the rest of the carpet edges
free from the tack strip, using pliers. Work your way around the room without
disturbing the center of the carpet.
3 Check for loose tack strips. Nail
them with a hammer and 8d nails, if necessary.
4 Smooth the carpet in place. Position
the extra carpet on the edges upward along the walls.
5 Hold a straightedge on the carpet at
the bottom of the wall. Cut along the outer edge evenly, using a hooked carpet
knife. Do not allow the carpet to shift or move during the cutting process.
Ensure that the cut line is at or slightly beneath the baseboard.
6 Tuck the newly cut edge of the
carpet beneath the baseboard, using a 4-inch putty knife. As you tuck the
carpet, it will stick to the tack strip beneath.
7 Repeat the cutting and tucking
process all the way around the room.
8 Fit a power carpet stretcher with
the head that matches your carpet type.
9 Position the head of the power
stretcher in one corner, with the stretcher bar extending diagonally to the opposite
corner. Ensure that he head of the stretcher is about 6 to 8 inches from the
corner. When you set the stretcher, the handle should be loose and extend
upward.
10 Push the stretcher handle downward
slowly and evenly. This action forces the head of the stretcher forward and
pushes the edge of the carpet over the tack strip, which will hold it tightly
in place.
11 Stretch the opposite corner of the
carpet, then the two remaining corners. Stretch each corner diagonally.
12 Stretch the carpet along one wall,
keeping the stretcher perpendicular to the wall. Repeat the process for the
opposite wall, followed by the two remaining walls.
Things
You Will Need
- Awl
- Pliers
- Power carpet stretcher
- Carpet knife, hooked
- Hammer
- Nails, 8d
- Straightedge
- Putty knife, 4-inch
- Leather gloves
Tips
- Instructions should come with the carpet stretcher, but if you’re unsure which head to use, ask the customer-service representative at the rental center when you pick up the stretcher.
- If the room does not have a baseboard, position and stretch the carpet first, then use a carpet edge trimmer to cut the carpet evenly along the wall. Edge trimmers are also available at most rental stores.
- If carpet buckling occurs in a hallway, follow the same process, but use a knee-kick carpet stretcher instead of a power stretcher, which is too large for most hallways.
Warning
- Wear heavy leather gloves when handling tack strip as it has very sharp points that can quickly pierce your fingers.
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