Floor Preparation for Good Carpet Installation

Buying a new carpet is really a major project. Once you’ve bought the carpet, there are some preparatory things you must do on your part to insure a successful installation. It is important not to waste the carpeting contractors’ valuable time when they arrive at your doorstep to install. These are just simple preparation steps but very important nonetheless.

If you can, try to designate a workspace both on the inside and the outside. This is where the installers will have their tools and materials centrally-located. Try to do this before they arrive so they can just set up shop and go to work. Remember that this will be a big job and the easier you make it for them, the faster it will go.

Depending on where your carpet will get installed, you will need to pave a way for the workers to get to the installation location. This means that in some cases they may have to walk through areas in your home where new carpet is not being installed. Undoubtedly they are going to track in dirt, grease, and mud so it would be wise on your part to protect the area.

You can lay out plastic runners, towels, or even the old carpet they are pulling up. For the purpose of safety, if you are laying these protective pieces on a slippery surface, you might want to fasten them down with strong adhesive type (such as duct tape). Take care that the adhesive tape that you use does not damage the floor. Using the old the carpet as a runner is probably the safest and best measure. Remember that the installers are going to be carrying heavy loads and will not always be able to directly see the surface below them. You want to prevent slipping at all costs.

Probably the hardest step of all of this is that you will have to remove all furniture from each room where carpet will be installed. Some carpet retailers offer this service as part of the package. But you may be able to save some money by moving the furniture yourself. It’s not really so hard when carpet is being installed in one or two rooms but if you are having carpet installed in the entire house then this moving process will involve furniture getting moved from room to room for every room—a real mess.

You may even be able to save money by removing the old carpet as well. But you might want to check with the retailer and carpet installer. It may be part of the package you purchased. But if not, you might be able to save some money again. Vacuum the old carpet first before you pull it up in order to reduce the dust emitted.

The most important thing to remember is to make the installers’ job easy so you can quickly enjoy your new carpet.

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