How to install carpet

Wednesday, 16 March 2011 7:23 PM

A carpet is a great way to give any room in your home an immediate update. Comfortable underfoot, insulating and stylish - there are so many benefits to installing a carpet and the results will last long enough to more than provide you with a return on your investment.

Wooden floors have proved to be increasingly popular in properties over the past few years, but there is something about a carpet that is so warm and comforting that it is unlikely it will ever go out of style.

However, laying a carpet can be a big job and you may wish to take the time to give it your full attention in order to get the best possible results.

Once you have chosen the colour, pattern, thickness and fibre you want - which may be manmade or luxurious 100 per cent wool - you should remove the furniture from the room where you want to fit it. Remember - you should always ensure that there is an underlay beneath your new carpet as this will provide additional insulation and comfort underfoot, as well as making sure the carpet looks its best for longer.

Lay the carpet itself out, checking that the pile runs in the opposite direction of the windows. A patterned carpet may take a little more time to position as you will want to make sure that the design runs in line with the windows or doors.

Roll out the carpet, with the edges overlapping the walls slightly. You can make the corners lie flatter by creating a vertical crease in these four parts of the carpet so that it stands up against the wall. Next, make a crease along the floor covering where the wall or skirting board meets the floor, before trimming off the excess with a special knife.

Now you can fix the carpet to the floor. You may also need to cut out a few additional pieces to fill in any gaps - always check that the pattern of the carpet as a whole flows and is not disjointed.

After the work you put into installing it, you will want to make sure that caring for carpet is one of your priorities to ensure it stays looking like new for longer.

To do this, vacuum at least once a week before dirt has a chance to work itself into the fibres and once a month vacuum a little more deeply, by moving the furniture so that you can get into any corners. To make your floor covering smell extra fresh, you can sprinkle on some baking soda before cleaning!
 

Tags:
• diy tips
,
• flooring
,
• uk flooring direct