Carpet Laying - A Guide For The Do-it-yourselfer

You have a budget for carpeting your home and if you do the carpet laying yourself then you can afford that higher priced more attractive carpet. While it may not be easy or quick, you can install your own carpet with just a bit of guidance.Before you bring your carpet home there are a few things that must be done first. Clear your room of all furniture and thoroughly clean the floor. Vacuum all dust and particles and then wash the floor. If your house is old then making sure nails are hammered flat with the surface and loose boards are tightened is a must. If need be you might consider smoothing the floor, sanding it or covering it with plywood. If it is a nice wood floor, you want to be sure to protect in in case you want to remove the carpet at some future time.If you are carpeting a room with carpet tiles then you need to measure your room as if you were laying ceramic or vinyl tile. You will need to calculate how big you want each tile and whether they are square or rectangular. You always need to count partial tiles as whole tiles and purchase at least 10% extra in case you have miscalculated or make a mistake when cutting your carpet. Your regular pieces will come pre-cut but you will need to measure and cut the partial pieces.If you are carpeting a room with wall to wall or one piece carpet you will need to measure the perimeter of your room very carefully. It is advisable to create a scale drawing of the shape of the room to take with you when you purchase your carpet. You will need to cut the carpet as you lay it so having the proper tools and taking your time is a must. Again, be sure to order enough extra so that you have room for error.It is a good idea, of you are going to do your own carpet laying to go to a large retail store for their do it yourself classes. You can get a lot of valuable information from these convenient classes. You can also go online and find extensive information about carpet laying including instructions for measuring, room preparation, tools and equipment, time allotment and budget creation. Once you have gathered all of this necessary information you may decide that hiring a professional will be your best bet. Experience carpet layers can do in a day what might take you weeks to accomplish.Carpet laying may seem like the small final step of the carpet purchasing process but is in fact just as important as the carpet itself. Even the most beautiful carpet will fail to improve your home if it not installed properly. SO whether doing it yourself or hiring a [professional, take your time and make informed choices about carpet laying!