Homeowners will need to understand that almost all medium to larger rooms will have a seam. Standard carpets come twelve-foot-wide sizes, so some seams are inevitable. Seaming is a task that takes a keen eye and extreme level of scrutinizing. No seam will be invisible, but creating the perfect seam should make it very hard to see in a glance. Today, we are going to focus on seaming and how it do it yourself. Let’s take a look!

Seaming

If your space is over twelve feet wide, you will need to create a seam on your carpet.  First, measure your room and make your excess cuts.  You will most likely be having cross seams as well to complete your room.  Your carpet must all lay the same direction, so pay attention to how you unroll it before cutting!  Use your row finder to run a row down the carpet with-the-grain.  Using your top cutter blade, cut along your row on both pieces of carpet to create a perfectly straight edge.  Your top cutter can put the blade closer or further from the carpet, so make sure you put the correct distance before cutting.   Create your rowed cuts.  

For your cross seams, you should flip your carpet over and cut from the back.  Using the cut edge, you just created, use your right angle and straight edge to make a perfect 90-degree cut.  Repeat this process for all your cross-seams.  

Once you have made all your seam cuts, roll your seam tape out underneath all the areas you will be seaming.  Your seam tape may have a line down the middle to help keep you perfectly aligned.  Allow this line to run directly down your seam.  Plug in your seam iron into your extension cord and allow it to heat up for seaming.   Pull back your seam and put your iron directly on seam tape and let it heat. Start with all your cross seams and then move into your big seam. Have your carpet kicker nearby with the teeth out and ready to use.  

As you heat your seam tape move down the carpet and meticulously line your carpet’s backing up to begin seaming.  Keep your carpet’s fibers away from the hot seam tape as you go.  Using your carpet tracker and seam weight, follow behind yourself and track the seam and apply weight – this must be a strict procedure, or it will show in the finished product!  If your carpet shifts, use your kicker to move it back in place, carefully!

Seaming carpet takes practice and can be challenging, depending on the design of each carpet. Patterns, textures, backing, and even pile loop can play a significant role in how visible a seam will be. If you missed the rest of our series, be sure to check them out here.

One of the main sought-after features of carpet is its soft, warm comfort. The carpet padding you install under your carpet plays a significant role in your flooring’s comfort. Today, you will learn about carpet padding as well as how to install it in your home. Let’s take a look!

Padding

Now that your room is cleaned and prep, it is time to put down your new padding.  First, roll out your padding in the room.  Carve it right against the inside of your tackless strip using your carpet blade.  Padding can easily wear down your blade, so be prepared to switch your blades multiple times during this process.  A fresh blade will always make a clean cut and prevent tearing in the padding while cutting.  Use your pad stapler to secure your padding.  Be generous to ensure the padding will not move when you lay down your carpeting. Your padding will probably come in six-foot rolls; therefore, you will have seams.  Staple as close to the seam as possible all the way down put stable about every six inches.  Use your duct tape or masking tape to secure all your seams and tape the padding to the tackless strip (while allowing tacks to still breakthrough).  If your room is over concrete, you can only secure your padding with the tape and by adding pad glue.  Roll your padding and apply glue under your padding to secure it down.  You can pour your glue in a zig-zag spread and do not need to spread the glue.  For padding closets or smaller spaces, measure your area and pre-cut your pad for the installation allowing for a little access padding to be cut of when you carve into your padding.

Laying Your Carpet

Decide what way you want your carpet to lie in the room.  Carpet is directional and has a cross-grain, with-the-grain, and against-the-grain direction.  When you lay your carpet, you will need to make sure your carpet you seam is running the exact same direction.  Remember, this is best left for professionals, and seaming can be quite challenging in larger rooms.  Roll out your carpet in the room.  Choose one wall and make your carpet flush against it.  For your excess carpet, roll it back and cut the carpet to remove the excess, so it fits cleaner in the room.

As you can see, there are many steps to having your flooring installed perfectly. Each step serves a crucial part of the end-product. Check out Part 4 to finish off our series.

The comfort and style of carpet will transform your home. However, there is a lot that goes into carpet installation that you may not know. Installing carpet is a laborious task and should be left for the professionals. We put together a simple walkthrough to allow you to have a better understanding of what goes into each installation. From Part One, you know what tools you will need for the job. Now, with your tools ready, you can begin your prep work in the room.

Prep

First, you will need to remove all the furniture from the room.  Take your curtains down and use your screwdriver to remove any floor vents or floor outlets. You need to remove them and store them during your installing.  Next, remove the existing carpet and padding.  Leave the tackless strip around the room down when taking up the carpeting.  If the room did not have pre-existing carpet, install a tackless strip around the perimeter of the room.  If you have a very broken or dry rotting tackless strip in your room, use your pry bar to remove carefully and replace with new strip using your hammer.  Leave a half-inch space from the wall to allow for tucking the carpet.  

For smooth take-up of carpet, cut the old carpet into smaller three-foot strips.  You can roll the carpet and pad up together or separately if you choose.  Use your tape to tape up the old carpet rolls and remove them from your room.  Now you will need to use your floor scraper to remove any access staple and padding in the ground.  Broom the room thoroughly to remove all dust and padding and sweep into your dustpan.  

Like any project, the prep work is a very crucial part of the end product’s success. Do not take short cuts on getting the room cleaned and empty. Having a well-prepped space will allow the installation process to flow easier. Your carpet is now ready to be installed in your home. Check out Part 3 to know exactly what goes into the installation process in your home.

Nothing can completely transform a room’s ambiance and feel quite like carpet.  Carpet can change your room’s appearance, style, and comfort. But not all carpets are made the same, and each unique design and pattern gives you the opportunity to pick the perfect solution for tailoring your carpet to your home’s design style.  

Installing carpet can be quite challenging as well as take a toll on your body; however, if you are interested in how the process is done, we put together a step by step guide to break down for you.  Some carpet is glued down while others may be installed over a pad.  For this article, we will be primarily focusing on traditional, residential carpet installed over padding.  Remember, carpet installation is best left for the professionals and can be quite challenging, but this series will show you all you need to know on how carpet is installed in a home.

Supplies

Most carpet comes in twelve-foot rolls to make it easier to install as well as transport, yet unfortunately, not all rooms are exactly twelve feet wide or smaller-this means you will need to seam your carpet to get the perfect wall to wall appeal.  Here is a list everything you would need to have to install your carpet in your home:

• Carpet of your choice
• Padding
• Tackless Strip
• Floor Scraper
• Broom and Dust Pan
• Pry Bar
• Measuring Tape
• Hook Knife
• Carpet blade with many replacement blades
• Screw Driver
• Hammer
• Pad Stapler and Staples
• Duct tape or Masking Tape
• Carpet Kicker
• Carpet Stretcher
• Extension Cord
• Seam tape
• Seam Iron
• Seam Weight
• Carpet Tracker
• Straight Edge
• Right Angle
• Top Cutter Blade
• Row Finder
• Wall Trimmer
• Knee Pads
• Chisel or Carpet Wall Tucker

There are a lot of tools and time involved in installing carpet. It is best to leave this task for professionals. But once you have all your supplies ready, you can begin your take up process and prep work. Check out DIY Guide for Installing Carpet | Part Two to find out more!

Carpet can help make a living room feel cozy, add a layer of comfort to a bedroom, and even create a stylish accent piece with a decorative area rug in your dining room. By adding this blank of warmth around your home, you can create an all-around more inviting atmosphere. Think about the last family game night you had. While playing a board game on the floor, you realized that a hard surface flooring is not so comfy. Where carpet expands the boundaries of sitting beyond your chairs and couches and allows the whole room to feel like a place to relax, you concluded that it is the perfect option for your family and lifestyle. That being determined, while carpet shopping, you should be cognitive of several key facts:

Not All Carpets Are Created Equally

Typically, when people go to replace their carpet, they look for a similar style and color. If you liked the carpet before it needed to be replaced, you would love it again, right? Yes; however, not all carpets are created equally. If you can find the same exact style, that is great; however, do not look for a lower-end, mimicking carpet. If you had a high-quality carpet and downgrade to a lower grade carpet with a similar color, you will be very disappointed in the product. The carpet’s resilience will be less and tend to make the carpet appear “matted.” In essence, try to not be so set on color as much as the quality of what you are buying.

Padding Matters

Yes, carpet is soft; however, the padding you chose makes a big difference! Do not get the most inexpensive padding on the market. Heavy padding can help your carpet last longer and really change the general feel. A lot of things in life may not serve an aesthetic value but can really improve the overall performance. Think of the springs and shocks on your car. You may not see them, but they are essential to your vehicle’s longevity and comfort.

Color Variation

Have you heard the expression paint gets darker when you put it on the walls? Well, carpet tends to look a little lighter when putting it in a room. You should also note carpets have different dye lots. Ordering the same carpet at different times of the year or even the same purchase can result in different dye lots. While dye lots can play a role in the color, consider fading over time as well. Areas that are exposed to direct sunlight could fade. It is best to close blinds in areas that have spots directly exposed to sunlight for long hours of the day.

Choose a carpet that stands out to you. Make sure you have it professionally installed as well. You do not want to invest money in a quality carpet to have it poorly installed in your home. Your new carpet will help transform your home back to how you want it to look.

If you are in the market for new floors, Carpets N More would love to be your chosen provider. With an expert sales staff, knowledgable installers, and quality products, we can ensure you that we will provide you with only the best. Contact us today for more information.

Nylon and polyester carpets are the most commonly manufactured carpets today.  Traditionally, nylon has been known as the more durable and better stain resistant carpet.  Polyester carpet is a synthetic fiber made of polymer through a chemical reaction of coal, petroleum, air, and water.  With these resources being very abundant, polyester carpet is typically less expensive than wool and nylon carpets.  However, this does not necessarily mean that this carpet performs less.  Here are three important elements to consider when buying modern day polyester carpets:

Durability

Polyester carpet has come a long way over the past couple of decades. Nylon is considered to have a better resiliency, allowing the carpet to come back to its original shape after crushed.  Polyester fibers may pat down more over time, but it is still a very resilient carpet.  While not as durable as Nylon, Polyester carpet is a practical and affordable choice for most homes.  Polyester carpets can typically last between five to fifteen years in a house with regular traffic. 

Stain Resistance

Polyester is a hydrophobic textile, meaning it does not absorb liquids.  This can make it quite stain resistant.  Pay attention to other factors like if it has been treated with a stain resistant spray.  Some polyester carpets are now coming as solution-dyed.  This means that the fiber is the same color all the way throughout the entire carpet.  Think of a carrot versus a radish.  If you cut a radish in half, the color is only on the surface.  With solution-dyed carpets, the color is like that of a carrot and is the whole fiber.  This can allow you to clean your carpet with stronger detergents and cleaners like bleach, but please check with your manufacturer before applying this method.

Soft Feel

There are several ways to modify carpet fibers.  The fibers may be twisted thicker to give a carpet a denser feel or thinner to create a softer touch.  Polyester is regarded as such a great option because of its exceptional softness.  This carpet fiber continues to feel soft throughout its lifespan and is perfect for moderate to long time wear.

Unfortunately, there is more that goes into carpet than the compounds that construct the fibers.  Most importantly, find a carpet that you like the feel, can clean easily, is durable, and fits your price budget.  Not all carpets are made, but a lot of polyester carpets have become more common over the last couple of years due to its upgrades.

If you would like more information on the difference between polyester and nylon carpet, one of our expert sales associates would love to assist you. Please do not hesitate to call or visit us with any questions.

Removing glue from your carpet can be challenging if you do not know the correct procedures.  Different adhesives bring different challenges and should be handled accordingly.  As you read earlier in the series, freezing glue is always a good tactic to try to harden it then scrape it off the fibers.  However, not all glue respond to this method.  While some heavy hitter glues are challenging, young folks bring some challenges of their own. Here are several common types of glue children may bring into the household that can create a tacky nightmare if not handled correctly:

Stickers

Sticker residue can be easy if caught early, but more challenging if it is matted deep into the carpet fiber.  Heat up white vinegar and dampen carpet residue.  Allow the area to soak for about ten minutes to break up the sticker residue.   You should be able to scrub out the sticker residue after it is broken down by the vinegar.   If some residue still remains, repeat the method. 

Glitter Glue 

Scrape away as much residue as possible.  If your carpet is solution dyed, it should be able to handle a bleach and water mixture.  This can help remove the stained color.  If you are unsure, test your carpet in a discrete area.  You can use the bleach and water mixture to remove to glue.  If some remains, apply ice to harden and scrape up to rest of the residue. 

Super Glue 

Super glue can be challenging to remove.  Apply acetone diluted with water to your carpet.  After you remove most of the super glue, go back and apply a mixture of distilled white vinegar, washing detergent, and hot water.   Scrub away at the super glue and pat dry.  This should remove the remaining sticky mess. 

Like most stains, the sooner you can get to the accident, the better chance you have of removing the stain.  Do not let these sticky situations hold you down.  With some tender love and care, you can have your carpet looking like new again.  For more great tips and tricks, visit us our blog hub here and be sure to subscribe!

Glue is excellent for fixing so many things around the house.  Unfortunately, you can find yourself in a very sticky situation when you get some on your carpet, and homeowners find that it can be one of the more challenging stains to remove.  While not only staining the carpet, it creates a sticky residue that can damage the carpet fibers and mat down the resiliency of your flooring.  Different glues will take different methods in order to remove them. To help, here are several of the most common household glues and how you can remove them from your carpet: 

Hot Glue 

Do not handle when the glue is still hot.  If you try to clean it when it is fresh and warm, it will only sink deeper into the carpet fibers.  Allow the glue to dry.  Apply ice to the glue to harden it.  Once it is hardened, you can pick away at the glue.  You can also apply acetone.  Acetone is a strong chemical.  You should dilute the chemical in water and apply it using a wet rag. 

Commercial Glue 

Commercial glues are usually applied using a caulk/adhesive gun.  These compounds are extremely difficult to remove.  Most commercial glues know this and have a recommend glue removing solvent sold separately.  This is your best option for removing this glue from rugs in your home.  Try applying a small amount to a discrete spot in the house.  These solvents can be powerful agents and may not be very forgiving to the carpet fibers and dyes.  If it seems to be damaging the rug, try to use ice to freeze the glue and remove.  

Rubber Cement 

Another extremely durable glue is rubber cement.  For this process, scrape away as much rubber cement as possible from your carpet.  Mix warm water with a little bit of laundry detergent and some white vinegar.  Apply the mixture using a damp rag and scrub your carpet.  Allow it to air dry.  This should help remove most of the rubber cement from your carpet.  You can repeat this process again after the carpet has dried. 

While glues are extremely useful around the house, they can be quite the pain to remove.  Using these tricks can help you from having to replace your carpet.  Check out the rest of this series to find more tricks and tips to removing difficult glue stains from your carpet.  Have a stain request you want more information on removing?  Let us know in the comment section! 

*Disclaimer: Please check with your carpet manufacturer for their stain removal advice. Results may vary. 

Installing anything in your own home can be very rewarding.  It is always a great feeling after you paint your own walls or install your own light fixture in a room.  While do-it-yourself projects are great for saving money, there are several reasons why you should probably consider saving your carpet installations for the professionals.  Today, we are going to focus on four reasons that you may want to decide to hire a professional. Let’s take a look! 

Time-Consuming 

Installing your own carpet can be a very time-consuming process, especially if you do not do it daily.  You should consider the amount of time it would take you to complete the project and decide if it is worth your time invested.  While you may be willing to sacrifice a day for installing your carpet, you need to make sure you are confident that you are able to finish the task.  It can be very tricky to hire an installer after the carpet has been tinkered with or half-installed as well. 

Tools 

So you may not be as concerned with time, but you should consider the amount of money you will spend on tools.  Carpet installation has many tools precisely for installation.  These tools can be quite expensive for one-time use.  Installers have already made these investments because they are in this for the long haul.  It may be best to rent these tools if you do not plan on installing a lot in the future. 

Experience 

Consider your experience versus a professional installer as well.    Most installers have been doing this for quite some time.  With this time, comes experience for different dilemmas that may come up during installation.  Carpet installation is an art and a skill.  Every room can come with its own sets of challenges and difficulties.  While you may be comfortable installing it in an easy room, be ready for unexpected challenges.  Troubleshooting these challenges comes with experience and are essential if you want to install your carpet correctly. 

Warranty 

If you install your carpet incorrectly, you will probably void all warranties.  Carpet is an investment which should stay with your home for some time.  You do not need to install your carpet incorrectly and not be able to make a claim if something goes wrong like bubbling or fraying.   

As flooring experts, we recommend leaving it to the professionals unless you feel like you have the skillset, time, and tools to complete the job. We definitely want to encourage all of the do-it-yourself go-getters out there, but we also want homeowners to be cautious and make the best choice for their investment. If you would like to speak to one of our expert sales staff about installation, please do not hesitate to call or visit us. 

If you are here to learn more about flooring, you came to the right place. To help buyers become more aware of the products within our market, we have created a quick and easy guide. This guide covers the basic types of flooring that consumers are eagerly buying. If you are interested in learning more, keep reading!

Popular Types of Flooring:

Hardwood.

One of the most classic and timeless choices for homeowners is hardwood floors. Their natural beauty and classic look create for a stunning home. Hardwood can be a breathtaking addition to any home, and it is offered in a wide selection of sizes, styles, and colors to meet your style preferences.

• Best Rooms for Hardwood: Living Room, Dining Room, and/or Bedroom(s).

Carpet.

The other most traditional flooring option is carpet. Carpet adds instant coziness and texture to any space. Carpet can also be an excellent choice for families because of its add plushness and added protection.

• Best Rooms for Carpet: Family Room and/or Bedroom(s).

Laminate.

Laminate takes on the look of popular flooring finishes like stone, wood, tile, and even concrete. Laminate flooring can be installed over top of your existing floors without the need to use nails/glue.

• Best Rooms for Laminate: Kitchen and/or Bathroom.

Ceramic Tile.

Ceramic tile can be one of the most personalized choices for homeowners. From your kitchen backsplash to bathroom floors, ceramic tile can be a beautiful addition in your space. Plus, it comes in an array of colors, shapes, sizes, and even textures for your personal preferences.

• Best Rooms for Ceramic Tile: Kitchen and/or Bathroom.

Natural Stone.

Natural stone withstands moisture and creates a stunning finish inside of any room. With its polished look, you can create a luxurious space in no time. Plus, stone can be used outside; making it the perfect option for outdoor patios.

• Best Rooms for Stone: Kitchens, Bathroom and/or Outdoors.

Vinyl.

Vinyl can be an extraordinary flooring option for homeowners who want a resilient and versatile flooring option. Vinyl flooring has exceptionally low-maintenance and high durability for homeowners who need a little wiggle room in their flooring. With its gorgeous array of choices, you can complete the look of your dreams for less.

• Best Rooms for Vinyl: Kitchen and/or Bathroom.

Are you interested in learning more about a particular product? We would love to help you. Contact us today or visit one of our locations to learn more. Thanks for reading!