How to Remove Carpet | Video

If your carpet’s seen better days, there’s no need to grin and bear it. You can easily remove carpeting yourself in an afternoon with some basic tools and materials, saving up to $200 in the process. Here’s what you’ll need for this simple DIY project:

TOOLS & MATERIALS

• Furniture Sliders
• Hammer
• Flat Head Screwdriver
• Pliers
• Utility Knife and Blades
• Pry Bar
• Duct Tape

When taking on this DIY task, be sure to equip yourself with the proper safety gear.

STEP ONE

Release the carpet. Start by moving all furniture from the area where you’ll be removing carpet. Plastic furniture slides or glides can help expedite this process. Grab the carpet along one wall with pliers and pull up. The carpet should release from the tack strip holding it in place. Grab the carpeting and detach it along the length of the wall.

STEP TWO

Fold and cut. Fold over a two to three-foot section of carpeting. Then, with the back facing up, slide off a long strip with the utility knife.

STEP THREE

Roll and tape. Tightly roll up the carpet strip and secure it with tape. This will make handling and disposal faster and easier.

STEP FOUR

Handling transitions. If you run into metal transitions between rooms, cut the carpet a few inches from the transition and yank out the remaining piece. If a transition is dented or worn, pry it up and remove it.

STEP FIVE

Remove the pad. You’ll find a pad underneath your carpet. Remove it the same way you did the carpet, cutting it into strips and rolling it up. If you have a concrete subfloor, the pad may be glued in place. If so, you’ll need to rent a floor scraper to remove it.

STEP SIX

Remove the tack strips. If you don’t plan on replacing the carpet, ply up the tack strips that run along the wall with a pry bar. You’ll also need to remove the staples that held the pad in place. This can be done with pliers or a pry bar. Once you’ve removed the tack strips, your task is complete.

Looking for great tools to help get your project done?  Shop Stanley, Black & Decker and DeWALT for everything you need!