Just about every home has a carpeted area in one place or another. Carpet is usually easier to maintain than tile or wood floor and it often adds insulation to the home, keeping temperatures stable. Sometimes, though a problem occurs. We notice that there are buckles or ripples developing in our carpet. Our first inclination is to replace the entire carpet. What about repair? Re-stretching the area is often a more affordable option and it can extend the life of your carpet by up to 5 years.
How do I do it?
Well first you will need a few items. You will not have most of these tools on hand so you may need to take a visit to your nearest home improvement store.
You will need the following tools:
- Power Stretcher (not a knee kicker)
- Knife
- Tucker
- Scissors
- Trimmer
Where Should I Begin?
Your objective is to stretch the ripple toward the furthest wall from the doorway or hallway. Take the time to evaluate your surroundings and determine which wall is best. Once you have decided, use the awl or scissors to poke near the edge of the carpet up against the wall and pull it up out from underneath the trim. You may need to pull it up out of the tack strip. Now you are ready to stretch the carpet.
The power stretcher is a unique tool. It is designed to have the stretcher head face the wall and the other side facing the trim. Once you have setup properly you are ready to start. Use the following steps.
- Using discretion, apply enough force to the lever on the stretcher had to stretch the carpet tight enough without damaging it.
- After you have stretched the carpet far enough you will need to use your tucker to hook the carpet back under the trim on to the tack strip.
- Once you the carpet back in place you can release the stretcher lever and the carpet will be hooked. Move the stretcher a few feet at a time along the wall and repeat the same procedure.
Remember to stretch towards the furthest wall, all the way towards the corner furthest from the doorway at an angle. Once you are finished stretching you will need to trim the carpet. You may use a knife or a trimmer. Be very cautious not to cut yourself. For those who are not comfortable with this procedure it is wise to hire a professional.
As you can see carpet stretching can take some skill to perform. There are risks of hurting yourself as well as damaging the carpet. Do not hesitate to contact a professional to do the work for you if you are not confident in your handy skills. A carpet repair professional can take care of this for you at a fraction of the cost of an entire replacement. Still I hope that this article was of some benefit to those willing to tackle the task of stretching their own carpet.
Randy Randall is your carpet repair expert. He primarily helps those looking for Carpet Repair in the Twin Cities of Minnesota.