Carpet Stretching - How to Stretch Carpet

Poor installation of carpet often leads to wrinkles in the carpet. Sometimes water damage or simply aging can also produce similar effects on the carpet. In such cases, carpet stretching becomes inevitable. You should consider about stretching carpet as soon as first few wrinkles begin to show. Delaying this job can damage the carpet permanently as the wrinkles often lead to ripping and tearing of the carpet. Moreover, there are chances of people tripping over it and getting themselves injured. To check if the carpet needs to be stretched again, you need to lift it up at the center and then snap it back. If it lays flat, you probably do not need to stretch it. However, if it does not go back to its place, then your carpet needs a stretching.

Carpet Stretching Tools
If you are planning to stretch the carpet yourself, you'll have to arrange for the required carpet stretching tools such as, knee kicker and power carpet stretcher. If you do not know how to work a power stretcher, call a friend to help you out. Both the instruments are available at the local 'Hire Shop'.

How to Stretch Carpet

• Switch on the power carpet stretcher and start working from the center of the carpet.
• Work on the small areas every time, stretch, and then move 18 inches before stretching the next section.
• Remember to pull the carpet and hook it to the tack strip, every time you stretch it.
• Begin working towards the wall that has a door, then move towards other sides.
• Stretch the sides properly, instead of 18 inches, start from a foot away from where you pulled it last.
• Hook the carpet to the tack board properly.
• Use a knee kicker for the areas difficult to reach, such as built in cabinets etc.
• You'll need to cut the sides and trim the edges, once the carpet is stretched. Also, make sure that the backing is intact.
• Tuck the overhang carpet under the baseboard.

Carpet Stretching by Professionals
Professional carpet stretching companies can be called for assistance, if you are not sure you can accomplish the job on your own. Most carpet stretching companies will work by removing the tacks from their place, pulling the carpet and then stretching it again by replacing the tacks. The cost of stretching carpet will be about the same as that for installing it. Most companies will charge you somewhere around 0.30 cents per foot. The cost may rise up to 0.75 cents, if they are required to move any furniture. All in all, the entire cost of carpet stretching won't exceed $120. That is not too much of an amount to spend for a professional work. However, if you do not have the time to wait for their 'waiting customers list' to clear up, you can indeed consider doing the job yourself. The Hire Shop will not charge you more than $50 for the above mentioned tools.

A wrinkled, ripped carpet can spoil the entire look of your living room. Hence, you should not delay this particular job.