How to Remove Carpets

A carpet sure adds glamor and a classy touch to your flooring. You can easily give an unattractive underneath flooring, an instant make-over by simply throwing a stylish carpet over it. But over a period of years, the carpet tends to get worn out and tends to stain, and that's when it needs replacement. Sometimes, you would also want to unveil the beauty of the hardwood flooring, if you are planning a certain theme for your home décor. In such a case, removing the carpet without damaging the hardwood flooring becomes necessary.

The method of removing the carpet would depend upon the method of installation and the purpose of removal. If you are removing it as a part of remodeling work, then it is better to get the painting job done before removing the carpet. The carpet can either be glued to the floor or it can be a wall to wall carpet, secured in place with tack strips that have sharp pinheads. The carpet removal method differs accordingly. However, before you proceed with the removal, empty the room. Clear the baseboards so as to access the carpet edge. Once, you are done with it, you can start removing the carpet.

Removing a Wall-to-Wall Carpet

The tedious part about removing a wall-to-wall carpet is dislodging the tack strips. If the underneath flooring is of concrete, the job becomes even more difficult. Dislodging tack strips on a wood flooring requires a special care as it can damage the hardwood. A few tips for removing wall to wall carpet are:

• Start pulling the carpet from around a corner. A few powerful blows would be sufficient to dislodge the tack strips. If not, get a screw driver and try prying. If that does not help, get a pair of vice-lock pliers to firmly grab the carpet and pull it off the tack strips.
• Continue dislodging all the tack strips around the room without stopping.
• It is a good idea to divide the carpet into rows by cutting it with a utility knife. Small manageable pieces of the carpet allow you to roll them after you remove them.

Dislodging the tack strips, leaves holes on the hardwood flooring. You can cover them by filling wood putty and then painting them with matching colored wood stain.

Removing a Glued Carpet

Removing a glued carpet is comparatively easier than a wall-to-wall carpet. There are basically two types of adhesives that are used to keep the carpet in place. The adhesive is either painted on the floor, or it is in the form of a carpet tape. Lift up the carpet to check what kind of adhesive is used.

• If you see a dark brown colored substance, then it's probably a tar based adhesive.
• You can use a mineral spirit to scrape it off the flooring.
• On the other hand, if you find a yellowish golden substance, then it means that your carpet has been secured by a tape.
• Carpet tape can be easily removed using an adhesive dissolver.

However, be careful while using a dissolver, as it is highly inflammable. Allow the floor to dry at least for a day, before using any electrical appliances on it. Mopping the floor is a good idea to get rid of the dissolver.

You might need to do a bit of refinishing for the underneath flooring after you have removed the carpet. If you carefully remove the carpet, you might be able to consider reusing it or giving it to the charity.