If you go slowly and deliberately, there is a much better chance that you will be able to cut the carpet straight. Since you’ll be throwing the old carpet out, there’s no need for precision or delicacy here. Carpet pad is what gives the carpet it's pleasant feeling of cushion and softness, as well as protecting feet from possibly protruding tacks. A carpet knife or boxcutters, I don't think anything else can really get … The main thing to remember is to use a knife that’s sharp enough to allow you to work quickly and with the necessary accuracy and control. All rights reserved. Draw a straight line across the strip with the marker. A straight edge is going to be necessary to guide your knife along the edge of the carpet. Be sure to mark the lines in several places along the carpet to make cutting easier all the way across. How to Install Rubber Carpet Pads for So... How to Install Rubber Carpet Pads for Soundproofing. Step 4 Measure the carpet against the wall, and trim the carpet with your utility knife so that there is just enough carpet to fold over the top of the tackless strip into the space between the strip and the wall. 0 0. barbaraminor@btinternet.com. Carpet cutting is something that is going to be necessary when you install new carpet. By doing this you are cutting square tiles into the carpet. In many types of carpet, you will be able to see the rows of the carpet. 2. problems contact webmaster@doityourself.com. the tool used to cut carpet relatively straight is called a "loop/pile-cutter", and is sold at your local walmart for about $30. To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience. The installer will then score the secondary backing of the carpet at a location between the straight edge of the carpet and the end of where the melt tape will be applied. For extensive jobs, wear gloves, goggles and knee pads to keep yourself comfortable and protected. Pull the cut piece gently away from the surrounding carpet to minimise pile … 1 decade ago. There are 15 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Keep the straight edge in place, and put the tip of the blade into the channel you created by scoring the board. Ideally, you should use a special carpet knife to make this cut. Step 3 Set the transition strip on a flat surface and press a hack saw against the mark. Cut the remnant with a sharp utility knife so the carpet piece has straight, clean edges. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. % of people told us that this article helped them. If you need to fit the carpet around a pipe, simply make a straight cut from the edge of the carpet to the outer edge of the pipe and press the carpet around it. The back of the material may also be marked with pencils, markers or a chalk line for reference points while cutting, which is more accurate than trying to cut from the … Hold the tool straight and steady so that it doesn't waver from the path and doesn't cut at an angle. Don’t jam the blade into the carpet too deeply. After years of perusing FLOR’s catalog and website, I finally bit the bullet and ordered the carpet tiles for my entryway and kitchen. Cut the carpet pad under the carpet with a utility knife so that it ends flush against the edge of the tackless strip. Cut every piece to be the same length as the tackless strips, not the carpet runner itself. We welcome your comments and Whether you’re putting it in or pulling it up, knowing the finer points of cutting carpet can save you valuable time and expense. Once the carpet has been cut and unfastened, you can simply roll it up, carry it out and dispose of it. References. Cutting carpet is mostly a matter of getting through the backing, which is the hard, flat side that lays flush against the floor. Start with a sharp knife. 1 decade ago. Use sharp utility knife, which is key to making a clean cut; you may need to change the blade several times during a large carpet project. If you don’t have the benefit of a straightedge, try feeling for one of the seams in the underside of the backing. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. Anonymous. The roll itself can serve as a convenient reference for tracing straight lines. This should be at least 18 º C (65 º F). home improvement and repair website. Lay your carpet out in a clean area, carpet side down. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Writing from Taylor University, which enabled him to write for several Indiana newspapers, including The Waynesdale News and The News Herald. Be careful not to cut the nap. Cutting the carpet every few feet will be useful for large or oddly-shaped rooms where you’re unable to remove it in one piece. Luke is a contributing writer for DoItYourself.com. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 90,628 times. This edge will be the new edge of you top piece, so cut as straight a line as possible. One of the most important things that you will want to do is use a straight edge. Use a tape measure and marker to add lines based off of the measurements you took in step one. Deepen the cut with 4-5 more passes of the knife blade. A straight edge is going to be necessary to guide your knife along the edge of the carpet. His areas of focus include flooring, siding, roofing, tile, bakeware, and motorcycles. Learn the top 5 signs someone is lying to you. Now, mark your carpet at the right measurements width wise so you can cut it to fit in the desired room. Most rolls of carpet come in widths of 12 feet, so be sure to take this into account when plotting out the best way to cover the floor. Cut an entry point for the cutter with the utility knife from the back. The carpet will bow or pucker at the corner until a vertical cut is made. Complex cutouts may be best left to the professionals. 1995-2018 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Here are a few tips for cutting carpet straight. Mark the backing with a pencil or permanent marker to indicate where you need to cut, or simply use the intersecting seams as a handy visual reference. This will help guide you and make a clean cut. Product Overview. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. with a carpet cutter. [1] X Research source If you’re using a utili… DoItYourself.com®, founded in 1995, is the leading independent This article has been viewed 90,628 times. Save this part for an experienced contractor. Make a vertical cut through the carpet with a utility knife from the edge of the floor straight up the wall at a corner. He has worked as a handyman for various individuals since 2013, with a focus on lawn care and home renovation.  Dig out any remaining staples or dried clumps of adhesive with a floor scraper. Gabriel Connor Salter is a freelance writer and editor who has had over 280 articles published by various organizations.   The blade will be dangerously sharp, and even the slightest slip might result in serious injury. One of the biggest problems that people have with cutting carpet straight is that they rush. A long, metal straight edge is ideal. Doorway seams and other transitions can be difficult to cut and place correctly. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Unless you’re planning on repurposing your old carpet, it can simply be thrown away once the project is complete. Folding the carpet will also create a more secure cutting surface, preventing you from scarring the flooring underneath. A standard utility knife is preferable, though something like an X-Acto knife or razor can also do the trick. These tools feature durable edges and automated cutting action, which can help you sidestep the difficulty of doing it manually. It should still overlap the bottom piece by about 2 inches. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Hold the ruler in place with one hand while cutting with the other. Next, place the tip of a utility knife against the carpet backing and press until it pierces the backing. You may freely link Use a putty knife to chip away at one edge until there’s enough to grab hold of. When you are doing this, you should be able to focus on an individual row in the carpet. Place a long straightedge down to draw a marker line on the back of the carpet where a straight cut is required, and then keep the straightedge on that line as you make the cut. When you cut carpet, you need to make sure that you cut it straight. to this site, and use it for non-commercial use subject to our terms of use. 0 0. Use a straight edge (credit card or similar object), to press out fingerprints.For best results, apply the tape to a clean surface. Place the blade of your knife right alongside the ruler and slice downward, pulling the knife carefully toward you. Use a T-square to plot out 90-degree corners. If your first pass doesn't cut through the carpet and the padding, keep your straight edge in place and cut again until you are completely through. Make sure that the line is even and repeat the process down and across. One of the most important things that you will want to do is use a straight edge. The most common choices for carpet finishing are binding, serging, and fringing. Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be For advice on how to trim carpet around corners and doorways, keep reading. When you get to the doorway, cut the carpet in line with the edge of the flooring in the next room. The method teaches the installer to cut the carpet in order to obtain a carpet edge with a straight cut. Website operating Take the utility knife and gently run a straight line onto the back of the carpet. Generally speaking, however, these aren't techniques you can do yourself; rather, … This will be the most important (and possibly the only) tool you’ll need to cut carpet. A shop vac is the best way to collect dust, stray threads and other materials that are left lying around after removal. suggestions. If you want to make an area rug from a carpet remnant or from a swath of broadloom carpet off a roll, there are several options for finishing the edges to prevent fraying. Pull the edges off the tack strip along the wall and roll up the carpet piece to be discarded. Carpet tiles must be stored in the laying area for a minimum of 24 hours at the same temperature and humidity that will apply when the tiles are laid. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Then, drag the blade in a straight line towards you. If your carpet is tacked down with staples or adhesive, it may take a little effort to get it started by hand. Step 4 - … wikiHow's. Lay the newly cut edge of carpet back down over the uncut piece. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3c\/Cut-Carpet-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cut-Carpet-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3c\/Cut-Carpet-Step-1.jpg\/aid8921834-v4-728px-Cut-Carpet-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"