Taking Up Carpet

Remove the 3 foot wide carpet sections from the tack strips by shaking the carpet in a back and forth motion while pulling it up from the surface of the floor.

Taking up carpet.

Continue pulling up carpet a few feet at a time and cutting it into easy to handle strips. The carpet will be connected to the concrete surface via a series of wooden strips to which the carpet is tacked. Carpet glue is an incredibly strong adhesive designed to fix rolls of carpet to concrete floors. Keep both hands on the knife to avoid cutting a free hand.

Learning how to clean old hardwood floors after removing carpet is easier than most people think it simply takes a little bit more time than a traditional floor clean. Of carpet and cut it into easy to handle strips photo 1. Though incredibly effective this specialty glue is also notorious because it leaves behind sticky residue that is hard to remove with traditional removal methods. Fold back about 3 ft.

If it won t come up then cut a small 6 inch by 6 inch square in the corner with your utility knife. If you are trying to salvage the floor underneath make sure you do not cut grooves in the floor with the knife. Just grab the carpet with pliers and pull. Remove this small piece of carpet and then pull up on the larger section.

Use a utility knife with a sharp new blade to cut through the carpet backing. To detach the carpet from the tack strip that holds the carpet in place along walls start in a corner. With the help of the right products and a little bit of patience you ll be well on your way to restoring your hardwood to its original glory. Roll or fold the strip secure with duct tape and remove it from the room.

Pull back a corner of the carpet using a pair of pliers. Start at one corner of your room and try to pull up the carpet. Lifting up a carpet is a lot easier with the help of an assistant. One way to do this is to lift the carpet away from the floor as you cut.

Then grab the carpet by hand and continue to pull it up along an entire wall. Pull up a few feet of carpet and fold it over.