carpet in room

Is it hard to install carpet by yourself?

If you’re wondering, “Is it hard to install carpet by yourself?” — the answer really depends on your level of commitment. 

While it is possible to install carpet yourself, you need to prepare, plan, and educate yourself for the carpet install. 

Here’s what you need to keep in mind if you want to DIY your carpet install.

Make sure you measure correctly

If the carpet is going inside a perfectly square room, then you’re lucky, and this process will be much easier. However, if you have random angles, corners, and stairs in the room, the measurement process can be a little tricky. 

If you’re new to carpet installation and not trying to become a professional carpet installer anytime soon, then here’s what we recommend:

  • Draw out a rough sketch of the room. 
  • Measure the square footage. Do this in sections if the room is not a perfect square.
  • Take these measurements and your sketch to the company you’re purchasing carpet from, and ask them to help you confirm the total amount of carpet needed.
  • Order around 10% more carpet (to account for measurement and install issues).

Prepare the room

Before you install new carpet, you have to prep the area for installation. Make sure you take your time on this phase, so you don’t encounter unnecessary hurdles during installation.

Here are some steps to take when preparing for carpet installation:

  • Move all furniture out of the room
  • Remove all pre-existing flooring
  • Remove any baseboards (if necessary for the install), as well as any doors or hardware that could impact the install
  • Sweep the floor and repair any gaps in the flooring
  • Install carpet tack strips. Check out this short video on how to install carpet tack strips.
  • Install carpet padding. It’s important not to skimp on this part of the prep. Carpet padding does a lot for the overall durability and comfort of your carpet.

Cut & install the carpet

After the tack strip and padding are installed, it’s time to measure, cut, lay, and stretch the carpet. Again, make sure you take your time and be as precise as possible. The actual installation is probably the most difficult part of installing carpet. In many cases, you can cut costs by doing the prep work on your own, but still having a professional installer lay the carpet down for you.

Here are the key steps of installing carpet:

  • Measure and cut your carpet by sections, starting with the longest wall. Use chalk lines to keep track of measurement lines to ensure even cutting.
  • Use carpet tape or glue to adjoin two sections of carpet together.
  • Use carpet installation tools to attach the carpet to the tack strip.
  • Use a carpet stretcher to stretch the carpet. Trim and tuck as you stretch.

Here’s a quick video guide on the entire install process:

Additional flooring resources

Interested in learning more about flooring and carpet installation? Check out these additional resources, and fill out our contact form if you have any questions.