Carpet Installation Stretching Technique
- 1). Rent installation equipment from a utility rental location. A power stretcher will help you stretch the carpet taut for installation, while a knee kicker secures the carpet edges to the tackstrip around the room. To trim the carpet around the edges, look for a carpet cutter, which will cut precise lines and embed carpet under baseboards. A utility knife may be used for smaller, hard-to-reach cuts.
- 2). Ensure the carpet is laying flat and the carpet on the opposite end of the room is secure to the tack strip. Adjust the power stretcher so that its extension reaches across to the opposite wall's baseboard to brace the tool for stretching. To protect your baseboard, lay a 2-by-4 parallel with the molding and brace the power stretcher extension to it.
- 3). Place the carpet stretcher down the exact center of the room, keeping the stretcher head about 6 inches from the edge of the unsecured carpet. Pull down on the lever, which will force teeth down into the carpet and stretch the carpet up toward the wall you are facing.
- 4). Press the unsecured portion down onto the tackstrip with your hand, leaving an excess portion to be trimmed away with a knife.
- 5). Stretch the carpet lengthwise after you have stretched down the middle of the room. Move to the left about 18 inches and stretch, followed by another 18 inches and stretch. Move to the right side of your center stretch and continue the sequence going all the way to the corner of the room.
- 6). Secure the carpet to the entire left wall of the room using the knee kicker tool. Place the kicker close to the baseboard and kick the knee to the provided pad to stretch and tack the carpet to the tacking strips. Work from the center of the wall, then moving left and right into the corners.
- 7). Stretch the carpet on the entire right side wall, opposite where you just secured the carpet with a knee kicker. Place the stretcher head 6 inches from the baseboard and pull down the lever to stretch the carpet.
- 8). Secure the rest of the carpet after stretching by using the knee kicker around the edges of the room.
- 9). Trim excess edges with a carpet cutter or utility knife. For easier cutting with a utility knife, fold down the excess carpet and cut from the backing. A carpet cutter may be used to cut the carpet from the front.
- 10
Embed the carpet edges under the baseboards for a completed look. The carpet cutter has an edge that allows you to drag the tool along the carpet edge, forcing it under the baseboard.
Source...