How to Put Carpet in a Basement

If you are finishing a basement and want to carpet the floor, you'll have to prepare the concrete first before laying the carpet. Installing carpet in a basement is an attractive way not only to finish the space, but give your family and guests a sense of comfort. Carpet makes the floor "soft" and provides a homey feel. You can hire a carpet installer to lay carpet in your basement or you can do it yourself and save money.

Things You'll Need

• Floor cleaner
• Bucket
• Mop
• Vacuum
• Concrete sealer
• Paint tray
• Roller
• Tack strips
• Marker
• Drill
• Masonry bit
• Screw gun
• Concrete screws
• Padding
• Utility knife
• Tape measure
• Straight edge
• Carpet
• Knee kicker
• Carpet tucker

Instructions

1. Pour floor cleaner into a bucket and mop the concrete subfloor thoroughly. Allow it to air dry once clean, then vacuum to get up any particle debris.

2. Pour concrete sealer into a paint tray and apply the sealer to the concrete subfloor from the farthest corner to the entryway using a roller. Let the sealer dry as long as the manufacturer directs.

3. Place tack strips around the edges of the room, near the walls, on the floor.

4. Mark the holes in the tack strips onto the floor with a marker for a visual guide.

5. Drill pilot holes in the marks on the floor using a drill and masonry bit.

6. Align the holes in the carpet tacking with the drilled holes in the concrete and secure the tack strips to the floor using a screw gun and concrete screws.

7. Roll out padding inside the tack strips, cutting off any excess overlapping the carpet tacking with a utility knife. The padding should touch or nearly touch the inside edge of the tack stripping but not go over the barbs.

8. Measure the floor with a tape measure, then roll out carpet in a driveway or parking lot and cut it with a straight edge and utility knife, leaving a couple of inches overlap.

9. Roll up the carpet, then carry it into the basement. Unroll it and stretch it out with a knee kicker, making the carpet backing catch onto the barbs in the tack strips. Tuck the ends between the tacking and the walls with a carpet tucker, then cut off any excess carpet with a utility knife to finish the installation.

References

• "Tips & Traps for Remodeling Your Attic, Basement, and Garage"; R. Dodge Woodson; 2006
• "Black & Decker Finishing Basements & Attics"; Creative Publishing International; 2000