How to Take Up Carpet

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By Corey M. Mackenzie
eHow Contributing Writer

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Taking up old carpet is not a fun task, but it is a necessary one if you are re-doing your floors. While there are several ways you can pull up carpet, some methods are more efficient than others. To be efficient, use your own body weight as leverage (while bracing yourself steadily on your feet). Another important thing to remember while taking up carpet is your personal safety. Accidents may easily happen, especially when working with sharp carpet knives and heavy carpeting.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Carpet knife
Heavy leather work gloves
Crowbar

How to Take Up Carpet

Step 1

Make cuts in the carpet the entire width of the room. Place these cuts every 10 feet or so. This will allow you to pull it up in sections more easily.
Step 2

Cut the carpet along one corner of the wall to get it started. Slide the flat end of a crow bar beneath the carpet edge and pry it away from the baseboard. Pull this piece of carpet up and away from the floor as much as possible--at least enough to grip it.
Step 3

Press the knife to this section of carpet about 4 inches away from the edges and make a vertical slit for a handhold. Give it a firm yank to make sure it will hold and not rip away.
Step 4

Grip the carpet through the handhold and pull up and back. The carpet should pull up a bit. With the knife, carefully cut any carpet threads sticking to the floor and continue to pull up and back.
Step 5

Stand up and continue pulling in steady movements, using your own body weight for leverage. When you reach the end of a section, toss the old carpeted section aside and cut a new hand hold in the next section. Repeat until all carpet is removed.

Tips & Warnings

For large areas of carpeting or heavy carpeting, ask a friend to help you pull it up.
It is easy to lose your grip and fall, or pull a muscle in your back, shoulders or neck while doing this. If you already have a back problem, ask someone else to help you and/or wear a back support while pulling carpet. If the carpet is dusty or covered with debris, wear safety glasses.

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Comments

grandmawithtool said

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on 7/16/2009 I am trying to take up old foam backed carpet. The first layer comes up great but the foam stays stuck to the floor. This carpet was probably put down in the 70's I need help on how to get the foam up without too much scraping, there are hardwood floors underneath.