How to Fix a Snagged Berber Carpet

Berber carpeting is a plush, sturdy choice for your home, and can represent a significant financial investment in flooring. The carpet is woven in long lines of loops using synthetic or natural fibers. When a loop is pulled up or snagged by regular wear and tear or family pets, it is important to fix the snag to prevent additional loops coming loose, as each loop is dependent on the loop next to it, and so on.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Small crochet hook
• Small tube of superglue
• Latex or rubber gloves

1. 
    
   The snag should be easy to find - it sticks out like a sore thumb! (Jamie Jackson)

   Locate the snag in the carpet. Hold the snag gently with one hand and part the carpet loops with the other hand so you can get a clear view of the empty holes in the woven polypropylene backing. The carpet backing looks like a basket weave, with several holes. The empty holes are where the fiber of the carpet has pulled loose, creating the snag.

2. 
    
   Re-looping the carpet is a simple process. (Jamie Jackson)

   While grasping the snagged loop, use the hook and insert it into an empty hole next to the snag. Maneuver the hook toward the snag until the hook has grabbed the carpet fiber. You will know when you have successfully grabbed the fiber when you pull up through the hole and the snagged loop in your other hand grows taut.

3. Keep holding onto the snagged loop while pulling the fiber up through the hole. This will prevent the new loop from pulling the snagged loop all the way through. You should now have two loops: the original snagged loop, and the new loop. Hold on to both loops and repeat the previous steps until the remaining carpet fiber is re-looped through the empty holes in the backing.

4. 
    
   You don't need a lot of superglue to finish the job. (Omegatron/Wikimedia.org)

   At the base of the re-looped carpet fiber, dab small beads of super glue along the woven backing to hold the carpet fiber in place permanently.

5. Allow the super glue to dry fully before walking on the carpet.

Tips & Warnings

• If you do not have a crochet hook handy, use a paper clip or small screwdriver. Unwind the paper clip until it is in a hook shape. Take your time looping the carpet fiber back into the woven polypropylene backing. Doing this the right way will save you frustration and time wasted.
• Be careful when applying the super glue. Wear latex or rubber gloves to avoid getting glue on your skin.

References

• The Flooring Lady
• World Floor Covering Association