How to Stretch Old Carpet

If your wall-to-wall carpet is lumpy and bumpy, you can restretch it. Restretching isn't difficult, even if you've never done it. Rent some carpet stretching tools--a power stretcher, a knee kicker and a carpet cutter. You'll have to lift up the edges of the carpet and pry it from the tack strips they are adhered to before you can stretch the carpet. These nail-embedded strips hold the carpet in place. This project may take a day, depending upon the size of the room.

Things You'll Need

• Staple gun and staples
• Needle-nose pliers
• Screwdriver (flat-head)
• Utility knife
• Hammer
• Carpet tacks

Instructions

1. Lift a corner of the carpeting, using a pair of needle-nose pliers, and gently pull it away from the tack strip. Be careful not to unravel the carpet fibers. Pull the edge of the carpet and pad away from the wall with your hands.

2. Pull staples out of the carpet pad with a screwdriver and the needle-nose pliers so you can pull back the pad.

3. Place the power stretcher against the baseboard opposite the edge of the carpet you are working on. The stretcher has extension sections so you can adjust the shaft length to the room dimensions. Add sections until the gripping head is about 6 inches away from the wall. Push the lever down to embed the carpet backing on the tack strips with your hand. Push hard so you get a good stretch. To increase the pressure, lift the stretcher head off the carpet, raise the handle and embed it in the carpet again before you push the lever.

4. Cut off any excess after stretching the carpet, using the carpet cutter and a utility knife. Cut an entry point from the back side of the carpet with the utility knife and insert the carpet cutter. The cutter will position the carpet against the woodwork; push hard against the cutter to force the carpet against the wood to cut it accurately.

5. Set this side of the carpet with the knee kicker. Position the teeth of the knee kicker into the carpet 6 inches away from the wall and kick against it with the area of your thigh above your kneecap. Embed the carpet and pad underneath the carpet in the tack strip with your gloved hand to hold it in place. Kick again and harder if you need the carpet tighter.

6. Staple the edges of the carpet to the carpet pad, using the staple gun. Hammer carpet tacks through the edges of the carpet into the tack strips.

7. Repeat this procedure on all sides of the room.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear work gloves when working near tack strips and staples to prevent cuts.

References

• The Family Handyman: Remove Humps and Lumps in Wall-to-Wall Carpet
• The Natural Handyman: Q & A With NH