How to Install Attached Pad Carpets

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Things You'll Need

  • Knee pads or scrap carpeting

  • Measuring tape

  • Sharp utility knife

  • Carpet tape

Attached pad carpets or integral-pad carpets as they're also known are simply pieces of carpet that have a carpet pad attached to their back. Installing an attached pad carpet takes half the time (or less) of attaching a carpet without the attached padding, because you don't have to measure, cut or install the padding separately. Plan to kneel for a long time as you install your carpets: You might want to invest in a good pair of knee pads or use an extra scrap of carpet to kneel on and protect your knees. This type of carpeting can be installed on any clean, dry and level surface.

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Step 1

Measure the area to be carpeted.

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Step 2

Use a utility knife to cut your attached pad carpeting to 1 inch larger on each side than the measurement you took. So, for example, if you were going to carpet an area 78 inches across, you'd cut the carpet for that area to be 80 inches across; one inch extra on each side.

Step 3

Lay the carpet out on the surface to be carpeted.

Step 4

Kneel near the edge of your carpeting and pull the edge of the carpet back.

Step 5

Apply an even strip of carpet tape, which is basically a strong two-sided adhesive, along the floor's edge where the carpet will lay.

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Step 6

Remove the paper backing from the carpet tape, revealing the upward-facing adhesive.

Step 7

Drop the carpet back into place over the carpet tape and smooth it into place along the entire length of the tape.

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Step 8

Trim any extra carpeting away with a utility knife.

Step 9

Repeat this process with all other edges of the carpeting. Peel the carpet back, apply carpeting tape, replace the carpet and press it into place, then trim away any extra carpeting.

Tip

You can conceal the edges of the carpet with a baseboard if you so desire.

The sharper the utility knife or shears you use to cut the carpeting, the cleaner and more even the cut edges will be.

If you're putting together more than one piece of carpet, make sure their piles run in the same direction. In other words, when you run your hand across both pieces of carpet in one direction, it should smooth the fibers down. Running your hand across both pieces in the opposite direction should raise the fibers up like the fur on a dog's back.

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