Install one room of carpet

Installing Carpet
First a room measurement is needed to determine size of replacement carpet. Measure length then width. Lets say the room size is 14’6” long and 10’ wide. We will need a piece of carpet 12 x 15 to fit the room. Padding comes in 6’ width so we will need a 6 x 30 piece of pad.
Now we need to remove the old carpet and padding. Start by taking a laminate knife or a hawkbill blade, pull out a corner with the laminate blade and pull the carpet down the wall removing it from the tackstrip. Do this all the way around the room. If the carpet is seamed in the door way you will need to spilt the seam, do this on the outside edge (edge out of the room) Use a straight edge to insure a straight cut, as we will need that to make the new seam. Once this is done use a razor knife or a carpet knife to cut the carpet into 4 pieces. Roll up old carpet and pad take it out.
The sub-floor will need to be cleaned. Usually a good sweep will take care of this. Check the sub-floor, pound in any nails that may be loose. Check for squeaks, place 1 ½ screws where you find a squeak. You may need to use liquid nails if the screws don’t work.
Install the padding, roll pad out and cut to length with the carpet knife or razor knife. The pad should be just inside the tack strip. Once you have the pad rolled out and cut to length you will need a hammer tacker. This is a specializes staple gun. Used just how the name implies, hammer the staples into the pad use more around the edges than in the middle. Make sure that there are no ripples in the pad as these will translate into the carpet. Next you will need to tape the seams of the pad, a masking tape will do, some use duct tape.
We are ready for the carpet, as you remember the carpet is bigger than the room. We need to cut the carpet down to fit the room. Use a straight edge, the longer the better. You will need to use an awl to open the seam between the carpet fibers, an awl is a tool with a small point. Now the room we are using in this illustration is 10 feet wide, the carpet is 12 feet wide, lets cut the carpet to 10’ 6” this gives room for error. Also when we stretch the carpet we will have some more play room as well. Open the seam with the awl make sure of your measurments, lay out the straight edge, again check to make sure you are making a straight cut, this is why I use a 6 foot edge. Make your cut checking every so often for straight. Now rool up the carpet and take it into the room. Now we are 6 inches wide than the room so rolling it out may be a little challenge. Center the carpet so you have 3 inches going up each wall. Now you will need a carpet back cutter, this has a carpet blade in it and is designed to cut along the base of the baseboard. To start you will need to go to all 4 corners of the room and make diagonal split along the corner of the carpet not to long, just enough to get you to the bottom edge of the baseboard. Now make you cut along one wall, take your time and make a straight cut. Move back to the corner and repeat this step along the next wall.
Now that the cut is made you will need your knee kicker, and the hawkbill, or laminate trimmer. Go to the original corner and begin to tuck the carpet under the baseboard along the first wall you made your cut on. Once that wall is tucked go to the opposing wall and place the knee kicker about 2 inches from the tack strip. Drive your knee into the padded end of the knee kicker, repeat this along the wall use the impression left in the floor by the teeth of the kicker as a guide as to where to place the kicker next. You are now stretching the carpet in one direction. Once you have kicked the wall, go back to the corner where you started kicking and use the carpet back cutter, hawkbill, and knee kicker to cut excess off, tuck carpet and tighten carpet onto the tack strip.
Once you have completed this step go to the second wall where you have already trimmed carpet and tuck it under baseboard. Once done move to opposing wall.
This wall should be the wall with the doorway. Now we need to make a seam. Overlap the two carpets, use your straight edge and make a cut through both pieces of carpet, this should give you a perfect fit to both pieces. Place seam tape under the two pieces of, carpet center it up, now there are several types of seam tape, use what is the best for you. Make the seam, make sure the seam is secure and tight. Now all that is left is to go around the room and tuck and kick the carpet to make sure the carpet is fully stretched. Now you are done, enjoy your handi-work