Poor installation of carpet often leads to wrinkling in the carpet. Sometimes water damage or simply aging can also produce similar effects on the carpet. In such cases, carpet stretching becomes inevitable. You should consider about stretching carpet as soon as first few wrinkles begin to show.
Delaying this job can damage the carpet permanently as the wrinkles often lead to ripping and tearing of the carpet. Moreover, there are chances of people tripping over it and getting themselves injured. To check if the carpet needs to be stretched again, you need to lift it up at the center and then snap it back. If it lays flat, you probably do not need to stretch it. However, if it does not go back to its place, then your carpet needs a stretching.
Carpet Stretching Tools:
If you are planning to stretch the carpet yourself, you'll have to arrange for the required carpet stretching tools such as, knee kicker, a power carpet stretcher, a carpet blade, and a stair tool (carpet tucker). If you do not know how to work a power stretcher, there are available instruction manuals online or your local Home Depot in the tool rental department. A Power stretcher is a device with three components a lever, a head, and adjustable poles you can fit to the size of the room be repaired. Lever butts against one end of the carpet while head is to be moved around for stretching.
How to Stretch Carpet:
Once, you have all the tools and supplies at hand, you can proceed with carpet stretching as per the following instructions.
- Position the carpet stretcher in the center of the room.
- Position the base of the stretcher against a studded area of the wall. Protect the wall with a towel to prevent scuffing.
- Once you pull the carpet, hook it to the tack strip every time you stretch.
- Begin working towards the wall that has a door, then move towards other sides.
- Stretch the sides properly, instead of 18 inches, start from a foot away from where you pulled it last.
- Hook the carpet to the tack board properly.
- Use a knee kicker for the areas difficult to reach, such as built in cabinets etc.
- You'll need to cut the sides and trim the edges, once the carpet is stretched. Also, make sure that the backing is intact.
- Tuck the overhang carpet under the baseboard.
While working with a power carpet stretcher, you need to be extra careful as it is indeed a very powerful tool. If you push down on the lever forcefully, you run the risk of ripping your carpet or pulling off a tack strip from other end.
Carpet Stretching by Professionals:
Professional carpet stretching companies can be called for assistance, if you are not sure you can accomplish the job on your own. Most carpet stretching companies will work by removing the tacks from their place, pulling the carpet and then stretching it again by replacing the tacks. The cost of stretching carpet will be about the same as that for installing it. Most companies will charge you somewhere around 0.75 cents a foot, if they are required to move any furniture. All in all, the entire cost of carpet stretching can vary.
A wrinkled, ripped carpet can spoil the entire look of your living room. Hence, you should not delay this particular job. Besides, stretching carpet adds to the life of your carpet as cleaning and maintaining it becomes easier. If you're considering this type of carpet repair, give us a call at (951)787-8787 for a free estimate. We have the tools and the experience to restore your carpet at an economical price. We service Riverside CA and surrounding areas.