Not only that but dirt is the main cause ofmold in carpeting.
Dirt contains mold spores.
Dirt plus moisture provide a rich breeding ground for mold.
The Spruce / Kevin Norris
Dirt quickly soaks up any available moistureit is a moisture magnet.
Install Carpet Tack Strips
Carpet tack stripsare strips of wood with sharp upward-pointed tacks.
They are attached to the subfloor around the perimeter of the room to anchor the edges of the carpeting.
Carpet tack strips can be installed on any pop in of substrate, whether a wood or concrete subfloor.
set up the tack strips with the tacks angled toward the wall.
If the tacks are angled toward the room, they will not hold the edges of the carpeting.
Do not implement the tack strips against the wall.
Extra space is needed to tuck the edges of the carpet over the strips.
Tack strips cannot always be reused, and not all tack strips can be saved.
Some strips will be torn up during carpeting removal, while other strips will be rotten or moldy.
Padding should touch the inner edge of the tackless strips but it should not overlap the strips.
If the padding overlaps, a thick lump will develop around the edge of the carpet.
Use Quality Carpet Padding
Use high-quality carpet padding.
Even lower-quality carpeting will perform better if the underlying padding is of good quality.
Density is one way to judge the quality of carpet padding.
Look for at least a 6-pound density rating.
This means that each cubic foot of padding weighs 6 pounds.
Prime foam padding is the least dense padding, at 5 pounds density or less.
Rubber padding is the most dense, at up to 22 pounds per cubic foot.
Old carpet padding will likely be too flattened down by traffic for reuse with new carpet.
Buy Extra Carpeting
Purchase up to 10-percent more carpeting in excess of the project area.
So, for a 500-foot project area, purchase up to 50 square feet of overage.
Patterned carpet requires more excess than non-patterned carpet sincecutting and seamingpieces require you to match the pattern.
The larger the pattern, the more waste.
Lay out the project area and consider how those rolls will fit into the area.
The carpeting should run in the same direction so that the carpet pile will lay correctly.
Keep the carpet pile consistent from piece to piece to avoid color or shading variations.
Carpet knives are indispensable for cutting carpeting.
These can be purchased for $10 to $20.
Not all tools need to be rented or purchased.
You will also need a utility knife and plenty of fresh blades for cutting carpet padding.
Two types of stretchers are essential to a good carpet installation: a power stretcher and a knee kicker.
Proper stretching is vital to good carpet installation.
If you’re not prepared to learn this skill, it’s best to hire pros.
