Carpet Laying ......~101~......

[LixyChick]

The wealth of knowledge that my fellow Pixite member's have always astounds me. I was gonna ask this on the advice forum but it isn't really about getting laid on a carpet. We are removing our old carpet and laying the new one tomorrow. Any helpful hints so we don't end up in divorce court?

It's a berber. We bought the best backing we could find. The room is only 11x20, but we have to cut out around the radiators and the built-in desk and closet, otherwise it's a straight run. I am a seamstress and measure and cut and sew all day and hubby is in construction/destruction and he's pretty good with measuring too. I do so hope that he's gotten all his destruction frustration out at work......I want this to go smoothly and I am scared! LOL!

OK......hit me with some knowledge please! TY in advance!

[Lilith]

oooh PM H@rd Rock he laid carpet a month or so ago!

[skipthisone]

Stretching or glueing???

[LixyChick]

TY Lil.......I will have to do that!

Stretching Skip!

[skipthisone]

lay it all out and rough cut it all, leaving extra all around. (do not cut around anything yet).
Tuck one side (on the shortest side).
Stretch one long wall and tuck in the direction you are stretching.
Stretch it, tuck it then cut on the back side and tuck the small peice.
Work your way along that wall stretching and tucking,and cutting.
You can then begin to cut around things as you get to them ALWAYS STRETCHING 1st, otherwise you will leave a hole or gap somewhere.
When you are done go back to the wall you were bracing from and cut it.
Then repeat all of the above for the other two walls.

Disclaimer:
I used to lay carpet, but if any of this cause something to fuck up, I dont excist and didnt suggest anything.

[LixyChick]

Was thinking of leaving about 6" on all sides and rough cutting in the built-in desk/closet combo. Beside the desk we have a step-down to the mudroom/kitchen and I want the carpet to wrap around this step. Sound about right?

Thanks for all your advice Skip! I owe ya big time.......it's good, sound advice! And I won't charge you with any fault if things go wrong........I'll just hunt you down and lick you to death! *hugs*

[LixyChick]

OK guys! I think we got it! I have to shut down now as my tower is in the closet and we have to disconnect the puter and move it to carpet the closet when we get to it! Waaaaaaaaaaaa!

Dunno when I'll be back up.....but please send a St. Bernard or the authorities if you don't hear from me by tomorrow afternoon! I already told the neighbors......if you don't see our lights come on at dusk, call 911! Don't go into the house cause it could be a bloody mess! LMFAO!

Oh....and I forgot to mention this Skip, but we have removed all the old baseboards except under the desk because someone replaced the originals (8-10" high) with little, tiny ones that just don't go with the type of house this is. We are replacing them after we lay the carpet, so no tucking will be necessary except under the desk. Thanks again for your instructions.....they were great! *kisses*

OK.....shutting down now...........OMG! I hate doing this!!!!!! Arrgggggggg!

[LixyChick]

Mission accomplished folks! What an easy job, this carpet laying thing is............

*Didn't kill hubby but I maimed him severly...........oh no, that wasn't me...that was the kicker! Both our knees are bruised! I have muscles aches that I didn't even remember I had muscles in those spots! If I have an itch on my back I have to lean against a wall to scratch it cause my forearms are so sore I can barely raise my arms (prolly from moving the sofa bed to and from the dining room....which now looks like a cyclone hit it)....my thighs feel like I ran a marathon.....but other than that I'm perfect!*

I highly recommend, should you ever be faced with the choice of installing a wall to wall yourself or having a friend over and giving him a case of beer and $100.00............opt for the latter! I told my husband.....there are two things on my list that I WILL NEVER, EVER DO AGAIN.....the first is to eat something that looks like it should be bait.....and the second is to lay my own carpet! Trust me on this.........carpet layers get my hugh cudos!

Gotta go now..........I think I need knee surgery! OMG!

[Steph]

Originally posted by LixyChick
Both our knees are bruised! I have muscles aches that I didn't even remember I had muscles in those spots!

Glad to hear it's done! I hope your knees are bruised and your back is sore from more fun activities soon! :)

[Deno]

I just stumbled in too late here.. I have helped lay wall to wall several times and every time I see people make the same mistake.. those kickers are hell on the knees and back if you don't use them right.

But hey, you now have nice soft new carpet. :)

[LixyChick]

Deno.....There is a right way to use the kicker? Don't you dare tell me you actually "kick" the f&*%ing thing! The carpet actually faired better than hubby and I. It looks fantastic! And now we are putting in the baseboard and it looks even better.

LMAO! It's ok now...........the bruise's are turning that perty yellowish/green color now. I can raise my arms above my head without sounding like an old jewish lady......oui! And the throbbing in my back is subsiding.

NEXT? Pulling up random width, 100+ y/o, hemlock floor boards in my bedroom above the living room and pulling wire and cutting through plaster in the ceiling to add a ceiling fan/light to the newly painted and carpeted living room. Can you say "cut nails"? No room in our house has lighting in the ceilings (cept the dining room and kitchen, which we added just recently)....and everything is hammered in with cut nails. We'll borrow a cut nail puller and hope we don't wreck the old wood!

Steph......We haven't had the energy to "christen" the new carpet yet. But as I said....the pain is subsiding.....LOL!

[Slow Ride]

Originally posted by LixyChick
Mission accomplished folks! What an easy job, this carpet laying thing is............

*Didn't kill hubby but I maimed him severly...........oh no, that wasn't me...that was the kicker! Both our knees are bruised! I have muscles aches that I didn't even remember I had muscles in those spots!

Gotta go now..........I think I need knee surgery! OMG!


I hurt my knees getting laid on carpet once ;) so

I invested in knee pads :p

*kisses Lixy's boo boo*

[LixyChick]

Originally posted by Slow Ride



I hurt my knees getting laid on carpet once ;) so

I invested in knee pads :p

*kisses Lixy's boo boo*
*Laying prone and moaning as if still in pain*

Tanks you for da kisses to ma boo boo SR! Oh I hurt ever so bad right here (pointing to left knee) and here (pointing to right knee) and here too (pointing a bit higher than left and right knee).......

and turning over to show more boo boo's that need kissing!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

[Slow Ride]

Originally posted by LixyChick

*Laying prone and moaning as if still in pain*

Tanks you for da kisses to ma boo boo SR! Oh I hurt ever so bad right here (pointing to left knee) and here (pointing to right knee) and here too (pointing a bit higher than left and right knee).......

and turning over to show more boo boo's that need kissing!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!


How about, I just kiss you all over,from head to toe


over & over & over *wink*

[LixyChick]

That would be most appreciated! *squeal*

[Slow Ride]

*on my hands and knees.........crawling towards you*


with a big grin on my face:fly:

[LixyChick]

*giggling in anticipation*

[Slow Ride]

*moves closer...........ever so slowly............looks into your eyes the whole time that I'm moving in your direction*

[LixyChick]

WOW! That was a slow, smooth move! Took a whole day even! TeeHee!

Now where were we?

[Slow Ride]

*GRINS* I was about to crawl on top of you:fly: