BLOGS

Can I Save Money Repairing Carpet Myself?

There are many problems at home that you can fix yourself. With the right tools and good instructions many Do-it-Your-Selfers have saved a lot of cash my tackling home projects on their own. What about carpet repair? Is it easy enough to rent tools and do the job yourself? Is it worth it? Let’s take a look.

Cost of Carpet Repair Tools

Pricing on tools to repair your carpet can vary.

• Power Stretcher– Shopping around you may be able to locate a power stretcher for around $30/35 a day.
• Toolbox– You may be able to find a toolbox containing a straight edge, knife, glue gun and other repair tools for approximately $20/day

If you can get everything done in one day it may cost you around $50-60. Or you could hire a professional to take care of smaller projects of 2-4 rooms for $100-300 depending on the dimensions of the rooms. Your skill and quickness will determine how much you can actually save. Remember time is money and you do not want to spend multiple days working on the same project that professionals can do in a few hours. If you are comfortable with repairing carpet yourself it may be worth it.

How difficult is Repairing Carpet?

The above question isn’t always easy to answer broadly. It will depend on your construction experience and how complex your carpet problem really is. For much simpler jobs in homes where you have raised trim, plush carpet and flexible latex carpet backing, doing it yourself may be ideal for you. Still there could be unpredictable factors that could put a project of this king way over your head. Seam work can be tricky, especially if you want it to be nearly invisible. In this case it is highly recommended that you leave it to the pros. A top notch, high quality seam takes experience and a good skill set to achieve.

The Verdict

As you can see there are many factors that will determine just what the best option is. If you have the skill set renting tools may save you money and you could do a great job. It really does just depend on how comfortable you are with your skill set and how much time you have. Of course there are the risks that you may just get into more than you bargained for. For the best possible results, call a professional and avoid the possible headaches all together.

5-16-2016

Easy Tips to Patch Your Carpet

Have you notice a burn or stain in your carpet that will not come out with cleaning? If you have come to this conclusion; patching is a great solution for your problem. The steps to patching are simple, but it can take some skill. Follow along as we explain the process of carpet patching.

Repair Tools

You can find most of the tools around the house and if not they can be found at a local home improvement store or warehouse. You will need the following:

• Straight Edge
• Knife
• Screw Driver
• Scissors
• Seam Tape
• Glue Gun

Once you have located the tools above you are ready to start. Make sure that you have covered the entire list above so you won’t have to make multiple trips.

Getting Started

Your first step is finding matching carpet for your patch. In most cases you should have remnant left over from your carpet installer. This may have been left under your stairs or in a closet. Otherwise you can cut a piece from the closet or stretch your carpet and cut off excess carpet for advanced carpenters.

After getting your material you are ready to start repairing your carpet! Follow the steps below and you can have your carpet looking brand new.

• First cut out the damaged section of the carpet. Run your screw drive down the middle of the yarns to spread them out before cutting. You don’t want to cut the yarns off while cutting out your patch. You should have a square hole.
• Cutout your section of carpet from remnant.Use your straight edge to cut from the back of the remnant by cutting two sides. You will want the patch to be an inch or two bigger than the hole.
• Fit in your patch.Fit it in place the best you can.
• Make two slits on the other sides and line up your backing.Use your straight edge to line up the backing and then cut the edges.
• Use your seam tape and glue gun to patch in place.Place a piece of seam tape larger than your patch under the carpet. Apply glue to the seam tape and the patch. Pat you patch down and you are finished.

You will find that there are special skills needed to perform sufficient repairs but small carpet patches can be performed by a homeowner so as long as they are careful and practice enough to get it right. If a patch is larger than a size of a hand we recommend contacting acarpet repair specialist.

5-16-2016