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Getabuilder Team 125 posts	Original message: posted 19-Mar-08 Carpeting a small room There is an enormous range of carpets available, with something to suit every room in the house and every budget. They all benefit from a cushioned underlay, which makes carpet more comfortable underfoot and last longer. A carpet with foam or rubber backing has a built-in underlay, so it is quite straightforward to fit, especially if you buy a carpet that can be laid in one piece. A hessian-backed carpet needs a separate underlay and must be stretched as it is laid, so the task of fitting may be better left to a professional. Laying foam-backed carpetIf you are laying foam-backed carpet over floorboards rather than hardboard, put down a paper underlay to stop dust blowing up between the boards and making dirty marks on the carpet. But leave a gap of about 100mm around the perimeter of the room because you will need to attach the carpet to the floor with double-sided tape or carpet adhesive. 1. Starting with the longest clear wall, unroll the carpet and lay it loosely in place, allowing the excess to extend up the walls. Smooth it flat across the floor, then push it hard into the edges and trim it to leave an overlap of 25–50mm. At external corners use a craft knife to make a straight cut in the excess allowance; at internal corners cut a triangular notch. 2. Use a metal straightedge to push the carpet firmly into the edges all around the room. 3. Cut around the edge with a craft knife held at a 45° angle. Push the carpet in place with the metal straightedge while you cut. 4. To fit the carpet around a lavatory or basin pedestal, lay it as far as the front of the pedestal, then fold it back on itself. Cut in from the edge of the carpet in a straight line to the centre of the pedestal. With a bolster press it hard into the junction between floor and pedestal on one side and cut it roughly, about 50mm above the floor. Then make a series of angled cuts to the curved edge of the pedestal so it will lie flat. Push it into the junction the other side and cut it roughly in the same way. 5. Trim around the base of the pedestal with the knife held at a 45º angle. When you have a neat join, peel back the carpet, apply adhesive to the floor, and press it firmly back in place. 6. To fit the carpet around a pipe, make a straight cut to the edge of the carpet in line with the centre of the pipe. 7. Press the carpet around the pipe, then trim it by running the knife around the base of the pipe at a 45° angle until the carpet lies flat. Fitting the carpet across a doorwayA threshold bar fitted across the edge of the carpet in the doorway is essential to create a neat and safe transition from the flooring of one room to the next. 1. Make straight cuts at the external corners of the door frame so that the carpet will lie flat either side. 2. Press the carpet into the corners with a bolster and cut around the bottom of the frame with a craft knife held at a 45º angle. 3. Cut the carpet along the metal straightedge in line with the edge of the flooring in the next room. 4. Cut the threshold bar to length with a hacksaw. If you have a wood floor, make pilot holes for the screws with a bradawl and screw the strip to the floor. If you have a concrete floor, drill holes with a power drill and masonry bit, and insert wallplugs first. 5. Push the edge of the carpet under the threshold bar with a bolster. Attaching the carpet to the floorTo fix the carpet to the floor you can use an aerosol carpet adhesive, as shown here, or special double-sided tape. 1. Pull back the edges of the carpet around the perimeter of the room, spray the floor with adhesive, then replace the carpet. 2. Press down firmly to make sure it adheres properly. 3. Retrim any untidy edges once the carpet is glued firmly in place.
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