Question: My wife and I are building a new home. To save money, we decided to make a few upgrades ourselves (myself) instead of having the builder charge us for them. My first project will be to build a mantel and tile surround for our fireplace. Basically I need to remove a small section of carpet (about 6’x2′) for the tile in front of the fireplace. It will be located on one end of a fairly large carpeted room (about 20’x15′). To be clear, I’ll be removing abour 6′ in the middle of a 15′ wall.
My question: Is it going to be a major task re-stretching the carpet for the whole room after I’m done with the tile, or will it mostly stay in place because it will still be attached at the wall on either side of the fireplace? Is there any risk of ripping or damaging the carpet by cutting inside corners while it’s in tension? I actually feel pretty confident about finishing the edge up to the tile, I’m just worried about causing problems to the carpet in the entire room.
If all it will require is a little knee-kicking, I fell OK doing it myself. Otherwise, I’ll probably have a professional installer do it. If this job will require the help of a professional, should I consult him before starting? Or can I just cut the carpet, leaving extra room, lay my tile, and then call him to have it re-stretched and finished?
Thanks for your help
Brian
Answer: Brian,
I understand that you want to remove your carpet away from one wall so that you can install some ceramic tile in front of your fireplace. If this is correct, then yes, I would recommend that you power stretch your carpet back into place. This will prevent bubbles in the future, especially around the new tile in front of the fireplace. You can rent a power stretcher (they’re not that hard to operate), or you can hire a professional installer. Also, you can look online at www.doityourself.com for more info.
-Mike Jones
Ask the Experts: Power Stretching Carpet,
