Carpets that are stored rolled up will usually show wrinkles, warps, and creases when you open them. There are a few simple tricks you can do to reduce the stiffness that causes the problem when you unroll the carpet for the first time. Then, when it's time to install it, you can simply spread the rug out with a knee kicker to remove any visible creases. To finish your job, if there is still some stiffness that causes bumps on the carpet after stretching, apply glue between the carpet and the floor with the help of a syringe as a solution.
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Method 1 of 3: Reducing Creases and Curvature on Roll Carpets
Step 1. Unroll the carpet in the sun
To optimize sun exposure, unroll the carpet outdoors on a sunny day and the temperature is around 21-29 °C. If that is not possible, choose a location in the house that is large enough and exposed to direct sunlight. Set the room temperature between 21-29 °C. Spread the carpet out for at least 4 hours, or better yet, throughout the day.
The heat and absorbed sunlight will help reduce the stiffness of the carpet, and will make the next step more effective
Step 2. Roll the rug in the opposite direction
This method is also known as "reverse roll" or "reverse roll". Roll the rug back after drying in the sun, but this time roll the rug upside down (the top of the rug on the outside). While doing so, consider the following:
- Work slowly. Listen closely to see if you hear a rattling sound when you roll up the rug. If that happens, don't continue. A crackling sound indicates damage to the carpet structure has occurred.
- Don't roll the carpet as tightly as before. It is enough to roll the carpet loosely. This will reduce the risk of cracking and the formation of new folds and bends. If you hear a creaking sound when you try to roll the rug upside down for the first time, try rolling it a little more loosely.
Step 3. Let the carpet roll upside down for a few hours
Give the opportunity for the stiffness of the carpet to loosen. Then, stretch the carpet back to see the results. If needed, you can roll the rug upside down again.
Step 4. Take enough time
If you're not in a hurry to get a perfectly fitted rug, leave the rug stretched out for a while. Wait a few days or weeks for the stiffness of the carpet to loosen on its own. You can also stretch the rug upside down or alternate between the two positions.
Step 5. Cover the carpet with a heavy object
Place furniture or other heavy objects in either corner of one end of the rug. Then, pull the other end to stretch the carpet. Check the area of the carpet for creases and bends. If you find one, flatten the section with your hands and overlap the section with a heavy object as well. Pull the free end of the rug one more time until the rug is fully extended before you place a heavy object on either corner.
- To make your job easier, ask someone for help. This way, one can pull the rug and loosen it as needed, while the other handles the creases and bends in the center of the rug.
- To work with smaller rugs, you can use piles of heavy objects placed at strategic points, such as books, flower pots, or special weights.
- For larger rugs, you can use furniture with a wider surface, such as an overturned coffee table or small table, to cover a larger area.
Step 6. Ask a professional to steam the carpet
Take the carpet to a local carpet shop that offers a carpet steaming service, instead of hiring a carpet cleaning service to come to your house. While there are exceptions, carpet cleaning service providers may know nothing but carpet cleaning. It's a good idea to take your carpet to a specialized carpet shop that has employees with expertise in evaluating problems and solving them efficiently.
For example, steaming should be powerful enough to solve the problem if the carpet is only rolled up for a long time. However, if the carpet still won't stretch evenly for other reasons (such as poor quality) and evaporation doesn't solve the problem, a carpet specialist will be able to figure it out and he'll give you the information before you pay for the service
Method 2 of 3: Stretching New Carpet Wall to Wall
Step 1. Install the carpet pad first
If you are installing carpet to cover the entire floor surface, remove all furniture and floor coverings to be replaced if necessary. Then, cover the entire surface of the subfloor with a carpet pad. Use a stapler to attach the pads to the backing floor so they can hold them from sliding.
Step 2. Install the tack strip
Tack strips are usually 2.5 cm wide, but can be up to 1.2 m long. So, saw or cut the tack strip to the required length. Place each tack strip from one end of the floor to the other, leaving about 1.5 cm of space between the tack strip and the wall. Use nails to secure the tack strips through the pads so that the entire edge of the room is lined with the tack strips.
- If you're installing a heavier rug, you may want to consider installing another row of tack strips. If you do, place a second tack strip next to the first tack strip on the furthest from the wall.
- Don't forget to always leave about 1.5 cm of space between the wall and the nearest tack strip. You need to leave this space so you can tuck the edge of the carpet under the baseboard.
Step 3. Spread the carpet
Unroll the carpet over the pads. If the rug has only one solid color, you can simply line up the edges with the corners of the room. If the rug has a pattern, double-check the orientation of the rug to make sure you are laying it in the correct layout. For example:
Let's say you will use a rug of the same pattern in this room and in the outer corridor. For an unbroken appearance, you should lay the rug in the same way in both areas. If the carpet has a pine tree pattern, for example, make sure that all the treetops point in the same direction
Step 4. Begin installing one end of the carpet in the designated place
Select the wall that will be used as the initial benchmark. After that, start at the center of the wall. Place the head of the knee kicker on the carpet, about 10 to 15 cm from the siding, at a 90 degree angle to the wall. Here's what you need to do next:
- Hold the tool handle firmly to prevent it from shifting with your dominant hand. Kneel with the opposite leg and keep your balance with the other hand.
- Press the knee of your dominant foot into the base of the appliance to push the rug against the wall. Repeat this procedure until the edges of the carpet slightly cover the siding.
- Press the rug in the area against the tack strip underneath to hold it in place.
Step 5. Work towards the corners of the wall
Once you've properly fixed the center of the first rug edge to the floor, move it about a meter to each side. Place the head of the knee kicker on the carpet, about 10-12 cm from the wall. However, this time place the tool at a 45-degree angle to the wall, with the base of the tool pointing toward the center of the room. Apart from that one difference, push and install the carpet in the same way as before.
- Depending on the length of the wall, you will have to repeat the same procedure every one meter until you reach the corner of the room. Then go to the other side (opposite where you started) and continue until you reach the other corner.
- Placing the tool at a 45-degree angle to the wall as you work your way to the corner of the room will help push the crease toward the center of the rug.
Step 6. Repeat the same procedure for each wall
Start at the opposite wall so that the carpet installation is parallel to the others as you move forward. Secure the edges of the carpet along the wall as you did for the first. As you move forward, inspect the carpet for creases. Here's what to do if your knee kicker doesn't help you spread the rug properly:
Remove the carpet from the tack strip so you can reassemble it with the help of a lever-activated carpet stretcher
Step 7. Use the carpet stretcher with the lever
If you have to perform the carpeting procedure again, repeat the steps performed using a knee kicker along one of the walls. However, this time don't press the rug into the tack strip once you're done. Instead, use a lever-operated carpet stretcher to pull the carpet evenly toward the wall before securing it.
- The working principle of both tools is the same. The only difference is how you use it. With this tool, you only need to move the lever up and down instead of using your knees.
- Lever-operated stretchers may be a better option if you have to work on a large project or if your knee is in poor condition (such as recovering from an injury). The impact caused by using the knee to push the knee kicker for a long time can cause physical trauma.
Method 3 of 3: Removing Bulges on the Carpet
Step 1. Fill the injection with glue
To get started, buy enough carpet glue to cover the entire surface of the floor to be carpeted. Then, look for a feeding shot. Open the lid of the glue container and suck the glue according to the injection capacity.
Step 2. Make holes in the carpet
First, look for the part that stands out. Use your fingers to estimate the size. Once you know roughly where the edges are, grasp the center with pliers. Then, punch a hole in the center with a syringe.
Step 3. Inject glue along the edges of the bumps
Continue to lift the center of the bump with the pliers. While you're at it, position the needle toward the edge of the bulge. Push the needle as far as it will go to reach the edge. Then, press the piston to release the glue and coat the backing floor along the edge of the protrusion with glue. Rotate the syringe as you do so so that the glue can be spread in a circular manner.
Step 4. Work inward
Continue spreading the glue in the same way. As you work, begin to slowly pull the needle out of the carpet. Make concentric circles with glue under the carpet bumps pointing toward the center of the circle.
Step 5. Press into place
After you pull the needle out, place the injection. Start at the center of the protrusion, and use your hands to push the edges into the support floor. Make sure the glue touches the bottom of the carpet while smoothing it out so that it covers a wider area. From there, continue pressing the carpet outward toward the edge of the bump.
Step 6. Press the carpet one more time when the glue starts to dry
Use a rolling pin to level the carpet better once you're done pressing the bumps with your hands. Then, overlap the rug with weight so that the glue stays in contact with the rug as it dries until the rug is completely attached to the floor. Check the instructions on the package to see how long it will take for the glue to dry completely. Do not move the ballast for at least this time.
