Alan's Do-It-Yourself Series (DIY)
Articles and information designed to help consumers tackle various home improvement jobs on their own with a little online help.
How to Install Carpet
Safety Issues
Carpet laying safety
Nobody wants to see you hurt yourself trying to install your own carpet, but let's face it, installing carpet can be very dangerous and hazardous to your health. When my son was 15 he wanted to make some extra money and asked if I would teach him how to lay carpet. His first day on the job ended at noon when he accidentally cut himself with a utility knife. After a trip to the emergency room for several stitches and a week to heal up he was ready to give it another try. He thought he was able to use a knife safely. He was wrong. If you are too confident, you may let your guard down. Always have the utmost respect for the carpet cutting knife.
Knees and back protection
Crawling around for a short time on your hands and knees may not cause you much pain while you are weeding your garden but I assure you that laying carpet all day will. Your knees won't hurt very much until the next day. You'll wake up and say to yourself "what was I thinking?"
No matter what you do, you must protect your knees by wearing some good quality kneepads. But a word of warning, your knees will still be very sore even if you do wear kneepads. All kneepads have some type of straps that keep them in position. These straps will rub the skin on the back of your legs raw for the first few days you wear them. The skin on your knees will also be fire red and inflamed after just a few hours on your knees.
Laying carpet requires using back muscles that you may not have used very much. It is very easy to lift too much and hurt your back. It something is too heavy, get someone to help you. Never have the attitude that since you are young and strong you can lift anything. You may be young and strong, but your back can still be injured if you are not careful. Remember the old saying, "lift with your knees, not with your back" it still holds true today.
More safety precautions
There are other potential hazards to look out for when installing carpet. Your eyes need protection, especially when removing old carpet and padding, scraping up old flooring, hammering or nailing and other activities where dust and debris is floating or flying around. Wearing a good pair of safety goggles is important. I can't tell you how many times the head of a nail has broken off and flew into my face while hammering.
All carpet tools are hazardous. Some tools have sharp teeth, others have hot surfaces, long staples and razor sharp blades. If you are not careful you can easily lose a finger, trip, fall, burn or cut yourself so serious it will require a quick trip to the emergency room. It's not just you that can be injured, anyone in the work area can be hurt too. Dogs, cats, kids, friends and neighbors need to be kept away from the work zones at all times.
Being well organized can help you avoid problems. Keep your tools picked up and out of the way when they are not in use. Don't leave used razor blades lying around, place them in a safe container. Make sure extension cords and other electric cords are positioned in a safe manner and not a trip hazard. Keep electrical equipment unplugged when not in use. Be careful not to place anything too close to a heater or other heat source to reduce the risk of a fire.
I once knew a carpet installer who accidentally dropped his utility knife. It fell straight down into the side of his shoe and cut his ankle deep. The wound became infected and it almost killed him. His foot had to be operated on and it long time to heal. It did so much damage to his foot that he never installed carpet again. The point is, you need to be very careful and take your time. Don't be in a hurry and don't work when you are fatigued. Most of the mishaps I had during my carpet laying career mostly happened toward the end of the long day, and often on a Friday after a long work week.
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