In this article I will teach you 2 simple and easy DIY jobs: skirting and carpet installation, they seem like small jobs but they can make or break a room in terms of aesthetic design.
The tools you will need:
Carpet Fitting Tools
Hammer
Hoover
Knee Kicker
Carpet Stretcher
Carpet Knife
Skirting Fitting
First off measure the area you are skirting, once that’s done add 15% for contingency cuts as often if you’re doing DIY you will need them especially if this is your first time. Next mark the front of the skirting board in chalk; this is so no mistakes are made later on. Then start to cut your skirting into appropriate lengths. Do not dispose of the off cuts as you will need these later on in the process.
When skirting internal walls many people can do it a variety of ways, but I prefer the process which leaves the aesthetic value at a maximum. So I always leave the edge which will be at the wall as a straight edge. Now you can mark the pattern of the skirting profile on top of the very edge so use a coping saw because you will have complete control over it and you can make your work as intricate as your skill level allows. With a jigsaw you don’t have the time to do this.
Carpet Fitting
After you have done the basics (measured the length of carpet needed) and checked the carpet for squeaks, install a tack strip. It is always best to get a wide length of tack strip for the simple reason that it holds the carpet down better. Place a piece of wood between the tack strip and skirting board. The width of the wood should be 3/8 of an inch. You can get these at any home and hardware shop. They will be near the thicker tack strips too. What you then need to do is nail the tack strip down on both sides so the tack strip does not become loose.
Lay Down Carpet Cushion
Cut it so that when it’s laid down the edge of the carpet cushion is flush with the edge of the tack strip. Then staple it down every 3 feet, do not hammer with nails in case they go through any pipes.
Fitting The Carpet
Roll out the carpet so that a little bit of the leftover carpet is on one side of the room. Then place the knee kicker a few inches from the wall and give a swift knee kick to attach the carpet to the tack strips. Then with a carpet stretcher put it against the already attached carpet and then place the other end of the carpet stretcher about 5 inches from the wall. Just like the knee kicker, the carpet stretcher also has teeth that will grab hold of the carpet and stretch it past the tack strips once you have used the activation lever. Now get a stair tool and tuck the carpet under the gap between the tack strips and the wall.
All that’s left to do is hoover the carpet to remove any debris and enjoy your new room.
Jamie Crookes is a professional carpet fitter who works for Haldane Fisher. When he’s not fitting carpets he likes to blog about DIY tips and tutorials.
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