Hmmmmm - you could lay down strips as garden paths, make "wipe your feet" mats for every door, make a scratching post for the cats, carpet the dog house - - uh....okay, I need help here!

If you live in a larger city, there are places which will accept the carpet for recycling (it is cleaned, the face is separated from the backing, and both can be reused). Check with them to see if they have requirements for the sizes of pieces, etc.

Another option is to have the carpet cleaned and then dyed darker, if possible. That could then make it possible to sell it to someone else.

Finally, you can get it reasonably clean and, if the stains are hideable and not smelly, offer the carpet through Freecycle or craigslist or such to someone for their cabin or to use as odd pieces bound into rugs or as free-cut mats, as corar mentions.

Wish we had a doghouse....and a dog. Thanks to you both for the thoughts. I will call the recycling dept. of San Jose and ask if they have any provision for handling this, or if they can recommend a local company. Should have thought of that. The rest are all good ideas, but I'm trying to avoid that much work!

Check out these guys:
http://www.greenfloors.com/Recycled_Carpet_Resources.htm
http://www.carpetrecovery.org/faqs.php
(has a phone no for CA residents to call)

And if you're going to be putting down a new carpet.... they're coming out all over with new carpets that can be essentially infintely recycled "High quality nylon 6 carpet fiber can be 'reborn' again and again as pure, high quality carpet fiber. Certified Nylon 6ix® carpet never has to be landfilled again."

Build a pond and use it carpet side up as a liner between the earth and pond liner. It will prevent rocks and other sharp objects from penetrating your pond liner. Or list it on craigslist as a giveaway.

Has anyone taken old carpet and then placed gravel on top of it?
Would that work or are we wasting time and alot of heart ace later?

We don't plan on pulling this up or growing anything there - just trying to kill the weeds then keep them from coming back.
Thank you

Katie - the problem with doing that to stop weeds is seeds wind up in the gravel, sprout, put roots down and eventually into the carpet - just makes problems later on, even happens with the fancy landscape cloth sold for the same job .... nature bats last!

Bill

Using the carpet for garden paths and other weed barrier functions sounds like a good idea. But I'm curious about what happens to the composition of the dirt when the carpet breaks down. The backing seems to be something like jute, but what about the glues and plastics? Anyone know?

One of the suggestions just gave me a thought...does anyone know how to dye carpet in place? We're planning on replacing our cream-colored carpeting with something darker in a year or two...but the suggestion above that it could be dyed and reused got me thinking that maybe we could just dye it, and keep it, since it's still got plenty of life left in it. Anyone done that before?