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meg_fulkerson

Carpet install Doesn't seem right. (first time homeowner)

9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago

I just had carpets installed. They are coming back to tack down corners that were not done... However, the pad is not close to the tack boards. Which are more than two inches off the wall since they said they couldn't pull it up without pulling up old tile -I never knew tile was there until I pulled the untacked carpet up after the new job! The explanation was given after the fact.

Isn't the carpet pad supposed to butt up against the tack boards???

Is that a seam on the backside of the carpet?

Comments (5)

  • 9 years ago

    I am not a carpet installer.

    They took the sensible route of installing new tackless strip the way they did. Pulling up the old probably would have pulled up some of the old tile, which I am quite sure is 1/16" vinyl asbestos.

    The padding is close enough to the strip. Although it could have been cut closer, it won't matter. Once the carpet is stretched in and finished, you won't know there is a small gap between the pad and the tackless. Are they power stretching in the carpet? (highly recommended). Are they reusing the old padding or is this new?

    No, that is not a seam.

    Meg thanked glennsfc
  • 9 years ago

    This is a new pad and carpet. They already stretched it and "finished" the carpet job. I just found 4 corners that were not tacked down in 2 rooms and one area where there is a small bubble area in the middle of the baseboard line that sticks up a little. They said they will come and fix/ tuck the rest in when they come to bump it up to the tile they are finishing now in hall. (Opposite side of 2 of the rooms) I hope they will put a tack strip or something between doorway tile and room other wise that same width gap will be between the doorway tile and the pad....(wasn't pictured) I am a new homeowner and a single woman. I have already learned some people take advantage of this, so I don't know how to figure out what is legit or not without help from others like you.

  • 9 years ago

    I have installed carpet commercially and that was pure laziness to not remove the old tack strip. Think about this---the nails that hold the tack strip in place simply make holes in the tiles. Pulling the old tack strip consists of a pry bar from the inside of the strips, not the outside(with the possibility of prying too deep. Even if the tiles were damaged/torn, simply nailing down new tack strip prevents any further damage.

    I have experienced rooms where the flooring on the edges of the room were deteriorated and new tack strip would not stay in place long term. Those cases required repair to the flooring, as locating the new tack strips would also eventually fail.

    The pad was also installed badly.

    Over all, that is a very sloppy job.


    That is not a seam, seams are done with obvious seam tap, which is installed w1th special heated irons. And, when done properly, will be as strong as the carpet.

    Just for giggles, my first job installing carpet involved sewing the seams together, with a big curved needle and thread almost twine size.

  • 9 years ago

    Some rooms will require seams. That should have been in original estimate. And seams should be in out of the way places and/or away from high traffic areas if possible.

  • 9 years ago

    There is a professional way to do transitions where carpet butts other surfaces.