Carpet Installation in Decatur, GA

Not every carpet job starts with old carpet. Sometimes the plan is to cover a worn vinyl floor in a bedroom, a scarred wood floor in a den or a concrete slab on a lower level. Carpet installation in Decatur begins with finding out what is underneath now, because that decides how tack strip is fastened, what preparation is needed and how the new floor will meet the rooms around it.

The notes below cover that preparation, the layout and the selections. For other projects around the house, see our remodeling services in Decatur.

What can stay under new carpet

Carpet needs a firm, reasonably flat surface and a perimeter where tack strip can be fastened. Plywood and OSB subfloors take nails easily. Concrete takes tack strip with hardened concrete nails or adhesive. Sheet vinyl and vinyl tile that are firmly stuck down can often stay, as long as the strip can be fastened through them. Loose tiles, bubbled cushion vinyl and other unsound spots are taken up or repaired first. In an older house, have old vinyl tile, sheet vinyl and the adhesive under them tested for asbestos before any of it is pulled up, scraped or sanded, since some older flooring products contain it and you cannot tell by looking.

Hardwood is a special case. Carpet can go over it, but tack strip nails leave holes around the edges of the room. If you might want the wood back one day, discuss that before installation.

Room dimensions and seam planning

With the base settled, we measure each room and plan where seams will fall. Carpet rolls come in fixed widths, so most living rooms and many bedrooms need a seam. Seams are placed out of main paths and doorways, and where possible along the direction of window light rather than across it, so they are harder to see.

The layout also has to work around stair openings, closets and angled walls, which is why measuring happens on site rather than from a floor plan.

Transition hardware at each doorway

At every place carpet meets another floor, we measure the height difference and pick hardware to match. Hidden metal edges suit openings where the floors are close in height; reducers and carpet-to-tile moldings handle larger steps. If a plank floor is going in next door, our page on LVP flooring installation in Decatur describes how that floor is finished at the edge.

Choosing fiber and pile by room

Choose fiber and pile style by how the room is used. A dense nylon cut pile wears well in a family room, while a soft polyester plush feels good in a bedroom. Level loops look tidy and hide footprints but are less forgiving with pets. Face weight helps compare similar carpets, but density and twist are better predictors of how a carpet will look after years of use.

Pad, pile direction and the sequence of work

Pad type and density are matched to the carpet maker’s requirements. Tack strip is set, with old strip replaced where it is loose or rusted, and the pad is laid inside it. Carpet goes down with the pile running the same direction in every connected room, then it is seamed, power-stretched and trimmed. Floor vents are located and cut open, and doors are checked for swing clearance and trimmed if they drag.

Stair nosings are tightened before the stairs are carpeted, and each doorway transition is checked for height once the carpet is in.

Decatur permits for related work

Decatur is a DeKalb County city. If your project includes structural repairs or changes to plumbing or electrical systems, the City of Decatur Design, Environment and Construction Division is the office to ask about permits for that work.

Your questions about subfloors, seams and vents

Can carpet be installed over a hardwood floor?

Yes. Pad and carpet can go over a sound hardwood floor, and the wood underneath is protected from wear. The trade-off is that tack strip is nailed into the wood around the edges of each room, which leaves small holes and may call for edge repairs if the carpet comes out later. If you may want the hardwood back, talk through options before installation.

Will the seams in my new carpet be visible?

A well-made seam is hard to spot, but it is rarely invisible in every light. Placing seams away from doorways and walking paths, running them with the light from windows, and keeping the pile of both pieces pointing the same way all help. Some styles, such as low level loops, show seams more readily than textured cut piles.

What happens to floor vents when new carpet is installed?

The register covers are lifted out, the pad and carpet are laid over the openings, and then the openings are located and cut so the covers sit back in place. The edges are trimmed so the carpet does not fray around the register. If a vent needs to move, that is separate HVAC work and should be planned before the carpet goes in.

Start with the floors you have in Decatur

Call 404-409-4448 and tell us what floor is in each room now and where you want carpet. After that, a visit to measure and look at the existing floor lets us write up the estimate.