Once you get
started, converting from a carpet to a hardwood floor isn't too difficult. In
essence, the entire process is the simple and intuitive job of pulling up the
floor that is there already and then laying down the new floor. In this article
you will find a description of the process, with the details of any precautions
you should take.
Removing the Carpet
This should
be an intuitive job. Start by removing the trim around the carpet, as this is
where you will find the tacks which hold the carpet to the floor. Then, to
remove the carpet you can either use a utility knife to cut it into pieces so
that you can easily remove it yourself, or, if you have assistance, you can
roll the carpet up and carry it away in one piece. Next, you'll want to remove the
padding which sat under the carpet. The padding would have been held down by
nails, staples and/or glue, so you'll need to get to work scraping and prying
in order to get the sub-flooring clean enough to lay down your hardwood.
Laying the Hardwood
If you have
a wooden sub-floor then you can start laying your hardwood straight away.
However, if the sub-floor is concrete then you'll need to lay something on top
before you can put down the hardwood. Place on moisture barrier on top of the
concrete first of all. If you are going to use floating hardwood floors, then
you can put these directly on top of the moisture barrier. However, if you are
going to nail your hardwood down then you'll need to place wooden battens on
the moisture barrier in order to provide something for your nails to sink into.
Conclusion
Replacing
carpets with hardwood is a simple job when you follow the advice in this
article, and once you have done it you will have a floor which will stay
looking good for years. So what are you waiting for? Pull up those threadbare
and faded carpets and lay down the wooden flooring.