Time to Buy New Flooring? Or Just Restretch the Carpet?

There comes a time when things around the house look a little, well, you know … blah. You can make things look fresh again any number of ways. A fresh coat of paint can do wonders. It's a low-budget way to go if you want a big impact. But what about that flooring? Is it time to expand the budget and buy new flooring? Not necessarily.

Getting your carpet cleaned can give your flooring a much needed lift. But have you considered getting your carpet stretched? It could be one of the most inexpensive upgrades you can make, especially if you had your carpet installed with a lifetime stretch warranty. If you're not sure that came with your last carpet installation, now may be a good time to check.

What is carpet restretching and why does it matter? If you have any lumps, bumps or any loose areas in your carpeting, a professional flooring expert can come in to get the furniture out of the way and completely restretch the carpeting to get any offensive bulges out of the way. And, if you have that warranty, it's completely free.

Those lumps and bumps in the carpet can emerge for various reasons. Maybe the carpet was improperly installed in the first place. Or you moved furniture across it and things got a bit out of whack. In other cases, it could just be a result of normal wear and tear - people simply walking across the floor on a regular basis.

Here is just a glimpse at the steps involved in restretching carpet, according to HomeAdvisor.com and other resources:

– Specialized tools properly restretch and fix your carpet. Professional carpet installers will have these tools, but the DIY-er also can rent them. They include a knee kicker, which tightens the carpet along the edges, and a carpet cutter, which allows you to trim the carpet so that it's even with the wall or baseboard after you stretch it out.

– Removing old tack strips and replacing with new ones. Another step in the process entails replacing those tack strips with new ones, making sure that you're adjusting the position of carpet of the carpet so that it's snug - stretching it evenly toward the corners and walls of the room.

– Final touches. Using the knee kicker, carpet installers will make sure that the backing of the carpet bites into the tack strips and staples - ensuring that the pad and carpet are secure.

Having your carpet restretched can be an inexpensive way to give your home a fresh look. And, if you're in the market for new carpeting, make sure you check out the warranty. Restretching as part of a lifetime warranty should be part of the deal.

The post Time to Buy New Flooring? Or Just Restretch the Carpet? appeared first on ProSand Flooring.