How to Restretch Carpet

If the beauty of your carpet has faded away and it has buckled up with time, you can be sure that it will be easily restored to its original look with the help of power stretching. The main aim of restretching the carpet is to ensure it is tight again, just the way it was when it was new. Moreover, you do not get bubbles, buckles and wrinkles on your carpet if it is stretched properly, thereby increasing its life. Thus, if you have made up your mind to make your carpet spick and span, you can do it on your own at home. To help you how to restretch a carpet, useful tips have been provided below.

Restretch Carpeting

For restretching, you need a power carpet stretcher and knee kicker. In case you have never used one, ask any of your friends or the company you buy or rent it from, to tell you how it works.
Start power stretching, beginning from the center of the wall. Make sure you carry out the task, working on small sections of the carpet. Stretch a section and then move over 18 inches and stretch another section. Make sure every time you pull the carpet; you hook it onto the tack strip.
Continue the process, first working your way towards the side of the room that has a door. Repeat it on the other side, starting in the middle and moving out as before.
Stretch the sides properly. This time start about a foot away from where you pulled back the carpet. After stretching, hook the carpet onto the tack board in the same manner and then stretch and secure the other side.
For corners and hard-to-reach areas, especially around built-in cabinets, use the knee kicker. Dig the teeth of the tool into the carpet at about 6 inches from the wall. Now, use your knee to push the tool, stretching the carpet towards the tack strip. Grip the edge of the carpet and hook onto the tack once again.
With the help of the carpet cutter- trim along the baseboards and cut the carpet side, leaving the backing intact. Use the utility knife to trim around corners and built-ins. After this cut the backing and leave about 1/8 inch carpet overhang, to tuck under the baseboards.
For final touches, push the edge of the carpet into the tack strip and under the baseboards. For this, you can use a screwdriver and hammer, but a quicker way is to use the carpet cutter. Force the front edge of the carpet cutter into the carpet, dragging it along the wall. This will squeeze-in the carpet into thetack strip and push it underneath the baseboards, in one go.

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