Installing Carpet Over Hardwood

Make sure you have a sturdy subfloor.

Installing carpet over hardwood.

3 4 thick or thinner solid or engineered hardwood flooring must be installed across the old wood floor boards at a 90 degree angle. Use seaming tape to join the seams. When placing plywood sheets over plush carpet lay them in the opposite direction the floor will go. In some cases you can also install carpet tiles over existing wood tile or vinyl flooring so long as the existing flooring is no more than an inch thick.

Newly fastened floors over existing wood floors should be installed opposite example photo right or at a 45 degree angle to the original direction. Installing hardwood floors can cost between 9 and 12 per square foot compared with about 3 to 5 per square foot for carpet so some homeowners opt to install hardwood floors only in some. To learn more about how to install plywood check out our helpful video. Check for flush by placing a straight edge against the tongue of the flooring.

Adjust the flooring until it lines up. If you re dead set on keeping the original direction a minimum 3 8 plywood sub floor should be installed over the older floor. Most 3 4 inch solid hardwood flooring can be installed using nails or staples over an approved subfloor. We just lay it right on top of the carpet and then put the hardwood on top of that.

Turn the grooved edge of the plank toward the spacers. However we highly recommend removing existing flooring. It stays in place under the weight of the laminate especially when you add furniture on top of that. New hardwood flooring over old hardwood flooring.

By installing a narrow tackless strip that grips the outer perimeter of the carpet. Overlap the edges of the carpet leaving about two inches of excess carpet at the wall. Since carpet tiles do not have padding underneath you will be able to feel underlying grout lines and texture from prior flooring. We have done this twice now because we moved and it has never shifted or caused any problem.

Plywood is highly recommended when installing over high pile carpet. If you are using more than one sheet of plywood tape the sheets together at the seam. Secure the first row of planks traveling lengthwise along the wall. Use a seaming iron to melt the adhesive by slowly pulling the iron down the tape.

Most engineered flooring can be installed using staples full spread adhesive or a floating method over an approved subfloor. 3 4 inch cdx plywood is preferred and 3 4 inch osb is acceptable.