Removing carpet

[Sally]

I desperately want to remove the 15 year old carpeting from the used doublewide I've purchased. The previous owner had cats. (I will leave the rest to your imaginations.) My daughter and boyfriend pulled the carpet up in two smaller bedrooms, but we find that the carpet around the perimeter of the room (which of course also goes underneath the adjoining wall) is REALLY glued down and difficult to remove, not to mention the fact that we found spliced remnant pieces of vinyl (???) and huge staples, also down around the perimeter. (The center of the rooms seem to be fine). I know I'll have to be patient and take my time, since I will be removing the remainder of the carpet myself. Anybody got any tips? Is there a solvent I need to use on the glue around this perimeter? Does there exist a tool - - a pair of snips, industrial scissors, something - - that can cut the carpet into strips as I work? (I have a utility knife, which works okay I suppose, but not as well as I'd like). What's the best way to blast through this glue?, and get up these staples and vinyl pieces? Thanks in advance for any advice!!!

[Greg]

I would be very cautious with any solvent, between fumes & the flamability it could make more problems than it solves.
I would try a sharp razor knife and a "wonder bar" If you cut along the wall with the knife (after you remove the easy stuff) you may be able to slide the bar under the remaining strip and work it loose. Greg

[Yanita]

Hi,

Keep a real good supply of new utility knife blades, change them frequently. The flat bar will help as Greg mentioned. A pair of bull nose pliers works great for pulling those staples.

I don't envy your job, been there, done that, turn on a radio, pillow for cushioning and start in one corner and work your way around.

Yanita

[JD]

Greg is right about solvents on your floors. Be careful. Some solvents can practically dissolve particle board.

I use a scraper like the one in the picture below for stuff like that. They sell them at all home stores. It is good to have both sizes. I use them mostly to remove glued down deck carpet. Get extra blades or clean the one's you get with the tool often. Solvent does work for that.



JD

[preppypyro]

When i tore my carpet out, I used a utility knife, and a prybar (kinda like a big wide flat screwdriver) where needed and it worked like a charm.

The real trick is knowing when to snap the blades off when they get dull, sharp blades make everything easier.

[Sally]

To everyone who replied - -

Many thanks! I'll forego the solvent idea and will try the scraper / prybar method instead. My greatest enemy with this will be impatience and fatigue. The one tool I need the most I can't purchase at a home improvement store - - strength!

I'll let you know how things go. I dread what I might find under the carpet in the main bathroom, since the toilet has overflowed back there now, three times, since I bought the home. (Thank God for small favors, it was just clear tank water.) If the subflooring looks damaged, I'll be back in touch!

Again, thanks for the advice.