how do i remove old carpet and pad off of a hardwood floor and stairs to refinish the floor underneath?
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 at
9:10 pm
we just bought an old house and would Amoxil like to uncover the hardwood floors.theres old carpet and pad ,im not sure if its been glued to the floor or just stuck,
It’s a huge job but I think it’s so worth it! We’re in the process of doing the same thing!
You first have to rip up all the old carpet. I would suggest using a dust mask when you do, especially if you’re allergy prone. You will have to remove the tack strips holding the carpet down and may have to scrape the old carpet pad up. They aren’t usually glued down but have a bad habit of getting stuck to the floor. I’ve found a steamer and a wide bladed putty knife helps with the stuck patches.
Now the really hard work; sanding the floor. Some people prefer to have a professional take over at this point. If you want the floors to look really new and smooth, you need a professional. Our house is well over 100 years old and is rustic in nature so we don’t want super smooth, new looking floors. Sand, vacuum, let the dust settle overnight and wipe the floor with a damp microfiber mop or cloth to get as much of the dust up as you possibly can. Even running an air filter in the area will help!
There are a lot of choices when it comes to finishes also. We prefer the aged, low luster look of oil finishes but they are a bit smelly. But an oil based finish is easier to repair should you need to than anything that is poly based.
Care after they are done is so much easier; a good sweeping on a regular basis and a damp mopping keep them looking good. With oil based finishes, you might need to apply a new top coat every few years also.
It’s a chore, but worth the effort. It may not be glued. Start in a corner with a pair of pliars & pull up the old carpet. Remove the pad & the tack strips around the edge. You may need to rent a sander to smooth the floor. Apply a finish of your choice.
I just completed ripping up the carpets and pads from a house built around 1952. I recommend investing in a couple good tools for this …a prybar made for taking up nails is good for starting the carpet at one corner. Ask at a hardware store after telling then what you will be doing. This particular tool is a miracle helper when you start working on removing the tackbars.
Also, if you find the pad is stapled down, I found a pair of plyers the best for getting those up. you find as you go, you will get more aggressive with the approach, at least I did. Use some thick paper, I used cut up manilla folders, to put on the floor under the prybar when using the prybar to get up the tack bars. It helps from getting the floor as gouged. I got REALLY good at it!!!!
Use a mask when ripping up the carpet/padding. (I also used safety glasses due to dust).
Use the safety glasses when pulling up the tackbars, and pulling out staples.