How to Cut Out Carpet to Install Tile
- 1). Walk to one corner of the room and insert a pry bar behind the shoe molding attached to the wall. Pull back on the handle of the bar gently to dislodge the nails from the wall.
- 2). Remove the pry bar and move it to another section of the molding to repeat the process. Continue until all of the molding is removed from the perimeter of the room. Move the molding to another room to get it out of the way.
- 3). Return to a corner of the room and insert the pry bar under the corner edge of the carpet. Pull back on the handle to lift up the carpet. If the pry bar doesn't work, you can also use pliers to pull back the corner of the carpet.
- 4). Grasp the carpet corner with both hands and pull it up firmly from the floor. This will require some effort since it is held in place by tacks that surround the perimeter of the room. Continue pulling until at least 1/4 of the carpet is loose.
- 5). Lay the carpet back down flat, but do not press it into the tacks. Walk to one side of the loosened carpet approximately 3 to 4 feet from the edge. Lift the carpet 1 inch and cut a line all the way across to the other side of the room, using a utility knife.
- 6). Roll up the cut section and take it to a Dumpster for disposal.
- 7). Repeat the pulling and cutting process to remove 3- to 4-foot sections of the carpet at a time until all of it is removed.
- 8). Roll up the carpet padding under the carpet and remove it as well. If the padding is stapled to the subfloor, remove each staple with needle-nose pliers.
- 9). Walk to one corner of the room and insert the pry bar up under one of the tack strips installed on the floor. Push down on the handle to remove the strip from the floor. Throw the strip in the trash and continue until all of the strips are removed from the perimeter of the room.
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