Installation Is As Important As The Product Itself

No doubt about it: Carpet adds a lot of elegance to your home. It?s functional, too, especially when it comes to insulating us from sound.

No wonder it?s still the #1 choice of homeowners!

What you may not realize, however, is that the installation is crucial to both the look and maintenance of the flooring, so here are five relatively common mistakes:

?Mistake #1: Trying to do-it-yourself. Sure, everyone wants to save money, but think of the long-term, says Carpet Mart. Flooring is probably one of the biggest, if not the biggest investments you?ll make for your home, so you?ll want it to last a long time.

This requires some very special tools, such as the knee-kicker or stretcher. Not used properly, a lot of damage can happen.

Moreover, if you don?t lay it according to exact specifications in the manufacturer's warranty, damage, even if it?s of no fault to the owner, may not be compensated.

Mistake #2: Hiring the wrong person to do the job. Just as you shouldn?t try to DIY it, be sure not to hire the wrong person.

First, use a flooring installation pro, not a general contractor.

Second, be sure the installer is licensed, bonded and insured, Ask about education and background, seminars, training, certification, etc.

Have they installed carpet before and, if so, how often? Every flooring type is different, and just because someone has installed a lot of one type, doesn?t mean they know how to do another type

Mistake #3: Not measuring correctly. In a perfect world, every room would be an exact square, but there are baseboards, molding, closets and other things to deal with. If not cut properly, the final result may look all wrong.

Mistake #4: Not lining up the seams properly. Crooked seams can really ruin the look of your carpet! So can those gaps, even the tiniest bit of floor showing through, can ruin the look of your beautiful soft surface.

Mistake #5: Using the wrong equipment: Not only is every type of flooring installed differently, but every carpet can be as well, and that will require a different set of tools. They need to be the right ones, and the right size.

More questions? Come into the Carpet Mart showroom in Benton, MI, to speak with one of our flooring pros.