This Old House walks through carpet removal

Carpet removal sounds like pure grunt work. And a lot of it is. But the useful part of This Old House’s updated guide is that it treats the job less like “rip everything out” and more like controlled demolition. That’s the difference between ending a weekend with a clean subfloor and ending it with gouged wood, bent thresholds, and a trash pile you can’t move. The guide was updated in April 2026, and it’s clearly aimed at first-timers who want to pull old carpet themselves before putting down something new. ### Why would you remove carpet yourself? Mostly because it saves money and gives you a look at what’s actually under the floor finish. Old carpet can hold dust, stains, and allergens, but the bigger practical reason is access. If you want hardwood, tile, or laminate next, the carpet has to go first. This Old House also makes a point beginners often miss — sometimes there’s decking it. ### What tools do you actually need? Not many. The core list is simple — utility knife, pliers, floor scraper, flat pry bar, and duct tape for bundling the cut sections. Safety gear matters more than people think, because carpet backing, staples, and tack strips are all sharp in different annoying ways. Gloves, eye protection, and a dust mask are the basic setup. How does the job usually go wrong? At the edges. The carpet itself is the easy part. The messy part is everything fastening it down — padding, adhesive, staples, and tack strips around the room perimeter. That’s where people rush, jam a pry bar too hard, and chew up trim or scar the floor below. Basically, the guide’s best advice is to slow down once you reach the borders and transitions. That’s where the hidden damage happens. ### Why cut the carpet into pieces? Because a whole-room sheet of carpet turns into a ridiculous dead weight the second you pull it loose. Cutting it into manageable strips makes it easier to roll, tape, carry, and dispose of. This is one of those obvious-in-hindsight things, but it’s what makes the project feel doable for one person instead of a wrestling match with a giant fabric tarp. ### What about the padding underneath? You don’t stop once the carpet is gone. The pad underneath may be stapled or glued, and each version needs a different approach. Staples have to be pulled or scraped. Glued sections need more scraping and patience. This matters because new flooring only goes down well on a clean, flat base. Leave bits of pad or adhesive behind, and the next floor telegraphs every mistake. ### Why inspect the subfloor right away? Because this is the one moment when the floor is finally telling the truth. Once everything is exposed, you can spot squeaks, uneven spots, moisture damage, or old layers you didn’t know were there. This Old House notes that some projects reveal hidden hardwood in great shape, while others uncover warped or layered materials that change the whole renovation plan. That inspection step is really the payoff. ### What do you do with the old carpet? Don’t assume it all has to go straight to a landfill. This Old House has a separate recycling