Installing Carpet Over Hardwood

New hardwood flooring over old hardwood flooring.

Installing carpet over hardwood.

Check for flush by placing a straight edge against the tongue of the flooring. If the hardwood flooring is installed nailed down parallel to the direction of the old wood flooring the new wood floors could pull apart leaving open gaps or. We just lay it right on top of the carpet and then put the hardwood on top of that. We have done this twice now because we moved and it has never shifted or caused any problem.

In some cases you can also install carpet tiles over existing wood tile or vinyl flooring so long as the existing flooring is no more than an inch thick. It stays in place under the weight of the laminate especially when you add furniture on top of that. If you re dead set on keeping the original direction a minimum 3 8 plywood sub floor should be installed over the older floor. Since carpet tiles do not have padding underneath you will be able to feel underlying grout lines and texture from prior flooring.

3 4 thick or thinner solid or engineered hardwood flooring must be installed across the old wood floor boards at a 90 degree angle. When placing plywood sheets over plush carpet lay them in the opposite direction the floor will go. By installing a narrow tackless strip that grips the outer perimeter of the carpet. Installing hardwood floors can cost between 9 and 12 per square foot compared with about 3 to 5 per square foot for carpet so some homeowners opt to install hardwood floors only in some.

However we highly recommend removing existing flooring. Most 3 4 inch solid hardwood flooring can be installed using nails or staples over an approved subfloor. Make sure you have a sturdy subfloor. Use seaming tape to join the seams.

Overlap the edges of the carpet leaving about two inches of excess carpet at the wall. Beginning at the longest wall put inch thick spacers between the wall and the first row of flooring. To learn more about how to install plywood check out our helpful video. If you are using more than one sheet of plywood tape the sheets together at the seam.

Plywood is highly recommended when installing over high pile carpet. Installing carpeting over a hardwood floor is not a difficult task but it does require some physical labor. Newly fastened floors over existing wood floors should be installed opposite example photo right or at a 45 degree angle to the original direction. Most engineered flooring can be installed using staples full spread adhesive or a floating method over an approved subfloor.

Adjust the flooring until it lines up. Turn the grooved edge of the plank toward the spacers.