Carpet can compliment tile extremely well and transform the way your home looks, especially in your living room or kitchen areas where the transition really makes the room feel that much cosier.
The trick with using carpet together with tiles is to make sure that the carpet is tucked properly so that it blends in as it should. If your carpet isn’t tucked correctly this can lead to lots of issues.
Not only will the finish look unprofessional and aesthetically displeasing, but it can also lead to a higher probability of fraying further down the line.
Let’s take a look at the method you need to use to make sure your carpet is tucked in properly next to tiles, as well as what you can do if your carpet has already been tucked incorrectly.
Step By Step Method To Tuck In Your Carpet Next To Tile
Before you consider tucking your carpet yourself, make sure you have all the tools available. The best thing about tucking a carpet next to tile is that it’s relatively easy to do.
For this task, you’ll need the items listed below.
- Carpet Kicker
- Sharp Knife – A Stanley knife is usually the best
- Floor Stapler
- Tucking Knife
- Tack Strip
All of these items are easily found at any hardware supply shop. If you need to cut the tack strip you will have to use a hacksaw, which can prove a bit more difficult to find; although your tack strip will usually already be installed to the correct width.
Start By Positioning The Tack Strip
The first step is to make sure your tack strip is installed in the correct position. The key point to remember is you want your tack strip 1/4 inch away from the tile, this will provide enough room for the carpet to tuck properly next to the tile.
If your tack strip is already in place then move ahead to the next step!
Cut The Sides Of The Carpet
The next step is to cut the sides of the carpet to give plenty of room for the carpet to manoeuvre around any doorway or walls.
Cut at right angles to the wall or door and make sure you have around an inch of carpet over the tile as an overlap to be tucked away.
Roll The Excess Carpet And Tuck It Into The Tile
This step is crucial. Roll the excess carpet back and leave around a 1/4 inch of space between the carpet and tile.
This space is given for the carpet kicker to allow some movement to properly fit the carpet.
Use The Carpet Kicker
A carpet kicker is a tool used to stretch the carpet and fit it into the tile. The kicker is used in this case to ‘push’ the carpet up to the tiles to secure the right fit.
The goal here is to make sure the transition from the carpet to the tiles is not extreme. By filling the 1/4 inch gap left from before you should have a decent fit, but this can vary between different carpets so make sure to double-check the fit.
If you mess this stage up it isn’t the end of the world as long as you don’t stretch the material beyond its elastic limit.
This is done by using the kicker to hold the carpet in place while you staple or seal it to the tack strip in the next step.
Staple Or Seal The Carpet To The Tack Strip
Once you’ve cut the carpet the next stage is to attach it to the tack strip, leaving the overlap to be tucked in the next stage.
You can either staple the carpet into the tack to provide extra grip or use a sealant such as a latex sealer to seal the carpet to the tack strip. A sealant is a good idea if you want to reduce the likelihood of fraying over time, however, nails will also work if installed correctly.
Tips For Matching Your Carpet To Tile
Now that you know how to tuck your carpet into tile, it’s worth considering how to match your carpet with your tile so that you can create a stunning combination of colours.
Avoid Drastic Colour Changes
The last thing you want to do after you’ve gone to the effort of learning to tuck a carpet is ruining your hard work with a drastic colour change.
Strong, bold colours work better as a standout piece. A nice wooden floor will blend perfectly with a bold carpet, but if you have black tiles with purple carpet – for example – you might be left wondering why you bothered in the first place.
Using consistent tones around the house is a great way to make your home feel more cosy and welcoming.
Softer Colours Are More Forgiving
Softer colours are another great way to match your carpet and tiles.
White, cream, brown and beige are examples of such colours that will work well together with a wide variety of colours and shades. Unlike sofas, carpets and tiling work better when in a similar soft colour scheme.
How To Maintain The Tucked Carpet
The next step to think about once you’ve installed your carpet next to tiling is how to maintain it properly so it doesn’t get damaged and lasts a long time.
Take Care When Moving Furniture
Moving heavy furniture can be dangerous to your carpet regardless of location, but the transition between tile and carpet can be especially problematic. This is because it can be easy to slide a piece of furniture across tile and – before you know it – push it straight over the transition to carpet.
This can easily damage the seal between the carpet and tack strip and even make your carpet become untucked in some cases, so always carry furniture over the transition – and the rest of the carpet – if you can.
Check The Carpet Periodically
By checking the tucked section of the carpet every so often you’ll be able to spot wear and tear before it becomes too big of a problem to handle.
If you notice the carpet has lifted or frayed in areas then it’s an easy job to refit the carpet by applying more sealant or staples. This is much more affordable than realising your carpet is too damaged to be repaired and needs to be replaced – which can cost around £28 per square metre.
Final Thoughts
Tucking a carpet into tile is really quite an easy job that only requires a few specialist tools. The key is to make sure you don’t overstretch the carpet by sticking to the guidelines laid out above.
