What You’ll Need:

Tackless strips
Stapler
Hammer
Utility knife
Chalk line
Measuring tape
Rolling pin (or rental seam roller)
Work gloves
Safety glasses
Knee pads

Rental Tools:

Knee kicker
Power stretcher
Seam cutter
Seaming iron
Seam tape
Wall trimmer
Strip cutter
Seam roller

Getting Ready

Your first step is to get rid of the old carpet. Start by removing the moldings around the floor and take the door off the entrance, so you can get the old carpet out and the new carpet in easier. Give the old carpet a good vacuuming so you won’t be breathing in dust, and then use a utility knife to cut the carpet into strips about 18 to 24 inches wide.

Start at one end and pull the carpet off the tackless strips and roll it up in sections. Some people feel that you can reuse the existing underlay, but in most cases it will be worn out just like the carpet, so you’re better off getting rid of it as well.

Remove the existing tackless strips and make sure the floor is clean and dry. This is a good time to check your subfloor and securely fasten any floorboards that may be loose so they won’t squeak under the new carpet (use 1 1/2″ screws into the underlying floor joists).

Install new tackless strips around the perimeter of the room, but not in front of doorways. Leave a space of about 1/2″ between the strips and the wall, and be sure the pins or tacks face towards the wall. (They’re called tackless strips even though they have two or three rows or very sharp tacks, because using these “tackless strips” means you don’t need to “tack” carpet down.) At corners, make sure the tackless strips are butted tightly against each other.

Laying the Underpad

Put the underpad down in strips that overlap the tackless strips. Butt the strips against each other – don’t overlap them – then staple the underlay down along the inside edge of the tackless strip. Trim the excess underlay along the inside of the tackless strip and use duct tape to seal the seams.

Laying the Carpet

To install carpet properly, you need to start with a piece that overlaps the edge of the floor by 4 to 6 inches. The overlay can then be trimmed so the carpet fits properly. To cut your first section, measure the room at its longest point and add 6 inches to that measurement. Mark the back of your carpet on both edges with that measurement and join the two marks with a chalk line. Fold the carpet over on itself, and using a straight edge and a sharp utility knife, cut through the backside of your carpet. Be sure to place a piece of scrap board underneath your cut line to protect the underlying carpet.

Seams

If your room is wide enough that you’re going to need another piece of carpet, follow the same process with the second piece – measure, mark and trim. Be sure the carpet pile is running the same way in both pieces, and that the carpet piece is large enough to overlap the wall by 4 to 6 inches, as well as overlapping the first piece of carpet by 4 to 6 inches. (Try to layout your carpet pieces so the seams won’t be in noticeable areas, but obviously sometimes that just isn’t possible.)

Where the carpet pieces will join, overlap the two pieces, and then using a utility knife or a rented seam cutter, cut through both pieces of carpet, ensuring the edges will match exactly. After cutting the carpet, center a piece of seaming tape on the floor underneath where they join, adhesive side up. Use the seaming iron to activate the adhesive (the iron goes on the tape, not on top of the carpet), and then butt the edges together and seal the seam with a rolling pin or a carpet roller.

Attaching the Carpet

Use a knee kicker to attach the carpet along one edge. A knee kicker is a solid metal tool about 18″ long with “teeth” that will grip the carpet on one end, and a heavily padded “butt” on the other. Place the toothed end of the kicker about 3″ from the wall and drive your knee forcefully into the padded end of the tool. This will stretch the carpet over the tackless strip where the tacks will grab it and hold it firmly in place.

A carpet stretcher will finish attaching the carpet. A carpet stretcher is similar to knee kicker, but much longer. Put one end of the carpet stretcher against the wall where the carpet is already attached and place the other end about 6 inches from the far wall. The carpet stretcher also has teeth to grip the carpet, and when you push on the activation lever, it will stretch the carpet over the tackless strip near the far wall.

Work your way around the room stretching the carpet over the tackless strips, and trim the carper near the wall with a utility knife or a wall trimmer.

Finishing Up

Using a stair tool, tuck the carpet down into the gap between the tackless strips and the wall. At the doorway, trim the carpet so the edge is centered under the closed door and install a door edge strip. Finally, cut any vent openings and install the molding on the baseboards.

That’s it. Stretch your back, check to see if your knees still work, and then take some time to admire what all your hard work has accomplished.
Murray Anderson is an experienced freelance writer with articles published in both the United States and Canada. He has written on a wide range of topics, but specializes in home maintenance and how to’s.

Read more: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/howtoinstallcarpet#ixzz0mV09bVTX

Lawn Aeration is a process that perforates the soil with small holes that allow water, air, and fertilizer through to get closer to the roots. This enables the roots to grow deeply, producing a healthier more vigorous lawn. Your lawn shows signs of stress and the need for aeration if it doesn’t turn green after fertilizing, or there is a presence of many worn areas throughout your lawn. Lawns only need to be aerated about once a year, and some, if they are only receiving moderate maintenance, need aeration about every two years. If your lawn has a problem with thatch (the composting grass from past mowing), it may be necessary to aerate a couple times a year instead of once as required by most lawns.

Thatch eventually forms a layer that acts as a barrier over the soil. Using a lawn aeration device to break through the thatch is much easier and less drastic than dethatching the entire lawn. An aeration device consists of a special tool that removes plugs from the soil. They’re available in motorized or manual tools, however, unless you’re aerating a small area, the manual tool is not recommended. These can usually be rented from landscaping companies or a tool rental store at a reasonable rate. There are two types of tools that are marketed as lawn aerators. One will simply punch holes in the soil, but will not remove plugs. This will only compact the soil around the holes and the holes will probably fill back in quickly. It’s recommended that you use the type that will actually remove the soil plugs, instead of poking holes in the soil.

An effective tool should produce holes at least three quarters of an inch in diameter and penetrate three inches deep. Also, the plugs should be no more than three inches apart. Aerate on a day that the ground is moist, but not soppy. If you aerate soil that’s too wet, or too dry, the aerating device will not penetrate the soil fully. The plugs that are left behind with aerating can be disposed of a couple ways. The best is probably just leaving them on the surface to dry for a day, and then mowing them to provide a beneficial top layer to your lawn. Other ways of disposing are raking them to break them up after they’re fully dried, or leaving them in your lawn to break down naturally. However, leaving them can make your lawn unsightly for a couple weeks, while the plugs are breaking down.
Article by www.greatlandscapingideas.com

Here’s what we’re likely to ask:
1) What type of project are you working on?  – We want to understand the application for the equipment you’re asking for.  We bring in new equipment all the time and may have a new machine that you’ve never seen before!

2) Do you have any special needs for this equipment? Specific features that you’re expecting?  – The GRS Rents staff wants to ensure that the equipment we supply you with completely fits your expectations.  We hope you’ll take the time to completely inform us of any specific features you need on the equipment you’re ordering.  This information will help ensure that you get what you’re expecting from GRS Rents.

3) Have you or the person that will be using the equipment used this type of equipment before?  – It doesn’t matter if you order your equipment from our Crystal Lake Rental Store, Marengo Rental Store, or East Dundee Rental Store – We want to make sure that whoever is using the equipment knows how to operate it safely and with all available features!

4) How long do you think you’ll need the equipment for? – We’re taking the equipment out of rental inventory specifically for you! Let us know how long you’ll need it for to help us accurately plan rental equipment for all of our customers!

So, you see, when the staff at GRS Rents wants to talk about your project with you – we’re just trying to help! We want to envision the work being done and confirm that everything will go according to plan.  Stop by GRS Rents in Crystal Lake, Marengo, or East Dundee or just give us a call at 888-477-7687 to plan your next project!

You can reach each store directly at:
GRS Rents – East Dundee: 847-428-7070
GRS Rents – Crystal Lake: 815-477-8888
GRS Rents – Marengo: 815-568-1100

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