The cost to carpet stairs depends on the number of stairs, material choice, and staircase type. Read on to calculate your project expenses
Lynne A.
Very easy to work with. The installers were very efficient.
Gutter Guards America Roofing and GuttersHow to Remove Carpet Padding Stuck to the Floor: A Step-by-Step Guide
Stuck-on carpet padding is no match for these easy steps
Photo: Gravity Images / The Image Bank / Getty Images
Photo: Gravity Images / The Image Bank / Getty Images
SKILL LEVEL
Simple
COMPLETION TIME
2 hours
COST
$0–$30
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What you'll need:
TOOLS
- Putty knife
- Hammer or nail removing tool
- Pliers
- Broom
- Vacuum
SUPPLIES
- Rubber gloves
- Trash bags
- Mineral water
- Dish soap
- Bucket
Refinishing your floors is a great way to update your home. But if you are ditching the old carpet for wood floors, you might face a sticky situation. Carpet padding can adhere to flooring, making it tricky to clean up without damaging the surface.
In this how-to guide, learn to remove carpet padding safely and effectively in just a few hours.
Prepping to Remove Carpet Padding From Floors
Before you go through the expense of removing your carpeting, make sure it is something you need to do. If your carpet is still in good condition but has funky odors or difficult-to-remove stains, you may be able to save money by paying for a local carpet cleaner instead. The cost of carpet cleaning varies depending on your location and home size, but expect to pay about $0.20 to $0.40 per square foot, on average.
If you do decide to remove padding, a respirator or N-95 mask is highly encouraged. Your carpet is likely home to lots of dust particles and debris, which you do not really want to breathe in. Open windows and turn on a fan if possible to promote ventilation and circulation.
Pull Back Your Carpet Padding
Begin at a corner in the room that is away from the entryway. Use a putty knife to loosen the edge of your carpet to pull it back. Pull from the corner towards yourself, removing any pieces that pull up easily. Continue pulling and removing big chunks until the largest pieces of carpet padding are removed.
If edges get stuck, use a putty knife along the room's perimeter. Be careful not to damage crown molding or walls.
Remove All Nails and Staples
Start in the corner where you first pulled up the carpet. Diligently check for leftover nails, staples, or other sharp objects that could be stuck to the glue or perimeter of the room. Use pliers, a screwdriver, or staple remover to pull the staples gently out of the floor. Throw the staples away and sweep up the loose padding.
Remove Leftover Glue
After removing the carpet, there may be some leftover glue or sticky residue left behind. Removing the sticky residue is essential to having the best surface to work with moving forward, especially if you are going to be refinishing the hardwood floors.
Denatured Alcohol
Denatured alcohol can be used to loosen any padding stuck to the floor. To use, soak a rag in it and then lay the rag on top of the stuck-on padding. After about five minutes, remove the rag and scrape up the padding with a putty knife. Denatured alcohol dries quickly, so it is best to work right away. Leaving it on the padding for too long can cause it to dry and harden, making it even harder to remove the padding.
Solvent
An option that takes a little more time than denatured alcohol but is not as tricky to work with is a solvent. Solvents include mineral spirits and degreasers that can be used in the same way as denatured alcohol, though they take a little longer to be effective. Just as with denatured alcohol, soak a rag in the solvent, lay it on the stuck-on padding for a few minutes, and then scrape the padding up with a putty knife, wiping away any excess solvent and cleaning the area with soap and water when you are done.
Heat Gun or Hair Dryer
Using a heat gun or hair dryer, you can heat up the old padding until the glue loosens and then scrape it off with a putty knife. This method may take a couple of tries. Make sure to be vigilant, especially with a heat gun, so you do not scorch the floor.
Sweep or Vacuum Any Debris
Photo: bill oxford / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty ImagesOnce all the bits of padding have been removed, use a broom to sweep up any leftover debris or padding, then vacuum. At this point, you are free to go over your new wood floors with a wood-friendly cleaning solution or start the process of laying down new carpet padding for your floors.
Removing Carpet Padding: DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
If you are already hiring someone to refinish your floors or install new carpet, it might make sense just to allow them to remove the padding as well. But if you want to leave your floors natural or do the rest of the work yourself, you can likely tackle this portion on your own.
If you want to DIY the removal of carpet padding, you can get the job done in a few hours for less than $20 in supplies. You can rent a floor sander for around $30 from most local hardware stores.
When you hire a local carpet removal specialist to remove carpet and carpet padding from the wall and floor, expect to pay between $1 and $1.50 per square foot for the price of carpet removal. A 12-foot, fully-carpeted room is 144 square feet. You can expect to pay between $145 and $220 to hire a professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Carpet installation reviews from real Angi homeowners in Columbus, OH
5.0★ avg. • 15 total reviews
- Gutter Guards America Roofing and Gutters
- Tal H.
The provider arrived at the designated time and went right to work. He was very thorough and left our carpets smelling and looking clean. He did a great job on a staircase that we have trouble keeping clean. I would call them again in the future.
Downey Clean Carpet Cleaning - John F.
Incredibly impressed with the job that was done. We had very old and stained carpet and I had low expectations on how well they could get it cleaned up based on the poor job a previous carpet cleaner had done. Many pet stains and traffic area issues but Elite was able to get them all cleaned...
Elite Cleaning & Restoration - Marcus T.
With the help of a contractor, I did a full basement finish, and Dawn Marie and the team at Simply Floors made the flooring portion of my project easy and high quality. Dawn Marie was my primary contact throughout the 3+ months that I was in and out of the store. She was patient, informative,...
SIMPLY FLOORS - Cynthia B.
Fantastic, professional, great family business. Did a lovely job with my carpets, and communicated thoughtfully during the process.
King of Kings Carpet Cleaning - D L.
My carpets were very soiled. They got out all the dirt.
True Clean Carpet & Tile - Pamela J.
Found Kathy on the list along with 3 others, placed calls and she was the first I spoke with. I explained what I needed to have done, what the size of rooms were, carpet type, etc. She explained the process, time frame and cost. Enjoyed speaking with her and waited to receive paperwork...
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