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Competencies covered

MSFFL2001: Use flooring technology sector hand and power tools

Carpet installation


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Audio for slide 1 (mp3 |6|KB)

Carpet is a 'textile' floor covering, meaning it is woven from natural or synthetic yarns.

The two most common methods for installing carpet are:

  • laying over a cushioned underlay, using a gripper strip around the perimeter to hold the carpet in place

  • fixing directly to the floor using an adhesive.

The tools shown below are used in either or both of these installation methods.

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Cutting

Carpet wall trimmer                                                                                                               
For trimming off excess carpet along the line of the wall.

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Loop pile cutter                                                                                                               
For cutting loop pile carpet with a stiff backing.

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Utility knife                                                                                                               
For cutting and trimming, especially around doorways and other objects.

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Carpet trimming knife                                                                                                               
A more traditional alternative to the utility knife.

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Carpet shears                                                                                                               
For cutting and trimming seam edges in woven or knitted carpet.

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Napping shears                                                                                                               
Similar to carpet shears, but with a 'duckbill' to prevent gouging while trimming.

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Seaming

Heat bond iron                                                                                                               
Used for thermal bonding of carpet seams.

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Spiked carpet roller                                                                                                               
Used for rolling out bonded carpet seams.

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Awl                                                                                                                         
Used for scribing lines and picking seams.

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Stretching, fitting and general

Knee kicker                                                                                                               
Used to push the edge of the carpet up to the wall.

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Power stretcher                                                                                                               
For stretching the carpet from one wall to another.

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Carpet stair tool                                                                                                               
Used when laying carpet on stairs to push the carpet into the fold.

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Staple gun                                                                                                               
For fixing carpet into position, particularly on stairs, and for fixing hard underlays.

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Learning activity

Audio 15 (mp3 |6|KB)

Some carpet layers use other tools in addition to those shown above, such as a sewing needle for hand-sewing seams.

What other tools do you know of that are used to lay carpet? You may have used them yourself, or you may have seen them elsewhere.

Write down the name of each tool and what it's designed for.

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