How to Repair Loose Carpet

In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva fixes a stairwell tripping hazard.

Steps:

1. Fold back the loose piece of carpeting to expose the stair tread.

2. Reattach the tackless strip to the stair tread, making sure you don’t nail it back into the old nail holes.

3. Pull the carpet around the nosing, and use a knee kicker to stretch the carpet tight across the stair tread.

4. While using your knee to push against the kicker, take a hammer and flooring chisel and tap the carpeting down into the corner where the tread meets the riser. Check to be sure tackless strip grabs onto the carpet.

5. Use a pneumatic stapler and ½-inch-long staples to fasten down the carpeting to each and every tread.