How2Day: Carpet Repair Supplies

Some tools and equipment for carpet repair are specialized, while others are common items found in your house. Gary Gladstone/Creatas/Getty Images
Repairing a carpet can require an array of equipment ranging from specialized tools to items you may not even consider using for repair tasks. The type of tool and equipment necessary for repair will depend on the problem at hand. Equipment also varies depending on the extent of the damage to the carpeting and how big a repair job lays before you.

A coin can be utilized as a carpet repair tool for sections of carpeting that have become flattened over time as a result of things such as furniture pressing down on it for years. Take hold of a coin between your thumb and finger and place it edge-side down into the carpeting, then twist it so that the flattened carpet rises up to its natural state.

When the coin isn't successful, or you've got too large an area to try repairing in that way, bring out your iron and place it on the lowest steam setting. Place a cloth over the carpeting, then hold the iron over the cloth and press the steam button to release steam. This will make the fibers more flexible.

A small piece of torn carpet requires a latex multipurpose adhesive and a heavy weight, such as a dictionary or thick phone book. Apply the adhesive along the base of the floor where you lifted the carpet up. Once the adhesive is dry, apply adhesive to the bottom of the torn piece of carpet. Fold the carpet back into place and set the heavy weight on top of it.

A special piece of equipment known as a cookie cutter tool is available at flooring supply stores. The cookie cutter is a piece of equipment that can be pressed into the carpeting to cut a circular area out around a damaged section of the carpeting.

Press a pry bar into carpet repair service when you need to remove old carpeting from up against the wall for repair or replacement. Work the pry bar beneath the edge of the carpeting and tap with a ball-peen hammer to work the carpet away from the wall.

An electric scraper is a more sophisticated piece of carpet repair equipment that can be rented from a tool rental outlet. An electric scraper is used to remove leftover foam backing and adhesive left on the floor after pulling up carpeting for replacement or a large-scale repair job.

A knee-kicker is a specialized tool used in the carpeting industry that can also be rented for use. The knee-kicker is used to secure the edge of a piece of carpeting to a tackless strip by thrusting your knee against the pad while holding a shaft on the equipment with your hand.

Cuticle scissors can be used for cutting away small areas of damaged tufts on carpeting. Tweezers come in handy for pulling replacement tufts of pile out of a matching piece of carpet. A cotton swab can then be used to install the replacement tufts by dipping it into latex multipurpose adhesive and dabbing the adhesive into the hole in the carpeting where the damaged tuft was removed.

How2Day