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Can You Lay Carpet Over Ceramic Tiles?

If you are moving into a new home or have found a new use for a new area but are faced with the problem of having ceramic tile where you wish carpet was, what can you do to remedy the situation? Is it possible to lay carpet over ceramic tiles? 

It is possible to lay carpet over ceramic tiles, but in order to bring a springy feel in which carpet offers, you must be sure to place a high-quality underlay between the tile and the carpet. The thickness of the underlay is essential to creating an absorptive pad between the carpet and tile. 

Carpet installation

Laying down carpet is a quick and affordable alternative to making a space feel homey, cozy, and welcoming. Even more than this, laying carpet can be a great way to disguise any unsightly floors that individuals would rather quickly cover than go through the process of taking up and replacing. If you have existing ceramic tile floors and want to lay carpet over them, take a look below to find out how to do this as well as the tools you will need. 

Can You Lay Carpet Over Ceramic Tiles? 

Ceramic tile is great for homes that are near sandy areas, in places like bathrooms and kitchens, and can even work well for those who need a more durable surface for places like dining rooms or living rooms. However, if you find that the ceramic tile in one or more areas is a bit too cold, damaged, or visually unappealing, you are likely wondering the different ways you can cover the area without spending a fortune. Can you lay carpet over ceramic tiles? 

You can certainly lay carpet over ceramic tiles, but the floor itself must be in good condition without any major flaws and you must be sure to lay a good-quality underlayment between the floor and carpet. By doing this, you should have no trouble with your newly installed carpet. 

To some, it may seem like a bit of a shortcut to lay carpet over existing tile floor, and although it is, this shortcut is one that can save you quite a bit of time and expense. This shortcut is one that turns skepticism into efficiency as individuals are able to have a completely new floor within a day, without having to go through the process of tearing up material, disposing of the material, laying down a new subfloor, or having to clean up the mess afterward. 

Should You Lay Carpet Over Ceramic Tiles 

Male on his knees installing carpet floor

In the world of home improvement, it can be very enticing to start a project that makes things seem quite a bit easier at face value, but ends up costing you time, material, and money in the end. Because of this, many individuals want to go forward with a prudent mindset which realizes that just because something is easy, does not mean that it is the best route to take. When it comes to carpet, should you lay it over ceramic tile? 

If you are looking to lay carpet over existing ceramic tile, this can be a very efficient and long-lasting method of floor installment. With the proper underlayment, besides having a floor with major flaws, such as unevenness, there is no reason that you should not install carpet over ceramic tile.

As previously noted, the only reason that you should avoid installing carpet over ceramic tile is if the floor has major flaws that need to be repaired or if the floor is uneven in some areas. If you have either of these problems with your ceramic floor, be sure to repair them properly before installing carpet. If this does not happen, the issues can transfer to your carpet and will be revealed through the surface, even if your underlayment and carpet are thick.  

How To Install Carpet Over Ceramic Tiles  

Carpet installation remodelling

To install carpet over ceramic tiles, first begin by measuring every wall and cut pieces of tackless strip to fit each wall. Place each strip along each wall with the pointed ends of the strip facing up and secure each strip with a hammer and a of couple masonry nails into the subfloor. When this is done, be sure that it is hammered down into the grout line to avoid any damage done to the tile. Then put a nail at the join in each corner. 

Cut your underlayment and secure it with staples at about every 6 inch mark, making sure to bring together any seams where the strip overlaps. You will then begin laying your carpet and allow two inches of additional carpet at each wall. If it takes more than 1 piece of carpet to cover the area, lay the second piece so that it lays on top of your first piece by about two inches. You can then mark with chalk a line to indicate exactly where the top piece overlaps the bottom. 

Once you know where the carpet will fall, you can cut the bottom carpet. Then, using some seaming tape, place it under both pieces of carpet with the stickiest side facing up. Take a seaming iron over the strip and push both sides of the carpet into the melted strip. Once done, fasten the carpet over the strips starting at a corner. For the other walls, you will use a power stretcher to attach the carpet to the tackless strips. 

Once completed, you will then trim any excess carpet and push the carpet edges between the wall and the tackless strips. After this is done, you can then reinstall your baseboards or trim. 

Tools Needed to Lay Carpet Over Ceramic Tiles

Carpet installation tools

Laying carpet is no simple feat, but with the right tools, it can become something that is much easier than if you were to install it without having exactly what you needed. The important thing to remember when laying carpet over ceramic tile is that you need to have the prep work done before getting started. By having all of your materials ready and on-hand, you will be able to get through the process more seamlessly than if you were to constantly resituate. 

The tools needed to lay carpet over ceramic tile include utility gloves, a measuring tape, tackless strips, masonry nails, a hammer, carpet underlayment, a utility knife, a staple gun, a chalk line, a row cutter, seaming tape, a seaming iron, a knee kicker, a power stretcher, and a row trimmer. 

These tools are going to be the essential pieces that make the difference between a project that is well done, and a project that consumes too much time through the constant back and forth of having to retrieve new items, more material, and start back where you left off. Take time to prepare the job before starting and your process will be much smoother and efficient due to having what you need right on hand.

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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on July 5, 2021.

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