Carpet repair or partial replacements are similar projects mostly differentiated by the proportion of the damage and amount of work to be performed. Buying a new carpet in general is another possibility, and there are some instances when doing so will be a better investment. You and your contractor should consider these aspects when deciding whether you need repairs, a partial replacement, or a new installation in general:
- Extent of Damage - Small problems like stains, burns, or isolated tears may need minimal repair, while extensive damage may require large areas to be removed and refitted.
- Budget - Repairs are usually more affordable than partial replacements, but either option can be more cost-efficient than purchasing a new installation.
- Age and Condition of the Carpet - Repairs or a partial replacement may be a more viable option if your carpet is fairly new or in decent overall condition. However, a new carpet will provide a longer-lasting solution if the carpet is past its prime and revealing evidence of wear all over.
- Future Plans - If you plan to renovate or make major upgrades in the near future, a relatively low-cost repair will be a worthwhile short-term solution.
- Timeline - Carpet repairs and partial replacements are usually completed quickly unless sourcing matching carpet is a challenge. Consider opting for a new carpet if your timeline does not allow for finding or manufacturing an exact match.
Employing professional assistance for your carpet repair or partial replacement will deliver better results than what can be achieved by an inexperienced do-it-yourself approach. Reliable carpet repair contractors possess specialized knowledge and skills to accurately assess your carpet's condition, identifying issues that can be remediated through these methods. Their knowledge allows them to suggest the most effective solution fitting your budget.
You'll need to match the existing carpet when performing a carpet repair or partial replacement if you want the finished look to be inconspicuous. Partial replacements can be difficult as there is a wider area that needs to be blended, but a professional will possess the tools and experience to pull it off. Attempting this work without the right tools will result in suboptimal results in the overall aesthetic and longevity.
Turn to a pro featured on Thumbtack who will help you enhance the aesthetic and performance of your carpeting faster and without needing to spend more on a brand new installation.
Repairing a carpet and performing a partial replacement differ according to four primary features of the project:
- Scope - Partial replacements are more extensive projects and involve replacing a significant portion of the carpet. Repairs address smaller damage resulting from stains, burns, and similar problems, and may involve simple spot cleaning and minimal fabric replacement.
- Matching - Ensuring that the new carpet matches the current one regarding color, design, and texture is the aim of both projects, though this can be more challenging in partial replacements.
- Techniques - Techniques used in either carpet repair or partial replacement are basically the same but on a different scale and may involve patching, joining seams, adding trim, and more.
- Time and Cost - Partial replacements are typically more time-consuming and expensive than localized repairs due to the more extensive area being fixed.
Carpet repair or partial replacement have the same goal with similar methods, but the difference in scale leads to added time, effort, and price to complete the latter. A professional carpet repair or partial replacement contractor profiled on Thumbtack will understand your carpet's requirements and help you achieve the best outcome.
Professional carpet repair or a partial replacement should only take a couple of hours to one day at the longest. The hardest step can be sourcing a matching piece of carpet of adequate size to replace the damaged area. Without excess cuttings or a surplus roll of your current carpet in storage, out-of-sight regions can be cut out and used as replacement pieces, including from under a bed or in a closet. A more expensive alternative is purchasing a matching piece of carpet from the same manufacturer, which will also delay your project.
Once an appropriate piece is on hand, the rest of the process is relatively fast and easy:
- Measurements and Cutting - Careful measurements are used to ensure the replacement piece will match the portion of the damaged carpet being taken out.
- Placement and Gluing/Joining - Glue is applied to the subfloor or seam tape under the carpet when making a plug or combining two ends together into a seam. It will only take fifteen minutes for the glue to dry, and the process of plugging a small piece or creating a seam should move along quickly.
- Blending - The last step ensures the replacement piece fuses seamlessly into the carpet by trimming stray fibers or flattening it with a carpet seam roller.