Help Around the House host Henry Harrison shows a guest how to patch some fairly large holes in carpet (
figure A). On his elbow grease scale of one to four, Harrison gives this job a two.
Tools:
carpenter's square
5-in-1 painter's tool
shears
utility knife
red marker
cutting surface
carpet seaming tape
seam sealer
scrap carpeting
Steps:
1. Use the painter's tool to separate the carpet pile, then cut the nylon backing beneath (figure B). Carefully cut inch-by-inch, working down the line. Avoid cutting the carpet loops and you'll have a neater look with no frayed pieces.
2. Use the carpenter's square to cut even, square sides (Figure C) and remove a piece of carpet. Use the piece of carpet as a template for the patch.
3. Clip away any stray threads or snags.
4. Take a spare piece of carpet you'll be using as a patch and match up the pattern, so the patch will flow with the existing carpet. If you don't have any scraps you can take a piece from a discrete area like inside a closet.
5. Place the piece you'll be cutting the patch from face-down on a hard surface, line up the old piece you cut away and are using as a template, and mark the back of the new piece to get the exact width (figure D). Leave just a little extra room on the length so you can adjust the patch to match the pattern.
6. Carefully cut along the line between loops. The material is pretty tough, so it 'll take more than one pass to get through it. The important thing is to keep the line straight.
7. Fit the patch in, and slide it back and forth a bit to match the pattern. Then mark the ends (figure E). Cut the ends to the correct length with heavy-duty shears.
8. Measure and cut out two lengths of seam tape. Place tape pieces under each side of the existing carpet, splitting the tape evenly between carpet and patch area (figure F). Cut smaller pieces and do the same on each end.
9. Peel off the paper backing and firmly press the carpet backing into the adhesive.
10. Apply a healthy dose of seam sealer (figure G). This will bond the carpet fibers together. It dries clear and will help the new patch blend in. And don't worry if the new patch is lighter than the surrounding carpet. With a little foot traffic it will soon blend right in. Henry advises throwing a party to get some traffic on the area.
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