Cut Up Carpet

Use a utility knife with a sharp new blade to cut through the carpet backing.

Cut up carpet.

Keep both hands on the knife to avoid cutting a free hand. Wear gloves to protect your hands from the staples that hold the carpet in place. Use a utility knife or carpet knife to slice the carpet into manageable strips and roll the strips up as you go. Whether you re ready to try your hand at carpet installation or you simply want to use an existing remnant to make your own area rug cutting the carpet is a huge part of the job.

To remove carpet from stairs start at the top. If you are trying to salvage the floor underneath make sure you do not cut grooves in the floor with the knife. Roll or fold the strip secure with duct tape and remove it from the room. If there s a metal nosing at the top of the stairs pry it up to remove it.

Continue pulling up carpet a few feet at a time and cutting it into easy to handle strips. Whether you re putting it in or pulling it up knowing the finer points of cutting carpet can save you valuable time and expense. Cutting carpet may seem like a straightforward task but there s an art to getting the job done right. One way to do this is to lift the carpet away from the floor as you cut.