# Cutting out the Carpet



## cac4 (Oct 30, 2008)

Need to make a hearth pad...installing stove in the corner of a carpeted room.  I'm thinking that since carpet has a life expectancy, (and mine is getting along in age), its going to be replaced at some point in the not too distant future.  So I'm thinking it would be best to remove the carpet under the proposed hearth location, rather than simply planking down something on top of it.  

So the question is, how do I remove the carpet in this corner?  Or really, how do I re-secure the cut-edges of carpet around this new hearth?  I understand how the carpet is attached now: tack strip.  But I've never actually installed carpet, myself.  I was under the impression that to use that, you need some special tools to get the edge of the carpet to attach tightly to the tack strip.  ?  
since this will just be about a 3' square,  is there any other way to do it?  glue? tacks?  anything?

On the same subject, should I just build it "in place", or assemble the hearth on a bench, like we've seen demonstrated here so often?  might be easier to build it in the basement, and move it into place when its done, since its such a small piece. 

on the height issue:  
The house has a tiled foyer, and also a small hearth in front of a pre-fab fireplace (that doesn't get used, because it just sucks heat out of the house.  anyway...).  The tile is the exact same height as the carpet.  there's no transition strip between the carpet and tile.  It was glued to a 1/4" backer, which was nailed to the osb subfloor.  Most people that have documented their hearths here have used an extra layer of 3/4" plywood.  Wondering why that is...or if its really necessary.  It would make the tile height higher than the carpet.  not that there's anything wrong with that...just that considering possible future flooring materials, height might be an issue.  I guess it would be better to be elevated rather than depressed.  If by some chance, I decide I want a hardwood floor in this room, those are typically 3/4" thick.  Anyone forsee any issue with that?  (I'm thinking about the transition between the hearth and the floor...a "shoe" or trim piece...I suppose anything can be done w/ a table saw).  

thoughts appreciated....


----------



## hossthehermit (Oct 30, 2008)

No offense intended, but the questions sound like you might want to consider a professional installer.


----------



## cac4 (Oct 30, 2008)

really?  didn't think stove installers got that into flooring detail, beyond, "here, you need to buy this hearth pad for $350, which I'll just plank down on the carpet, and leave".  

seriously, I'm actually quite handy.  I've just never removed and re-attached wall-to-wall carpeting.  poking a hole in the wall and attaching pipes will be the easy part.


----------



## Pellet1 (Oct 30, 2008)

Build you hearth in whatever is your normal work area and then carry it to its intended location. As for the carpet, I would simply leave it there and place the hearth on top of it. If you cut it, you will be faced with strips and stretching. Besides, when you get new carpet, and you wish to leave the stove and hearth in place, let the carpet installers worry about it.


----------



## tinkabranc (Oct 30, 2008)

I agree with Pellet1

Why bother? 
Leave the carpet in place and put the pad right on top, that is what I did with mine.

When the rest of the carpet is replaced, new tack strips will be put in around the
pad nice and clean anyway.


----------



## firewarrior820 (Oct 30, 2008)

cac4 said:
			
		

> really?  didn't think stove installers got that into flooring detail, beyond, "here, you need to buy this hearth pad for $350, which I'll just plank down on the carpet, and leave".
> 
> seriously, I'm actually quite handy.  I've just never removed and re-attached wall-to-wall carpeting.  poking a hole in the wall and attaching pipes will be the easy part.



you think hossthehermit meant professional carpet installer


----------



## Firenutz (Oct 31, 2008)

I wish I would have built mine on top of the carpet. I started with a 1/2" plywood template. Once I had the template cut the way I wanted it, I placed it on the carpet and cut around it with a utility knife. Cutting the pad underneath was a real pain to get it straight. Then, since my hearth is taking up the corner, I pulled up the tack strips from the now bare floor for later use. I used baseboard that I stained for the outer border of the hearth to give it some elevation from the subfloor. Most of the assembly was done in the garage with a few trips back and forth into the house. Once I got the hearth installed where I wanted it, I nailed in the tack strips around the border. My carpet isn't catching the tack strips like it should so I may need the stretcher tools that installers use. Other than that, it looks pretty clean. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably build it right on the carpet.


----------



## mc67 (Oct 31, 2008)

I took out my propane fireplace to install our pellet stove so I was left with missing pieces of hardwood flooring. I decided to cut out some more to build a flush pad with my existing hardwood.I have 3/4'' t&g;plywood on 2 by 10's,stove is in corner so flex wasn't a big issue. I laid 3/8'' plywood on my sub floor then tiled.Turned out flush then trimmed pad with a slight overlap piece of matching wood.I couldn't bring myself to paying the $500. for a prefab. Good luck with what you decide to do.


----------



## Pellet1 (Oct 31, 2008)

That is a real good looking job, MC67.


----------



## cac4 (Oct 31, 2008)

all good feedback.  thanks!  keep it comin'

hmmm..."professional carpet installer".  yeah, that might be the ticket.  It just seems like so much overkill for such a tiny area.  I do have a friend thats in the flooring biz...perhaps a call out there would help.

I'm sure I'm just "over-thinking" the whole thing.  Its what I do....

one thing I was worried about irt laying a pad on the carpet was that it might compress over time, and slowly "sink".  what kind of stress would that put on the venting?  Then it dawned on me that this particular stove does have leveling feet.  If, for any reason, the flooring was changed, it would be difficult to put everything back and get the stove's exhaust vent back to the same exact height.  But the levelers could make that final adjustment.


----------



## Pellet1 (Oct 31, 2008)

Yup, you are overthinking--but you ARE thinking. I would suggest that if you set the stove on top of the hearth, on top of the carpet, and go to bed; the next day will have seen most of the carpet compression done.


----------



## Jester (Oct 31, 2008)

I would recommend building your own, and placing it directly on the floor.  I used a 5/8 " plywood, which gave me the base to screw my cement board to, then tile over that.  The reasoning I would give to not using your old rug as a base is that the stove does heat up and my hearthpad does get warm.  If the rug is old, has had pets or spills, god knows what kind of smells you might get out of it when you add heat to the equation.  Also, Id rather have my stove on the most secure solid base possible.  IF you're replacing the rug soon, you can cut the area out with a kknife, put your hearth pad down, and as long as you're not worried about the subfloor use a 1x3 board and tack the edge of the rug down around the pad.
Just a thought


----------



## Jester (Oct 31, 2008)

and if you dont have a kknife, you can probably made due with just a knife


----------



## kklockars@cox.net (Oct 31, 2008)

I sell and install carpte we would put in the hearth after cutting cut back the carpet, place tackless strips 1/4" from the edge of the hearth all the way around then using a knee kicker re install the carpet using a stair tool (like a putty knife) tucking it into the gap between the tackless and the hearth and setting it to the tackless (pushing the pins thru. You can use a carpet or a utility knife


----------



## terryjd98 (Nov 2, 2008)

I would check the owners manual to make sure. I know for my Enviro Evolution the manual says not to install the hearth pad that comes with it on carpet.


----------

