To remove old carpet just pull hard

November 7, 1980

Q. I recently bought a house that has glued-down, low-quality carpeting in the Kitchen and dining areas. Can I take it up myself and save the cost of having it removed commercially? Allen Sanders St. Louis

A. There is no reason why you cannot take up the old carpet. It may take a lot of tugging but go to it What new flooring will replace the old carpeting? Do you plan to install new, Higher- quality carpeting, resilient flooring, or what?

You may need to prepare the exposed floor surface one way or another, depending on what flooring is to be laid. If you expect to install it yourself, discuss the required floor preparation with the supplier of the material you intend to use.