In short, it is possible to place carpet over carpet without sacrificing style or the resale value of your home. Doing so can be an inexpensive way to update your room and add a fresh pop of color, but there are some factors to consider before doing so.
The cheapest and easiest way to freshen up your wall-to-wall carpeting is to lay an area rug over your existing carpet. Completely refinishing your floors with new wall-to-wall carpeting can be a big commitment and a costly project. An area rug, big or small, can easily be rolled out and can change the whole look of your room. If your room currently has a beige or other dull neutral wall-to-wall color carpet, a bold patterned rug can provide a colorful refresh.
As mentioned before, new wall-to-wall carpet can be laid over the existing wall-to-wall carpet, but there are some crucial factors to consider. You must ensure that the space remains functional and safe. Meaning, doors must be able to open easily, vents cannot be blocked, and the height of the layered carpet cannot cause a tripping hazard. We recommend not laying new carpet over high-pile, plush, shag, soft, or unevenly worn carpet to avoid these hazards. The best type of carpet to do this with is low-pile carpeting.
It is important to note that if your original carpet is uneven, to begin with, laying new carpet over it will exaggerate dangerous and uneven slopes, which can create costly hazards. It is more cost-effective and safer to rip out the existing carpet in this situation before laying the new carpet down.
To install wall-to-wall carpeting, many DIY-ers use tack strips, or wooden strips with nails that keep the carpet in place; however, keep in mind that this can put your brand new carpet out of warranty. If you decide to go the tack route, and are laying a new carpet over an existing carpet, you must remove two inches of the existing carpet around each edge to make room for a new tack strip. If there is no room for a new tack strip, concrete nails are a good alternative in addition to carpet glue. If you have to remove the original tack strip, you should consider removing the entire existing carpet, as nothing will be keeping that one in place.
