How to Re-Stretch a Carpet

What does it mean to re-stretch a carpet?

If wall to wall carpet is rippling or buckling, it means that the tension is too loose. Humidity and moving heavy things can cause waves in the carpet. However, a top cause of carpet buckling is a less than stellar installation. Carpet must be stretched tightly and secured on the tack strips to keep it from being too loose. Pulling it too tight, however, can cause it to rip. It needs just the right amount of tension to get the perfect look.

Sometimes, flooring inspectors encounter problems with carpet that is too loose and it keeps happening, even after being stretched several times. Usually, the problem is that the carpet has not been stretched with a power stretcher. This is the best way to create that ideal tension in wall-to-wall carpeting. A re-stretch is often the only way to deal with such a problem.

There are also industry standards set by the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) in regards to stretching Installers should abide by the CRI Installation Guidelines to ensure that the proper tension is applied to each hob. If a carpet inspector is looking at carpet that continuously needs to re-stretch, they should see about a power stretcher and check that the CRI guidelines are being followed.