Carpet?

**onencgirl** · 03-13-2009, 09:19 AM

I have a question. The carpet in my living room is just plain gross and needs replacing plus it is killing my allergies. Could I pull up the old carpet and keep just the subfloor until I can get carpet? Maybe paint it or put an area rug on it until I can put carpet down? I don't want to cause any damage. I'd like to get laminate but to be cost effective I think it'll have to be carpet.

**sabrelvssammy** · 03-13-2009, 09:35 AM

chances are your subfloor is particle board (or pressed plywood) its the cheapest....which means that if you 'nick' it you will have jagged edges and get alot of splinters.... sure you could paint it...that would help 'seal' it down...but i would definately put area rugs down in the high-traffic areas to protect your feet....it will be fine until you lay carpet.... just make sure you don't spill anything on it (liquid wise and if you do wipe it up immediately as the wet wood will swell)...now if you go with carpet chances are your padding would take care of those problems anyway...but don't take any chances....

if you do linoleum they will have to 'skim-coat' it anyway (think thick-gluey type substance) that is put on with a trowel across the floor to fill in seams and dips and such so that when the lin is laid you get a nice smooth finish....

just don't let the original sub-floor get damaged while exposed coz you don't want to lay a new one.... the paint won't hurt either decision you make for the future....

**Greebo** · 03-13-2009, 10:26 AM

Pull up a corner and check what the subfloor is. One thing you could do is pull up the carpet and leave down the padding for the time being.

**sabrelvssammy** · 03-13-2009, 12:00 PM

yea but if you leave the padding you won't be able to vaccume it (probably put on w/tack strips around the perimeter)...and if its an allergy issue...that could make it worse.... better pull it all up....

you never know what you might have under the carpet anyway...if you didn't build the house and its older its quite possible you could have original hardwood floors under there...awesome...then you have two possibilities.... (refinish...which you could do yourself..get rental equip) or use floor paint and paint the wood...(we have gone both ways with the rentals...as carpet is something we shy away from because of the cost and upkeep ..or lack of upkeep by the tenants i should say....)....check it out and let us know what you find...like greebo said...if you are nervous about pulling it up...go to the corner and just pull the corner back..... you can tamp it back down if you change your mind.... (pick a very low key...low traffic corner though....)

**joyofsix** · 03-13-2009, 12:09 PM

We've lived with subfloor before. It's not pleasant but doable. You'll need to wear shoes or invest in a large area rug.

**Lady_V** · 03-13-2009, 12:16 PM

We pulled the carpet out of our room 5 years ago because we had an explosion of sorts... he made a batch of beer that was over-carbonated. We bought a bound remnant from the carpet store for $100. Much cheaper for us than the cost of installation and carpeting. Eventually we will replace the carpet in 3 rooms at the same time.

**sabrelvssammy** · 03-13-2009, 12:30 PM

2 more options: home imrov store...carpet on the big bolts...have a piece cut that will cover the majority of your room... its pretty cheap (think indoor/outdoor carpet) but its made for indoors only....use a couple rows of dbl-sided carpet tape down the center of the room to keep it from 'sliding'....

or if the subfloor is in great condition....you can use peel/stick tiles on it...make sure if you go that route that you still use a sticky adhesive under the tiles (pull off backing-spray w/adhesive....stick down)
this is a very easy/in-expexpensive alternative to lin...and we've had some pretty good success with them....(we have to go this route sometimes coz of the tears, burns, holes left in sheet lin can be too expensive to repair...small squares can be lifted out and replaced...always buy x-tras of the style coz they seem to dis-continue styles often)...(but if it is particle/pressboard..don't use the sticky tiles... they will come up...use on only smooth semi-finished surfaces)....

now i am super curious as to whats under there...heck- if you bought the house from someone else...you could already have lin under there...i have seen all kinds of things.... hurry...go to the corner...and get back to us...lol !!!!

**pinetree** · 03-13-2009, 12:41 PM

You might pull up a corner, and see whats under it. We have oak floors under ours, which was a real surprise, they are really old & need so much work, but if you have something like that, you could just use a couple rugs.

We lived with sub floor for awhile, just throw down a couple rugs.

**HomeschoolMom** · 03-13-2009, 01:30 PM

I think you'd be surprised at what you can pick up laminate for. DH and I picked it up one time for $1.00/sq ft. I think with underlay and glue we did our entire family room for a couple hundred dollars.

I'd go with painting the underlay and slippers for the whole family until you can afford what you really want/need!!

Better to do it right the first time than do it badly once and then right the second time!

**sabrelvssammy** · 03-15-2009, 08:13 PM

hey girl- have you pulled a corner of the carpet up yet...we are all DYING to know what is under there.....

**onencgirl** · 03-15-2009, 08:57 PM

OK, I pulled up a corner and it has................ particle board. I did find some laminate I like and can do my floor for about $260. I think this is doable. Looks like I'll be busy next weekend. I'm dreading pulling up the carpet but healthwise it must go. I'm kinda excited to get started. Thanks for all the suggestions.

**pop goes the weasel** · 03-16-2009, 06:50 AM

We had to put down new subflooring a few weeks ago. The people who built the house way back when just used scraps for flooring so they were seperating and breaking. Yes you have to watch for spinters, I've gotten a few cause I don't wear shoes and if you decide to just use the sub flooring until you get carpet be sure to put something under your computer chair if you have one on it. I know from experience that a computer chair will go one way and you will go another. Doesn't feel very good let me tell ya. On the other hand the cats love it. They can play with their milk rings and balls all day and all night. so they ever really sleep????

**lvngwell** · 03-17-2009, 04:34 PM

I am curently living in a room with subflooring (cement) and area rugs. My son is paiting cement. My daughter still has her carpet and the LR /DR area has already been covered with laminate wood flooring.

It has helped our allergies to have those gross carpets pulled up and when the puppy has an accident the area rug is easily transported outside for a bit of a hose down!

**TigerGirl1226** · 03-17-2009, 04:42 PM

DH got his first house for a steal, but it had nasty carpet. He living on concrete subfloor for about a year. Again, not ideal, but better that stanky carpet.

Good luck on your home improvement project!