Our guestroom has some old carpeting that we want to replace with new carpeting. I am about to rip out the carpet and padding and am wondering whether I need to remove all the old staples if I will just be laying carpet and padding over it again anyway. Thanks!
if you have children or walk around with bare feet it would be best to remove staples.a flat head screwdriver and pliers work very well..
If the tack strips are in good shape you can leave them. I would suggest a professional install the carpet and pad unless you have all the equipment. They will be able to tell you if the tack strips need to be replaced and that's usually part of the cost of installation anyway. If you are just talking about the staples holding the padding then yes remove them. My padding was layed right up to the tack strips without any staples in it. The weight of the carpet holds the pad in place.
Most people don't remove the old tack strips, however the old ones depending on how long they've been in place, can sometimes be worn. The wood can get a little weak or the tacks themselves may not hold the new carpet in place depending on the type of backing on the new carpet. You may also want to consider removing the old padding simply because of the amount of dirt and liquids that may have been absorbed over the years. When it comes down to it, it's about how much you can budget to the project.
Carpet padding staples can be removed(mostly) by a flooring scraper , if you have one. The kind you stand up to use with a long handle. You ll get most of them out. Others just pound down and carpet and padding will go right over them. GL
