Carpet laying tips?

[dizz]

Just doing a flat renovation and have three bedrooms, a lounge and a hall to carpet. I have on order some berber style carpet (non foam back) with some 7mm underlay. I have laid the carpeer gripper round the edge (about 8mm distance from skirt) and and put down the carpet to carpet edging in the doorways.

I have just got myself a carpet knee kicker and have a stanley style knife with thick blades. I also have a metal bolster which I thought I'd use to knock the carpet down behind the gripper.

I also bought a Carpet Trimmer to cut alog the skirting - one of these.

http://www.gjflooring.com/gt-conventional-carpet-trimmer-418-p.asp

However, this is my first attempt at doing this type of job.

Carpet will be arriving on Monday, but I can pop to toolstation, screwfix, B&Q etc., over the weekend if there is something I might be missing.

Would really appreciate any tips or advice on the task I am about to undertake ...

 

[NickB_99]

I have just got myself a carpet knee kicker and have a stanley style knife with thick blades. I also have a metal bolster which I thought I'd use to knock the carpet down behind the gripper.

I also bought a Carpet Trimmer to cut alog the skirting - one of these.

http://www.gjflooring.com/gt-conventional-carpet-trimmer-418-p.asp

However, this is my first attempt at doing this type of job.

not a pro at doing this, but laid a few carpets now (though all been Felt backed so far).

I find the hooked stanley blades easier to cut carpet with and this was sufficient to get a straight edge that tucked neatly by the gripper/skirt.

I had some pro fitters in that showed me a bit of the basics on my first room. This is what they recommended and my results have been good on the remainder which I've done.
I thought the gap you aimed for was a bit less - about 5mm between grippers and wall, though I could be remembering wrong on this!

Oh, would also add - used a wide bolster also (rather than a proper carpet laying tool) and found that it scratched the skirting boards at first, so wrapped some duck/duct tape round the sharp edge.