Carpet Flooring

Please note that the below steps are general installation considerations for carpet flooring. The finish-flooring manufacturer’s instructions must be followed, and these considerations are not meant to replace those instructions. When applying MAPEI products, always refer to each product’s Technical Data Sheet for appropriate application instructions.

Calculate Materials and Supplies

Step-By-Step Guide

Step 1 Inspect the substrate.

  1. Determine if the type of substrate is acceptable to receive the flooring. Common carpet substrates include exterior-grade plywood, other manufacturer-approved wood substrates, concrete and existing floor covering.*
  2. Existing flooring that contains asbestos is not an approved substrate. MAPEI recommends that you have the flooring professionally abated.
  3. Check for substrate flatness – no more than 1/8” (3 mm) variation in 10 feet (3.05 m) per MAPEI’s “Surface-Preparation Requirements: Resilient/Carpet Adhesives” reference guide. In addition, refer to the flooring manufacturer’s substate-flatness requirements (the more stringent requirement takes precedence). If the substrate is not within flatness tolerances, see Step 2.
  4. Perform moisture testing – MAPEI recommends hiring a professional to perform the testing.
    1. Most carpet adhesives and flooring have limitations on the amount of moisture from a concrete slab that the adhesives and flooring can tolerate. Approved moisture testing is always required before installing carpet flooring. The moisture and pH limitations will vary – please consult with the flooring manufacturer for these limitations. In addition, consult American Standards Test Methods ASTM F1869 and ASTM F2170.
    2. Substrate-moisture limitations for MAPEI adhesives may differ from the limitations for the finish flooring. The lower moisture limits must be considered when deciding if moisture mitigation needs to take place before beginning the installation.

Please contact MAPEI Technical Services at (800) 992-6273 for assistance regarding moisture-mitigation options.

Step 2 Prep if required.

Ensure that the substrate is clean and flat. Most floors will require some form of preparation prior to installation. Some preparation may require one or more of the following applications:

  1. Flatten entire rooms and large areas using a quality self-leveling underlayment such as MAPEI’s Self-Leveler Plus. Before applying Self-Leveler Plus, use MAPEI’s Primer T ™ to prime the substrate. *
  2. Fill holes and low spots up to 1/2” (12 mm) over concrete or plywood with MAPEI’s Planipatch® patching compound. For holes and low spots up to 1” (2.5 cm), use MAPEI’s Planiprep® SC skimcoating and patching compound.
  3. Fill holes and low spots up to 3” (7.6 cm) over concrete only with MAPEI’s Mapecem® Quickpatch concrete patch. If using at depths greater than 1-1/2” (3.8 cm), the total area should not exceed 24 square feet (2.23 m2).
  4. If you are planning to install over existing flooring such as ceramic tile, porcelain tile and vinyl composition tile (VCT), use MAPEI’s ECO Prim Grip™ primer as directed. For embossing existing non-cushioned residential sheet vinyl, please contact MAPEI Product Support at (800) 992-6273.
  5. Perform moisture mitigation if required – contact MAPEI Technical Services.
  6. Acclimate carpet – consult manufacturer for specific guidelines.
  7. Ambient and substrate temperatures must be maintained according to the floor-manufacturer’s specifications.

* Link to substrate prep guides on our Technical Library

Step 3 Plan flooring layout

Consult with the flooring manufacturer for details.

Step 4 Install flooring according to manufacturer and industry guidelines.

Please call MAPEI Product Support at (800) 992-6273 for additional assistance.

READY TO GET STARTED?

Use our Supply & Material Calculator and we'll give you a complete list of materials and supplies you'll need to finish your Shower Floors project successfully!

Calculate Materials and Supplies
Project Board