Rugs, Carpets and Carpeting - Carpet installation questions

Soon I will be installing carpet on a concrete in our family room and passageways. I expect quite a bit of traffic in these areas. The house is about 1 1/2 years old.

This will be a new install where there is no existing flooring other than the concrete slab the house sits upon. I did a moisture test by leaving a taped down 12" x 12" piece of plastic on the cement for a few weeks. No moisture ever appeared under the plastic. Barring any last minute wifely design changes, I will be installing (or having installed) a mid-range berber carpet.

So a few questions I have:

If there is no moisture problem should the concrete be sealed?
Should I lay a vapor barrier down?

What type of padding should be used?

How far away from the walls do the tack strips go?

How do I make the transition between vinyl and carpet flooring?
Vinyl is in the utility room and carpet will be in the passageway outside the utility room. Does it matter which flooring material is installed first?

Is this realistically a DIY project or should I hire this one out?


Thanks,
Bryan

>>>>>If there is no moisture problem should the concrete be sealed?<<<<<

No, not for a stretched in installation.



>>>>>Should I lay a vapor barrier down?<<<<<

No, it is not necessary. But for you piece of mind, I don't see it hurting a thing.



>>>>>What type of padding should be used?<<<<<

For a berber carpet, I suggest a synthetic felt 3/8" thick and at least 50oz. or a rubber slab pad. Rebond padding under olefin berbers can off gas BHT and turn the carpet yellow in places.

If Rebond is the only choice you get, then no thicker then 3/8" and nothing less then an 8-lb density.



>>>>>How far away from the walls do the tack strips go?<<<<<

The gully between the baseboard and wall should be the same as the thickness of the carpet being installed, but go no greater then 3/8" or you get what is called a "picture framing" effect.



>>>>>How do I make the transition between vinyl and carpet flooring?<<<<<

You should use a transition crimp metal, with teeth to grip the carpet and hold the stretch. Z-bar should never be used on a loop pile carpet. It makes the face open up and grin the backing through the face when trying to roll and tuck it under Z-bar.
Same with "turning and tacking" method(whick looks terrible in any carpet IMO)



>>>>>Vinyl is in the utility room and carpet will be in the passageway outside the utility room. Does it matter which flooring material is installed first?<<<<<

If the vinyl has a pattern, it would be logical to install it first so the transitions can be installed later, and have then straight to the pattern on the vinyl. Also so the transition metals sit on top of the vinyl to hold it down and prevent the curling of the vinyl later, as it shrinks.



>>>>>Is this realistically a DIY project or should I hire this one out?<<<<<

Well, carpet installation is the hardest of all floorcoverings to install to specs and look right. It is an art, and not just a slap it on the floor type job, if you want it to look presentable. Throw a berber into the fray, and you have a specialty carpet, that takes different techniques and hand skills to install, along with an eye for straight lines. Cut one face yarn on a loop pile berber and you will have a fray/fuzzy waiting to happen. You don't want ANY cross seams in a loop pile carpet, only length seams.

Go here and download the carpet industry installation specs.
http://www.carpet-rug.com/

Thank you.