Rugs, Carpets and Carpeting - Changing closet carpet?

Here is a picture of the closet in my bedroom:

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/th.156e3d20b4.jpg

In the picture it's hard to see, but the carpet outside of the doors is higher than the bottom of the doors because the padding stops outside the doors.

I would like to change these sliding doors and make them swing out from each side. The only problem with that is the bottom of the door would hit the bump in the carpet where the padding starts. Cutting the bottom of the door wouldn't look too good since I would have to cut so much off, there would be a big gap.

What I was thinking about doing is pulling up the carpet in the closet and putting padding under it making everything the same height. That would allow me to cut the doors without having a gap under them when the doors are closed.

My concerns are this:

1) By pulling the carpet up inside the closet could I effect the carpet in the bedroom? Is the carpet under tension, could I possibly cause ripples or some other bad thing to happen?

2) The carpet that is currently in the closet is pieces patched together and stapled down, it looks bad. I was thinking about getting a new small piece of carpet (probably not matching) to put in the closet. Could I do that without the tools that carpet guys use to bond the seem together? Is there some type of rubber strip I could put in as a makeshift threshold? This would be behind the doors so you won't see it from the bedroom.

Thanks for any help!

If the installer did not continue the pad and stapled down the carpet to the subfloor, they did not do it right in the first place so unattaching the carpet will most likely not cause wrinkles. I would pull the carpet back, place the pad and staple it in. Install tack strip around the perimeter and kick the carpet back into place. Have your doors cut to fit.

This would not be the proffesional way as much as the homeowner way. A proffessional would power-stretch the room after repadding. But it will get you by for a closet. If wrinkles do appear you will need it powerstretched. Don't try and seam anything in, you need proffessional tools to do that.

Thanks for the reply!

So how do I make the transition from the carpet it the bedroom to the new carpet in the closet?

You recommend putting tack strips in the closet instead of stappling it? The closet is very shallow, only about 2 foot deep, but it's much wider than the door opening so there is a lot of space on each side. Working the carpet onto tack strips (especially without the proper tools) will be a big PITA.

If i'm understanding you correctly: you have carpet in the closet now. It covers the floor completely? If so, don't put a new peice in. Just fold it back and add the pad. If your closet is only 2ft deep you don't walk in there. You can get away with stapling it. Again this is a hack way of doing it, but if you don't have the correct tools you are not going to do it the correct way. Make it work.

This way you don't have to attach new carpet to old carpet. Without proper tools for seaming... i wouldn't know what to tell you.

The carpet that is currently in the closet is just small pieces of leftover scrap patched together and stapled (or maybe glued?) down to the hardwood floor underneath. It really looks bad.

If I am going to pull it up, I would rather replace it. I took a piece of carpet home from a department store I am working in that will fit (the carpet guys love when we take their waste, less for them to cart out! :) ).

I was hoping there was a way to make a nice transition from one carpet to the other. They don't make any types of rubber strips or thresholds for this purpose?

On another note, I thought stapling carpet in small closets was common? I didn't know that padding and tack strip was usually installed.

Padding complicates transitions. It should be seamed together. I couldn't comment as to whether it is common in your area, but it is incorrect.

Bump. Anyone?

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Well, since you want to change the doors to swing style....

Why not just rip out the old carpet, put in new with padding in a similar style to what exists. You can staple right at the seam (if needed, you may have a tack strip right at the door?) which will be covered by the next step. Then put a lowrise wood or metal threshold across the bottom where they join? Cut the doors to clear the threshold. No gap, seam is covered...

Prob what I'd do.

Hey Gunguy, that is pretty much what I was looking to do.

My concerns are that I don't believe there is a tack strip in front of the closet doors (and I don't want to ruin any of the carpet in the bedroom when I cut it from the closet carpet that is stapled down, since I assume there is tension). And I am also looking for some type of threshold to connect the carpet from the closet to the carpet in the bedroom (since I don't have the tools, nor do I care to seam it the conventional way as if it was going to be out in the open. Yes Arkon, I know, I'm a hack like you said, sue me).

Well, If you have or could borrow a air stapler, you can put a straightedge across the opening and staple close to it before cutting. It will hold, esp once you get the threshold on top.

Yeah, not the way a carpet Pro would do it maybe, but I'm not one either....lol.

I see what you're saying.

I have a trim nailer and pancake compressor, not sure if that will do staples. What type of staples should I be using for this? I typical hand actuated staplegun won't work?

Well, I don't know if it would compress and hold the carpet as well. I've gotten so spoiled using my narrow crown stapler for so many things, I only pull out the hand stapler for holding targets nowadays.

This is the kind I mean...Product Information Error Page (http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100079462&N=10000003+90006+527339+1521)

Lol, targets. I haven't looked at a target in 2 months. Ammo prices are just WAY too high.

I remember buying 1,000rd cases of XM193 5.56mm for my AR-15's for $200 a couple years back. Now you're lucky to find it for $600 a case.

Thanks for the help!