How to install carpet over concrete?

[olds70supreme]

We are finishing off the basement to our split level house and sometime within the next 6 months will be installing carpet. How does this relate to garages you say? Well, once I am done monkeying around in the basement I can spend that much more time in the garage. Anyway, could somebody run down the basic steps of installation over concrete? This is a 2 year old spec house with a dry basement & sump pump. The concrete is bare, smooth, level (to the naked eye), and uncracked.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[thegarageguy]

why install a moisture and dust trap. Clean, stain and seal it.

 

[KCarGuy]

I would lay down Carpet Squares (24"x24"...approx) if you want carpet downstairs.
It has a rubber backing, has a "Tack" to it, so it stays in place and can be easily removed and replaced (if it gets ruined or stained).

I had put Bedrooms downstairs for my son and my nephew years ago, used those and it worked great. since then, everyone has moved on and my basement is my area now...main Bar, TV, Couches, Pool Table...no more bedrooms.
Its all tiled now, with throw rugs!

 

[TRC51]

I would try to avoid putting carpet down there as well, but the OO of my house put it in the basement and some in the garage. From all the installation stuff I have seen pulling it up, it's standard installation. Nail the tacking strips right into the concrete. This is how it was in my family room as well (on a slab). I am not sure what I am going to replacement my downstairs carpet with, but that "Carpet Squares" mentioned above sounds interesting. Definitely warmer on the bare feet in the cold winters.

 

[gabeancounter]

In the south this is done all the time. Slab homes. They sell padding that has a vapor barrier on it. The good 8lb pad has a webbing and the barrier. Kind of looks like purple paint on one side. Tack strips are nailed along the walls and carpet is installed like any other sub floor.

I will say it would be a good idea to use a sealer on the concrete before applying the pad and carpet.

pins and needles , needles and pins. Just jerking your chain garageguy

 

[jetrep]

I would lay down Carpet Squares (24"x24"...approx) if you want carpet downstairs.
It has a rubber backing, has a "Tack" to it, so it stays in place and can be easily removed and replaced (if it gets ruined or stained).

I had put Bedrooms downstairs for my son and my nephew years ago, used those and it worked great. since then, everyone has moved on and my basement is my area now...main Bar, TV, Couches, Pool Table...no more bedrooms.
Its all tiled now, with throw rugs!

I'm considering the 24x24 carpet tiles for my basement. They can be had for less than a buck a square foot. Standard installation for them is to use a pressure sensitive adhesive. I'm considering just laying them down. Were yours glued to the floor in any way or were they floating?

 

[KCarGuy]

I did use an adhesive, kinda like rubber cement. Stuck well, but was able to be removed with out tearing the bonding material up and leaving it on the concrete.

The carpet is 1/4" thick, high traffic...and the rubber bonding is 1/4" thick for some cushion. its the same stuff that The Standard Oil Building used (BP now) in there Office areas.

Great stuff! holds up extreemly well!

 

[olds70supreme]

The carpet is 1/4" thick, high traffic...and the rubber bonding is 1/4" thick for some cushion. its the same stuff that The Standard Oil Building used (BP now) in there Office areas.

How well did it handle spills...Sorry, too soon?

 

[KCarGuy]

Soaks the stuff right up....Hey, Maybe they should throw carpet squares in the ocean!