Can You Lay Carpet Over Laminate Flooring? Here's What We Know

For so long, we turned our noses up to the idea of wall-to-wall carpeting. Turn on any home renovation show from the last decade or so and you'll see the first thing to go is often the carpeting. As trends begin to change yet again and lean towards cozy and comfortable — just look at the rising "grandpa chic" trend — carpet might be making a comeback.

If you are tired of sore feet on your laminate flooring and want to cozy up your space, you may be considering laying carpet over your laminate flooring. Before you pick out your carpet style, there are things to consider. Laying carpet without first removing the existing laminate can lead to a lot of issues, mainly mold and mildew, and an uneven surface. On the other hand, if done correctly, it can be a huge cost savings and an overall easy project to reinvent your space. Here's what you need to consider before adding carpet.

If you were to consult a professional, they may steer you away from laying carpet over your laminate flooring. For one, the process of installing carpet can damage your laminate floors, making them unusable if you choose to remove the carpet down the line. If not done correctly, the final product can also be uneven and bunchy, making an unpleasant and overall unsafe floor for your home. If you want to take the risk, though, it is possible to install carpet over laminate flooring without damaging the floor.

As Carpet Expert Blueprint demonstrates on YouTube, to lay carpet over laminate correctly, you'll want to first install a tack strip around the edges of the room. You then lay your underlayment, cut the carpet to fit the room, install your carpet on one side, stretch it to the other, and secure the carpet to the tack strip. Always make sure your carpet is tight and secured correctly before cutting off the excess carpeting.

The process for laying carpet over a laminate floor is quite simple but it's important to note that laying the tack strip will likely damage your laminate flooring. Thus, you need to be sure about your carpet choice before starting the installation process. Laying your carpet over your current laminate flooring makes for an easier, and inexpensive, reno. There are many cases where you may want to consider going the extra mile to first remove your existing laminate, however.

If your current laminate flooring was installed as a floating floor, the removal process is much easier. Considering the cons to laying carpet over laminate, if you have a floating floor, you may want to consider fully removing it to avoid bunching and mold buildup. If you do not have a floating floor and your laminate is glued down to the floor, removal is costly and timely. In this case, considering laying the carpet over it can be a good idea. In this case, though, consult with a professional about installing without a tack strip to avoid damaging the laminate. You'll also want to choose a low-maintenance carpet that is easier to clean and keep dry. This will allow you to return to your laminate flooring should you get sick of that carpet down the line.