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Carpet and Closet Door Guide

randyth | Posted in General Discussion on March 2, 2005 09:59am

I have come to you guys for help before, and you have always been very helpful.  I have a new problem: replacing a broken sliding door guide–the kind that fits on the floor in the small space where the hanging doors overlap and help guide each door.

Hanging Sliding Hall Closet Doors = 1″ thick hollow core in 47″ wide space (2 panels at 24″ each).  Bottom plastic guide for doors broke long time ago, and I have since had new wall to wall carpet installed.  I now need to put in a guide for the doors.  (I know, I should have done it before carpet was laid, duh.)

Choices = over the carpet plastic guides which look ugly and stick out into the hall way.  Under the carpet metal guide with vertical plastic guides coming through cuts in the carpet.  (Lowes and HD carry similar and both items.)

Problem = HD guy prefers the under the carpet kind.  He said installing them is easy. He said I would pull the carpet back from the wall, screw down the guides, make cuts in the carpet for the guides, and put the carpet back.  Oh yeah, put “carpet glue” on the back of the carpet around the holes before putting the carpet back.

HD guy’s solution sounds fairly complex:  lining up the guides, cutting the holes, and putting the carpet back nice and tight.  Is he right?  Is it a simple chore? Should I do it?  Is there a better solution?  HELP!!!

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  1. User avater
    IMERC | Mar 02, 2005 10:24pm | #1

    Place the guide where you want it on top of the carpet..

    now mark the screw holes with some 4 or 6d headless finish nails... (pound them in and leave them a bit proud)... slit the carpet where the verticale portion of the guide is to come up thru the carpet...

    peel back the carpet...

    where the nails are proud from the floor is where the guide goes.. install it.. test fit.. make adjustments... peel the carpet back... dab of glue or two at the guide... reinstall carpet...

    after a few thousand of these it's cake and pie in a few minets...

    and be careful about getting caught in HD again will ya...

    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

    WOW!!!   What a Ride!

    1. randyth | Mar 03, 2005 12:18am | #2

      Imerc, Thanks for the info.  Couple of more quick (and probably stupid) questions. 

      Do you screw the quide into the floor after pulling the carpet back?  Where goes the glue?  Do you pull the finishing nails out before putting the guide in place?  How hard is it to put the carpet back? 

      Especially give more guidance on replacing the carpet.  Do you need a stretcher to do a good job? (I don't have one.)  How exactly do you put the carpet back?  Is it difficult or a piece of cake?

      Thanks in advance.

      1. User avater
        IMERC | Mar 03, 2005 01:19am | #3

        Do you screw the quide into the floor after pulling the carpet back? 

        yup... or TECO nails... TECO are the salvation if you ever have to go thru the carpet.. no runs... don't set the guides on the carpet pad... use a block of 1/2 ply if you need more elevation... on the pad and the guide will distort, bend and / or break...

        Where goes the glue? 

        on top of the guide.. just a little - litle bit to keep the carpet down...

        Do you pull the finishing nails out before putting the guide in place?

        1st use the nails as locators for the guide... pull one nail and replace it with the fastener of your choice.. and then the next....

        How hard is it to put the carpet back? 

        cake and pie...  

        Especially give more guidance on replacing the carpet.  Do you need a stretcher to do a good job? (I don't have one.) How exactly do you put the carpet back?  Is it difficult or a piece of cake?

        still cake and pie... work boots or sneakers are just fine... mince step back into place... I never used a stretcher... use a wide putty knief to retuck it....

        Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

        WOW!!!   What a Ride!

        1. zendo | Mar 03, 2005 02:51am | #4

          Only need a stretcher if you pull back the whole wall and get ripples.  (Its necessary for the tack strip not for glue areas.) 

          If that happens, you can rent one at your rental shop for like $5.  Its easy to use the only adjustment on it is the height of the barbs for catching the carpet.  Just watch your knuckles, the first time I used one, my knuckles wept for a week.

          -zen

          Edited 3/2/2005 6:52 pm ET by zendo

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