If your carpet has a stain, burn mark, or hole, you might hide the damage under a chair or area rug. However, it may be possible to repair the damage so you don't have to hide the problem. A carpet repair company can patch in new pieces of carpet to repair damaged areas, and that could be the ideal solution if the damage is in a visible area. Here's how it works.

Determine If Your Carpet Is Suitable for Patching

One challenge with patching carpet is that the patch may be noticeable if the colors aren't an exact match. If you have carpet pieces leftover from when you had your carpet installed, then you can use those even if they don't match your used carpet exactly. In time, the new patch will blend in so the patch isn't noticeable.

If you don't have any pieces left over, you can look for the exact brand and color of your carpet and use this information to buy a patch from the carpet store. If the carpet isn't made any longer or if your carpet is old and showing signs of advanced age, the patch will be more visible, so discuss your options with the carpet repair company.

Remove the Damaged Area

The damaged portion has to be cut out with a carpet knife making straight lines. A wide border may be cut around the stain or hole, so the repair professional may need a larger patch than you think. The carpet is the only thing removed and the padding under it shouldn't be cut or bothered.

Cut the Patch

The carpet patch has to be cut to the exact size because it needs to fit in the carpet like a puzzle piece. This is why it's so important to make straight cuts when making the patch and cutting out the damaged area. Carpet can be cut easily with a carpet knife to make straight, clean cuts, but the fibers may need to be trimmed with scissors to get rid of any spots that are damaged during the cutting process.

Seam the Patch

The patch of carpet is held in place with carpet seam tape. A carpet repair company will probably use heat tape since they'll have the tools needed to apply the tape properly. Pressure-sensitive tape is also an option, but this is more suitable for DIY repairs when you don't have the seam iron needed to heat up heat tape.

The tape is applied so the edges of the original carpet and the patch are held together snugly. Heat is applied to the tape by slipping the seam iron under the carpet along the seam and then the repair person can press the carpet against the tape and apply pressure until the tape cools.

When finished, the seams are invisible, and soon the brand new patch with its bright color will fade due to wear and exposure. Then, the patch should blend in perfectly and you won't have to hide your carpet any longer.

To learn more, contact a carpet repair service near you.