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Read the full process of our closet makeover

We’ve recently completed our closet makeover and we decided to replace our carpet flooring with hardwood floors in a Chevron pattern. I won’t lie, it was very tedious and Praneel and I had sore backs for a couple of weeks, but the end result was worth every bit of the effort.

Here’s a detailed guide incase you want to do something similar in your space.

Materials required :

Removing the carpet

1. Prepare the area

Clear the room of furniture and cover the walls, baseboards, and any remaining furniture with plastic or drop cloths.
Wear protective gear like gloves, safety glasses, and a dust mask.

2. Cut the carpet

Use a utility knife or carpet cutter to cut the carpet into manageable sections, typically 4′ x 4′ squares.

3. Pull up the edges:

Use a pry bar or carpet removal tool to lift the carpet edges near the baseboards.
Work your way around the room, loosening the carpet from the tack strips.

4. Remove the underlayment

Once the carpet is removed, pull up the underlayment (also known as padding or underlay).
The underlay is usually stapled, so be careful when you are pulling it.

The carpet underlay is stapled and held down by a strip. This needs to be pulled out as well. Use a pry bar to easily remove the strip.

5. Dispose of the carpet and clean:

Roll up the removed carpet and underlayment, and discard them according to local regulations.
Sweep and vacuum the subfloor to remove any remaining debris, dust, and adhesive residue.

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Installing the hardwood floors

1. Prepare the subfloor

Ensure it’s level, clean, and dry. Install a moisture barrier and plywood or OSB if necessary.

2. Removing the base molding

We removed the base molding to give a level base for our cabinets.
Use a utility knife to cut the edge of the molding
Use a screwdriver and the pry bar to gently nudge the molding off the walls.

3. Choose your flooring and plan the layout

Select a pre-cut chevron hardwood flooring that suits your style and budget. The ones we got had tongue and groove on the sides but not at the ends.
Decide on the direction and starting point of the chevron patterns. Use a chalk line to mark the center point of the room.

4. Lay the first row

Install the first row of flooring along the center line, using a spacer to maintain even spacing. Lay out the boards multiple times to make sure the pattern is right before nailing it down. We realized we did the pattern wrong after the first row and had to redo it again!

5. Lay, lay, lay subsequent rows

This is the part that requires tons of patience.

Begin each row with a half-board, alternating the direction of the chevron pattern.
Use a tapping block and a hammer to secure the boards.
After a couple of rows, you will get the hang of it and move faster. Keep going!

6. Cut the boards for the corners

Use a miter saw or a circular saw to cut boards to fit around obstructions or at the end of rows.
This last part feels like putting the final pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together!