Have Berber carpet in your home? Repairing Berber carpet is a trick worth your time to learn.
Berber is fairly hardy and certainly beautiful, but it can be damaged. Pulls in Berber carpet are some of the most common damage, so learning to repair Berber carpet pulls is important to learn.
Other common problems you will want to learn to mend in Berber carpet are holes and cleaning stains. Repairing a burn on Berber carpet can be as easy as mending Berber carpet, or it may require a professional.
If you are installing Berber carpet in your home or office, or are renting a home with Berber carpet, having the skills and know-how to repair Berber carpet is an important and smart way to keep your carpet looking good for years.
Don’t forget to check out our guide on the Best Berber Carpets!
Precautionary Measures
The beauty of Berber carpeting means this style is in high demand and very common among carpeted homes and offices, and keeping it looking beautiful is a main concern of many consumers.
Of course, the best way to keep your Berber looking great is to take precautions against damaging it in the first place.
The most important thing you can do to keep Berber looking nice is to keep it clean. Berber is often made of a fiber called olefin.
Olefin is naturally stain resistant and less expensive than other types of Berber carpet, but it does tend to attract natural oils and can look dirty.
Know the fiber makeup of your carpet and make sure any cleaning product or stain remover you use on your Berber carpet is compatible.
This is a smart way to keep from damaging your carpet irreparably.
Berber is also prone to snags, as the carpet is looped. Be sure to choose a vacuum that does not have a rotating brush, as this can cause pulls in the carpet!
Also, it’s good practice to leave shoes at the door if your home has Berber and to keep pet nails trimmed.
Choose furniture that has rounded edges at the base or put furniture pads on the bottom of chair/sofa/table legs, to also help reduce pulls that could result from the furniture sliding around as people sit down or get up, or just regular use.
Sometimes accidents just can’t be helped. That is why you need to learn more about how to repair Berber carpet in case you experience damage to your Berber. Learn these skills and you will be prepared for anything!
Top Five Types of Damage to Berber Carpet, How to DIY Repair Them, and When to Call In the Professionals
DIY Repairs of Berber Carpet are Possible!
Repairing Berber carpet is not very difficult and in many cases, you can fix any minor damage yourself with just a little time and work. That is great news for homeowners!
Making repairs to your Berber carpet will save money and prevent you from needing to prematurely replace the Berber in your home.
Help! My Berber Carpet Has Pulls!
Berber carpet is made up of little loops of carpet fibers. This makes the carpeting low pile, but dense, which is one reason why so many really love the feel and look of Berber carpet.
However, just like knitted fabric, if one of the loops comes undone, the carpet fibers can stick up which is rather noticeable and one of the most common types of damage you will see in Berber.
If your Berber carpet has a pull, one quick way to fix this is to squirt a little non-water-based glue, like hot glue, deep into where the carpet loop was connected and then squish the stray end back in place.
You may need to hold up the loop for a couple of minutes or prop it up with a toothpick until the glue dries somewhat to keep the loop from falling into the glue and getting matted, but this is a quick and simple way to fix one of the most common problems with your Berber carpet.
Be careful not to use too much glue, as this will cause a hard spot in the carpet that is noticeable if you are walking in bare feet.
Also, take note that we recommend a non-water based glue; if you use a glue that is water soluble, the next time you clean the carpet the glue will be broken down and the pulled loop will return!
Help! My Pet Chewed My Berber Carpet!
Pets and Berber carpet: a common conundrum. Pet owners like the low pile of Berber because this makes it simple to vacuum up the pet hair, dander and dirt.
However, pet nails are not the only enemy of Berber when it comes to damage. What if your pet decides to forgo his rope toy and instead chew on your Berber carpet!
The best way to repair Berber carpet that has been really damaged beyond repair like this by chewing or some other method is to remove a patch of carpet from your closet or another area where it will not be noticed and “patch” the damaged area.
Place it carefully to make sure that the loops are going in the same direction.
This method is more difficult than other ways to mend Berber carpet, but if you take your time, then you’ll be able to get it back to almost normal.
Check out the video below to show you a sample of how to do this DIY repair using a patch of Berber carpet from the closet and a glue gun.
If you are installing Berber carpet in your home, keep any spare pieces that have been cut to use for patching in the future of any irreparably damaged carpeting. This is really best practice with any flooring you are installing in your home, as it’s the easiest way to do a quick fix.
Help! Something Has Stained My Berber Carpet!
Most of the time, the major issues people have with their Berber carpet is permanent stains, especially if you have children or pets. As with any staining on any material (flooring or otherwise), the best advice anyone can give you is to remove stains as soon as possible.
Letting a stain sit for an extended amount of time will only cause it to set in deeply and become more and more difficult to remove.
Blot the stain with an absorbent cotton or even a paper towel to try to draw any excess moisture into the cloth before it seeps deep into the carpet. Do not rub, as this will only spread and deepen the stain!
Then, clean as directed by the carpet manufacturer. Use a stain remover that is compatible with the specific type of Berber carpet you have.
Due to the thickness of the loops of Berber carpet, it is very important to remove as much of the excess liquid or solid as possible before trying to clean or you could end up seeing the same stain arise again and again.
If you diligently remove all stains as soon as possible, even the ones as stubborn as red sauce, wine, coffee or pet stains, you should not need to spend a lot of money repairing barber carpet in the future.
Help! I Have a Snag In My Berber Carpet!
Similar to a pull in your Berber carpet, a snag is when one of the loops of fiber in the carpet actually breaks and is frayed. It is common to get snags in your carpet from furniture, pets, or just from being in a high traffic area of your home.
Knowing how to repair Berber carpet snags and understanding that there is an easy fix, you won’t need to worry.
If you’ve snagged just one single loop, all you need to do is use a scissors to cut the thread below the height of the loops, almost to the base of the carpet.
I would also recommend at this point using hot glue (or another non-water based glue) to glue the loop to the base of the carpet.
Help! My Berber Carpet Has a Burn Mark!
Berber carpet burns are one of the most difficult damages to fix. In the case of burns, mildew, or crushed Berber carpet-where the loops have been completely matted down in a high traffic area of the home-it may be best to call in a professional or replace some or all of your carpet.
Of course, you could try to replace the burned spot with a patch of carpet from a closet like suggested above for any irreparably damaged spots, but if you don’t want to try this, there is nowhere you can remove the carpet piece from without it being noticeable, or the damage is too widespread, then there are professionals available that can help you to repair burnt Berber carpet in a professional manner and most can do some kind of a patch job without having to replace the entire carpet.
As with any professional, you will want to do some comparison shopping, but it’s usually a good idea for continuity to use the same retailer or find a retailer that carries the exact same make of Berber carpet that you are trying to replace.
If you are unsure about how to go about fixing damage to your Berber carpet, it is probably best to consult a professional.
Berber carpet is a huge investment and if you are not comfortable repairing it yourself, then you should be able to find someone who is a professional and can repair your Berber carpet or, in some instances, patch or replace a portion of it.
It will be well worth your money and time to keep your carpet looking clean and unmarred, and maintaining your Berber carpet will increase the value of your home.
I have a new berber and when we move the furniture the depressions remain forever. How do we raise them if at all?
Furniture depressions are common in carpeting. Use cups under furniture feet if you want to reduce the problem. The reason the caps work is they distribute the weight of the furniture across a broader surface, and thus the stress on one tiny point of carpet and padding.
But to remove the depressions can be a trick. One I have used involves warming a steam iron and gently steaming the depressions. Either put a cloth between the carpet and iron or hover the iron above the depression and then inject steam for several seconds. Work your fingers through the fibers of the depressions while the carpet is warm and damp. Repeat several times, waiting between efforts to give the carpet a chance to “heal” itself.
Part of the problem though is the padding is also dented so at this point all you are going to do is repair the surface as much as you can.
Don’t forget to put caps under your furniture. You won’t have to go through this again, or at least as much.
My vacuum unraveled a piece of berber in a hall about 3′ long and 1/2″ deep, I saved the thread, any ideas on how to repair it? Thank you for the help.
You just unraveled one of the drawbacks to Berber carpeting — the equivalent of a nylon run. There are two ways of repairing the situation that I know of. You can by hand retie the thread or you can have another piece patched into it.
Sorry that happened. Try to do something creative so it doesn’t look exactly patched so you won’t be as unhappy with the repair.
Is cutting berber carpet pulls bad? My installer did this without my permission and I nearly flipped. Instead of him threading it back together I now have loose ends everywhere.
I’ve heard interesting debates about that very topic and no sound conclusion. But I think the general consensus is that they should be mended not cut.
The advantage of the pull being cut is there’s one less loop to snag. The disadvantages are it “ruins” that great Berber look.
We have just moved into a new home with berber carpet. We also have 2 dogs that like to run and play in the house. We already have a few snags from their claws. How do I repair those snags? Someone told me to cut and then burn the ends but I don’t think I want to do that.
As you read in this article, glue is a good way to repair pulls. The problem with cutting the loop and burning/melting the end is it changes the Berber carpet to a short shag carpet.
Then go get your dogs socks for their running in the house. :~)
We have just moved into our home, and we were keeping a dog over the weekend. I had to go out, and I left the dog in my room- thinking she would behave. I was wrong, and not only did she chew up my trim on the door, but she ripped up a great big space of carpet right under the door. It’s about a square foot, and it looks like it has a wig because of all the loose material. We haven’t cut anything yet, and I have scheduled professional maintenance, but they haven’t seen this huge fiasco. Is this problem fixable?
It’s fixable. It’s going to have better results if you have carpet remnants. I don’t know if they can successfully glue the loops down or if they are going to have to patch a section in. But if they are professionals they’ll do a good job with whatever approach they are going to take.
I have two pulls in my commercial carpet. How can I repair these pulls? Please respond and thank you for youe time.
Joe
If the information in neither the article nor the comments doesn’t help your situation, contact your flooring company and/or installer to see what suggestions they have.
My dog has pulled in two different places a six to ten inch snag and I am trying to sell my house, what do I do? I have read about adding in a new piece but how am I supposed to cut out the area that I need?
Hi Kelly,
Where are these snags located? At an edge, or well away from an edge?
You may not have to patch it – try this method first and see if it works, many refer to this as “glue and squoosh”, and it really can work!
You’ll need glue, either something like Elmer’s glue or a hot glue gun – you don’t need to use much with a hot glue gun, you’ll have to be more careful of course, and it sets up faster (obviously!), so you do have less work time to get it right. The choice is up to you.
Squirt a liberal amount of good old Elmers glue into the “hole”, then, “squoosh” the loose part back into the hole. It will seem like it’s too long to fit, but if you keep patiently squooshing, it will go. Then you need to put something heavy on top of it to hold it in place. Leave the heavy object there for several hours (you could do all this just before bed, then leave the heavy object on it overnight). That particular spot may have a funny feeling to it afterwards (like if you step on it barefoot), but it will be much less noticeable than a bare spot in the carpet! If this doesn’t work, then you’ll need to patch it.
Patching:
Use a carpet or utility knife to cut out the damaged area of carpet approximately 2″ past the edge of the damaged area. Draw the knife between the fibers so that only the carpet backing is cut. Make your cuts as straight as possible.
Use the cutout as template to cut a patch from a carpet remnant or from a closet area where the carpet is not often seen.
Use glue to set the patch in place. Apply glue to the edges of the carpet to prevent the fibers from pulling out. Work the glue into the backing, and glue as much of the edge as possible. Let dry for a few hours and put something fairly heavy on the area.
Roll the seam with a “carpet tractor” to blend the fibers and hide the seam. Don’t over-do it though or you might cause more damage!
Check the seams to make sure they’re glued properly. If not, pull them out gently, and glue them again.
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How did your dog pull the carpet? With it’s toenails? If so, I’d have the vet trim it’s nails and make sure they’re filed smoothly – should help prevent more snags.
I have recently moved the furniture in the room and the marks on the Berber carpet are very noticeable. Is there any way to reestablish the rug in thise areas?
Thank you!
Hi Sue,
It might work to ‘lift’ the loops back up using a steam iron. Find something to help pull up little sections or a few loops at a time (work with me here as I can’t see your carpet!). Something as simple as a kebob skewer or a fork could work – you’re trying to keep the hot steam from burning your fingers! Hopefully, the steam will help your carpet spring back up. If the padding underneath is damaged……… well, it’ll still disguise the dent, but won’t be a permanent fix.
I just installed a laminate wood flooring and threshold in a new master bedroom closet that transitions from the master bedroom. The problem is that the bedroom has berber carpet and the part of the threshold area (approximately 3 to 4 inches and the width of a doorway) is down to the subfloor. I have plenty of extra berber carpet from when the house was built, so I can add more carpet, but I do not know how. Can you tell me how to seam the extra piece the RIGHT way up to the wood threshold?
Thanks,
Kathy H.
The topic is covered in a few places on this site. Use the search function – type in berber seam and you’ll see previews for several articles.
You suggest steam and a hook to pull flattened areas, is that the only method. I will try it to see what happens. Thanks, John
Hi John!
I don’t know about the *only* method, but it’s effective and easy to do. Remember though, if your padding under the carpet is compressed, it’s really not going to *fix* the problem, just disguise it a bit.