How to Fix a Snag in Berber Carpet

berber carpet with tufts of fabric up close
  • 2 hours
  • Intermediate
  • 20
What You'll Need
Scissors
Masking tape
Nail punch
Carpet adhesive
What You'll Need
Scissors
Masking tape
Nail punch
Carpet adhesive

Having a Berber carpet can make your room look fantastic, however, if there are any snags in your carpet then it can affect the look of your entire home. A snag is simply a loose thread that has been pulled from the carpet, if this is not broken then fixing it should be much easier. This isn't a simple job and you really do need to be very patient, don't try and complete this project if you only have 10 minutes to spare.

Berber carpets are a very high-quality carpet and will last you for many years, even so, snags can happen from time to time. There are many things that can cause snags including pets, and simply due to wear and tear. Fixing snags in a Berber carpet isn't actually as difficult as you might imagine, as long as you have the right tools you shouldn't have any problem fixing your carpet.

Step 1 - Counting the Loops

Berber carpets are woven and so replacing a snagged strand is possible but fairly complicated. You first need to spend time counting the loops that will be required to fill the snagged piece of thread. It's vital that you get this right because if you count wrong then it can mean that you have to start again, or could even ruin your carpet.

After counting the loops once you should check again, if the counts don't match then carry on checking until you know you're right.

Next, you need to count the curls in the piece of thread which has been pulled out of the carpet. Cut the thread so that it can fit properly in the snag. It can be difficult to count the curls because it is very tightly wound up, make sure that you check that this is right too.

Step 2 - Masking tape for protection

This is where the masking tape comes in, you need to protect your carpet properly. Protect the surrounding areas of the carpet by using masking tape. Make sure that this is done carefully so that you don't risk causing more damage to your carpet.

It's a good idea to spend time protecting your carpet because if you rush this step then you could end up spoiling your carpet. If you don't protect the carpet properly then this will risk getting carpet adhesive on the other parts of your carpet.

Step 3 - Gluing the yarn

You need to then use carpet adhesive and put it into the snag. This carpet adhesive is very easy to find as you can purchase it from virtually any carpet store anywhere in the country. You don't have to worry about damaging the rest of your carpet because you should have already protected it properly using masking tape.

Then use a nail punch to press the yarn down into the glue. Try to do this carefully so that it matches the height of the other threads in your carpet. Try your hardest not to make any mistakes because this could damage your carpet which could mean that you have to hire a professional.