# DIY:Screwing Through Carpet **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 29, 2005, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000 "2005-05-29T17:56:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jiggs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jiggs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jiggs)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/1 "2005-05-29T17:56:14Z")
I just had new carpet installed in my bedroom. The bedroom has a sliding door on a track for the bedroom closet. The carpet installer forgot to reinstall the bottom track for this door when he was done, so now it’s up to me. The track was attached to the floor with screws. Having tried to drive a screw through a carpet once before, I know doing this will almost inevitably start a ravel in the carpet fabric. So I’m looking for some Heloise-type advice on how to screw through carpet without ruining my nice new carpet. There must be some simple solution that I’m missing, right? I Googled the subject and came up with a goose-egg. I guess that either means it’s impossible, or the solution is so obvious only I would be stupid enough to need assistance… ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/2 "2005-05-29T18:12:11Z")
Two methods-one is to take a large awl and drive into the hole first, then slowly drive the screw in by hand, and the second would be to mark the carpet at the fastener location with a sharpie or equivalent, then take a utility knife with a new blade and make a small cut through the carpet fibers at the fastener location, which reduces the chance of a mouse. Years ago-one of my technicians was installing a vault door doorstop as one of the final tasks before touch-up cleaning-this is the day before the grand opening. He had to drill into the concrete slab through the carpet to set the anchors. Since he was fairly new, I moseyed over and said-I know you know this, but just a reminder to X-cut at the fastener locations so you don’t make a mouse. Yeah, yeah-I know all about that. You guessed it-I’m making chat with the bank manager and president and a mouse ran by. :eek: I normally don’t like killing subordinates, but that was an exceptional case. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/3 "2005-05-29T19:51:07Z")
I’m just hear for the sexual innuendos that will begin flying shortly… _duck and run_ ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/4 "2005-05-29T20:09:11Z")
Errr… what do carpets have to do with mice? _clueless_ ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/5 "2005-05-29T20:21:18Z")
Perhaps wet the carpet, through the hole with some windex or something first. Then, drag the screw across a bar of soap. Then drive the screw in. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/6 "2005-05-29T20:35:42Z")
> [@Tabby\_Cat](#): > > Errr… what do carpets have to do with mice? > > _clueless_ Just a WAG: as you turn the screw into the carpeting (and backing material), it bunches up and looks like a mouse trapped under the carpet. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/7 "2005-05-29T20:59:19Z")
If it’s nylon carpet try burning a (small) hole with a soldering iron. Cement floors with anchors? Not sure, but if the carpet is hidden (like under a threshold) cutting a small square hole in the carpet might work. I’ve found that the X method dosen’t work well because the threads still catch. Wood floors of course use nails through the carpet instead of screws. As an aside, if you’re painting and a small drip of paint gets on the carpet, don’t wipe it. Let it dry and use fingernail clippers to cut out the spot. This works well and you’ll never notice. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/8 "2005-05-29T22:12:05Z")
**WhyNot** It’s good to know I wasn’t the only one with that thought - LOL I dropped into this topic not to find out _how_ but _why_ ? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/9 "2005-05-29T23:19:04Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I’m just hear for the sexual innuendos that will begin flying shortly… You know, it must have something to do with how old I am, or how long it’s been since I had sex, but that didn’t even occur to me when I saw the title. Sigh… ---
**Author:** ![Acetylsalicylic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Acetylsalicylic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acetylsalicylic)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/10 "2005-05-29T23:36:57Z")
Waaaaaaay back in my teenage years, I worked for a contractor. We ran across a similar problem 20-something years ago, and his solution was to poke a hole in the carpet, apply epoxy over and around the hole, and then screw the track down with the epoxy eventually curing to “seal” the hole in the carpet. I have not been back to that house, so I don’t know if the epoxy worked. He wouldn’t entertain my idea of melting the fibers around the hole. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/11 "2005-05-30T00:48:01Z")
> [@Tabby\_Cat](#): > > Errr… what do carpets have to do with mice? > > _clueless_ If you’ve ever witnessed someone power driving a fastener through carpet when a fiber is caught, a little gray runner rips across the carpet, moving as would a mouse. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/12 "2005-05-30T00:54:47Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > If you’ve ever witnessed someone power driving a fastener through carpet when a fiber is caught, a little gray runner rips across the carpet, moving as would a mouse. Think of it like a really big run in pantyhose… ---
**Author:** ![SpectBrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@SpectBrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpectBrain)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/13 "2005-05-30T01:14:18Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > Two methods-one is to take a large awl and drive into the hole first, then slowly drive the screw in by hand, and the second would be to mark the carpet at the fastener location with a sharpie or equivalent, then take a utility knife with a new blade and make a small cut through the carpet fibers at the fastener location, which reduces the chance of a mouse. > > Years ago-one of my technicians was installing a vault door doorstop as one of the final tasks before touch-up cleaning-this is the day before the grand opening. He had to drill into the concrete slab through the carpet to set the anchors. Since he was fairly new, I moseyed over and said-I know you know this, but just a reminder to X-cut at the fastener locations so you don’t make a mouse. Yeah, yeah-I know all about that. You guessed it-I’m making chat with the bank manager and president and a mouse ran by. :eek: I normally don’t like killing subordinates, but that was an exceptional case. I’d like to add that after making a hole with a large awl, you could push a plastic screw anchor into the hole and then drive the screw into the anchor. Simple and nothing should unravel. ---
**Author:** ![jiggs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jiggs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jiggs)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/14 "2005-05-31T14:32:06Z")
I’ve tried cutting an X in the carpet before and still got a ravel started. I like the idea of burning the fibers, though. Sort of like cauterizing a wound, eh? I’m going to give that a try and report back. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/15 "2005-05-31T14:56:22Z")
Isn’t this what Orthodox Jews do? ;j (It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m Jewish!) ---
**Author:** ![texas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@texas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/texas)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/16 "2017-12-29T16:12:44Z")
The easiest way is to wrap the screw with clear desk tape. The tape will keep the fiber of the carpet from hanging on the screw. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/17 "2017-12-29T16:38:54Z")
I screw through carpet on a fairly regular basis for work. I honestly can’t remember the last time I’ve had a problem with it. I usually just go slow. However the above solution is simple and elegant. Adding it to my list. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/18 "2017-12-30T00:56:17Z")
I wonder if there’s an orthodox method to screwing through carpeting. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/19 "2017-12-30T01:17:19Z")
Anyone remember why people started talking about mice in the middle of the thread? ---
**Author:** ![BlueMerle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@BlueMerle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueMerle)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000/20 "2017-12-30T01:20:58Z")
Not what I thought this thread was going to be about… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-screwing-through-carpet/306000.md?page=2)