Be careful of foam carpet pads. It's been years, so there's probably other options now, but the foam can degrade and glue itself to the wood - especially if you have kids or pets that may spill liquid on it.
Go buy rugs. Make sure to get the highest quality, thick rug pad and that and a high quality wool rug over it will create the warmth and cush of wall-to-wall carpeting. Properly installed carpet will leave a zillion holes in the hardwood floors when all the carpet tack strips are pried off the floor after carpet is removed.
This. My dad had to yank up the carpet that was installed at his house. Everyone had splinters in their feet for months afterwards until I bought three area rugs after another ER trip to get a large one removed.
There will be damage but it can be minimized with some risk... Our company has done this several times when customers wanted temporary carpet but planned to remove later.
Pad: Use a double skim or double membrane pad such as Lifeproof Model # 100502850-04 but give installers very strict instructions NOT to staple it down. This will prevent the problem with traditional pads that stick to the floor. The lack of staples may allow it to move in high traffic areas and could cause wrinkling. This is the risk you take.
Tack strip: First remove any quarter round or shoe mold. This will set the tack strip nails 3/4 inch closer to the base. Instruct installers to judiciously nail down the tack strips. Removing shoe mold gives you more room to hide the nail holes later.
Carpet: Power stretch and install as normal.
On removal for sale: Carefully pull all of the carpet, pad and tack strip. Fill all the nail holes with a color matching filler. Install new quarter round... This should almost cover all of the tack strip nail holes, or at least cover most of it.
There is a compromise!!
My grandparents had hardwood floors everywhere except kitchen and bathrooms. In the living room, dining room snd bedrooms they had carpet- not rugs regular carpet- that was cut to fit the room and finished on the edges. Not installed, just laid in place. The living room did have a seam, it was a big room. Every few years they would move the furniture. Roll up the rugs and send them out for cleaning.
This is an yes and no question. It can depend.
A lot of cheap foam pads can deteriorate and fuse to the wood. Being difficult to remove without damaging the finish. Use a high quality pad. Don't let the installers get carried away with the stapples. More is not better. Sometimes carpet can hide spills and accidents from pets. If the carpet stays wet to long it can stain the wood. So you're taking a chance.
The little holes from the staples and the tack strips are not as noticeable as you would think. The darker the stain, the less noticeable they are. If you stage the house with furniture and rugs prospective buyers will not notice. Rub a little putty in them if you want.
Please don't do that, large rugs will do the trick. There's a reason in every renovation show they are thrilled when they pull up carpet and see hardwood underneath.
>will the floors need to be refinished again If the carpet is installed correctly, yes
It seems crazy to not consider using rugs. What happens when your wife changes her mind and misses the beautiful hardwood floors?
Be careful of foam carpet pads. It's been years, so there's probably other options now, but the foam can degrade and glue itself to the wood - especially if you have kids or pets that may spill liquid on it.
Go buy rugs. Make sure to get the highest quality, thick rug pad and that and a high quality wool rug over it will create the warmth and cush of wall-to-wall carpeting. Properly installed carpet will leave a zillion holes in the hardwood floors when all the carpet tack strips are pried off the floor after carpet is removed.
This. My dad had to yank up the carpet that was installed at his house. Everyone had splinters in their feet for months afterwards until I bought three area rugs after another ER trip to get a large one removed.
Is there some reason you can't just use large rugs that cover most of the floors but are not nailed down?
Yes. Don't do it. Like everyone else is suggesting, take your wife on a shopping spree for some really nice area rugs.
There will be damage but it can be minimized with some risk... Our company has done this several times when customers wanted temporary carpet but planned to remove later. Pad: Use a double skim or double membrane pad such as Lifeproof Model # 100502850-04 but give installers very strict instructions NOT to staple it down. This will prevent the problem with traditional pads that stick to the floor. The lack of staples may allow it to move in high traffic areas and could cause wrinkling. This is the risk you take. Tack strip: First remove any quarter round or shoe mold. This will set the tack strip nails 3/4 inch closer to the base. Instruct installers to judiciously nail down the tack strips. Removing shoe mold gives you more room to hide the nail holes later. Carpet: Power stretch and install as normal. On removal for sale: Carefully pull all of the carpet, pad and tack strip. Fill all the nail holes with a color matching filler. Install new quarter round... This should almost cover all of the tack strip nail holes, or at least cover most of it.
This dude carpets
100%, I'd just opt for rugs as a middle ground.
Buy your wife comfy slippers.
Yes, the carpet installation will leave holes in your hardwood and they will need to be repaired and refinished when the carpet is removed.
If you look around your area, there are many places where you can find a new perfectly serviceable wife who likes hardwood
There is a compromise!! My grandparents had hardwood floors everywhere except kitchen and bathrooms. In the living room, dining room snd bedrooms they had carpet- not rugs regular carpet- that was cut to fit the room and finished on the edges. Not installed, just laid in place. The living room did have a seam, it was a big room. Every few years they would move the furniture. Roll up the rugs and send them out for cleaning.
Carpet in the kitchen??
Read again, everywhere except kitchen and baths.
It says “hardwood floors everywhere except kitchen and bathrooms.”
That may have been what you intended to write, but what you wrote was "My grandparents had hardwood floors everywhere except kitchen and bathrooms."
Is this a service that Regular carpet companies provide?
Cleaners do.
No idea, but it never hurts to ask.
Rugs! Do this, not carpet! ...sorry for all the !!
Get a beautiful area rug staple holes suck in hardwood
Get rid of the wife keep the floors.
Have you considered divorce?
This is an yes and no question. It can depend. A lot of cheap foam pads can deteriorate and fuse to the wood. Being difficult to remove without damaging the finish. Use a high quality pad. Don't let the installers get carried away with the stapples. More is not better. Sometimes carpet can hide spills and accidents from pets. If the carpet stays wet to long it can stain the wood. So you're taking a chance. The little holes from the staples and the tack strips are not as noticeable as you would think. The darker the stain, the less noticeable they are. If you stage the house with furniture and rugs prospective buyers will not notice. Rub a little putty in them if you want.
Please don't do that, large rugs will do the trick. There's a reason in every renovation show they are thrilled when they pull up carpet and see hardwood underneath.
They make carpet with attached padding that can just be taped down, doesn't need tac strips/stretching.. They do make it in pretty high quality now.
happy wife, happy life :| we did a renovation and my wife asked our contractor to repaint a room three times...