How To Fix and Repair a Run in Berber Carpet – TheFlooringlady

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.

57 thoughts on “How To Fix and Repair a Run in Berber Carpet – TheFlooringlady”

  1. My dog got his choker collar caught in my berber carpet and pulled 2 snags about 7 inches long. If I try to repair it like you mentioned and it doesn’t turn out right, who do I get in touch with to repair it? Would it be someone who installs carpet, also is it very expensive to call in a professional? Thanks.
    Barb

    Reply
  2. Hi Barb,
    I’m not sure which method you are referring to for trying to fix it, I assume the hot glue method? Just be sure to take your time…. it can be tedious, but it really can turn out to look o.k.
    I don’t know how much it would cost to have it repaired by a professional, there are variables such as where you live (urban or rural), as well as the fact that some people just don’t charge as much as others. They may have to cut out the snagged section and repair it with a piece of your leftover carpet – if you have any. I’m hoping that you do have a leftover piece or can take a piece from a closet (if you have the same carpet in a closet!) or maybe even buy a small remnant or sample if this type of carpet can still be found.
    Repairing & patching carpets is also covered a bit further up on this page.
    I wish you luck and please feel free to drop by again to let us know how it goes!

    Reply
  3. Hi Nikki,
    It depends….. How was the seam finished? Usually carpets are seamed with seam tape, which is a tape with glue on it. The glue side is applied to the bottom side of the carpet and it’s then heated so that the glue melts to the backside of the carpet. You should also take into consideration what your carpet is made of so that you don’t apply too hot or too long a time of heat that you damage the carpet fiber. It can be removed by applying heat (and iron usually does quite nicely) or even just cutting thru it with a utility or carpet knife if you can clearly tell where the two pieces of carpeting were butted against each other.
    Sometimes, not often, they’re sewn together, but nobody does this much anymore. If that’s the case then all you have to do is snip the heavy threads.

    Reply
  4. Had a skylight leak in the hall bathroom which ran onto the hallway carpet and the master bedroom closet carpet. Need to know if the carpet can be repaired (replaced) in only these two areas. Carpet type is berber. Thank you.
    Doyle

    Reply
  5. Hi Doyle,
    Yes, it can be replaced in the areas, but that big of an area should probably be done by a professional – you have a better chance of it blending that way. You can learn how to do it yourself of course…… it would be like patching it, but of course, you’re only going to have to deal with one seam in each room.
    Can the carpet be dried out well? If so, that may go a long way to helping NOT having to cut it and have a new piece put in, it might work just to have it restretched. Might……….
    If you can’t get it dried out well, then mold and mildew can grow, which can cause it’s own problems.

    Reply
  6. I need to join two pieces of carpet together and wondered if it is something i can do myself or if i need to get the professionals to do this for me. If it is something i can do myself, how do i go about doing this??

    Reply
  7. Hi Carol,
    I presume it’s Berber carpeting since you’ve posted under the Berber section? If so, Berber is one of the most difficult types of carpeting to repair. Yes, a professional is usually recommended. If you have lots of extra, you could try doing it yourself, but keep in mind you may ruin the edge of the good piece as well.

    Reply
  8. I have a concern with my berber carpet in my basement. Where the tile and carpet meet there is nothing between them and we have runs in a view areas where the carpet lifts up. The biggest problem is that where they meet is not a striaght line, but rather a curved S type. Is there anything on the market that can be placed between them that can keep the carpet down?
    Thanks, Jon

    Reply
  9. Hi Jon,
    I think I understand what you’re writing about. What you need is a transition strip (like maybe a t-strip) where the two areas meet. These can be found in a rubbery type material, which would help greatly since the transition has curves. Ask around at building supply stores or browse online. Good luck!

    Reply
  10. I have a 10 line of berber carpet that was pulled up- after getting cuaght on the dogs collars. What is the best way to repair this? thanks

    Reply
  11. About three inches of berber was damaged in front of the bathroom door. Can berber be streched, so I can remove this part?

    Reply
  12. I HAVE A COUPLE OF SNAGS IN MY BERBER CARPETING CAUSED BY THE LEG OF MY COFFEE TABLE. ANY COMMENTS TO REPAIR OR SHOULD I CALL A PREOFESSIONAL?

    Reply
  13. We had some flooding occur and the berber carpet in our family room is now wet. We used a Shop Vac and have a dehumidifier in the room but the carpet is still wet. Is there any chance we will get the carpet dry or should we just replace it all?

    Reply

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.