Carpet remnants have a variety of uses, including do-it-yourself projects, making small area rugs, adding traction, knee protection, and more. If you need carpet remnants — whether as flooring or for some other purpose — where do you start? Looking for carpet remnants can be a bit tricky because carpet remnants are, by nature, leftovers — the selection will vary from store to store and even from day to day. In this article, we provide all the important information to help you get the carpet remnants you need.

What Are Carpet Remnants?

Carpet remnants are pieces of carpet that are left over from larger projects. Say that someone comes into a carpet store, and they purchase 90% of a carpet roll for their project. That remaining 10% isn’t necessarily enough to carpet an entire space, and customers rarely buy carpet for their flooring needs in such small amounts. The store can’t sell this small, leftover unit of carpet at the full price, so it becomes a carpet remnant.

In short, carpet remnants are created when someone buys most of a carpet roll but not all of it, leaving too much to throw away and not enough to sell at retail value. Stores sell these remnants at a discounted price.

What Can You Do With Carpet Remnants?

Even though they’re usually sold cheap, carpet remnants can still be valuable for a number of purposes. Some of the most popular uses for carpet remnants include:

  • Area rugs: Carpet remnants can be cut and bound to create a one-of-a-kind area rug. This is a great way to save money on home decor.
  • Auto carpets: Carpet remnants can be cut to fit the floor of your vehicle to protect it from dirt and moisture.
  • Draft blocker: Cut out a strip of carpet and place it between the bottom of the door and the floor. This will help block cold air from coming into the room.
  • Knee protection: Carpet remnants can be placed on the ground to protect your knees from hard or rough surfaces. This comes in handy when gardening or working under a vehicle.
  • Moving furniture: Small pieces of carpet are great for moving furniture across a hardwood, laminate, or vinyl floor. Simply put a small piece of carpet under each leg of the furniture and slide it across the floor. Not only does this method make it easier to move the furniture, but it also protects the floor from scratches and dents.
  • Pet beds: Small, soft carpet remnants can be used to give your furry friend a comfortable place to sleep. It’s also great for insulating outdoor pet houses for the harsh, cold winters.
  • Replacing worn carpet: If you can find a carpet remnant that matches your existing carpet, you can use it to replace a worn or damaged section. (This is why it’s a great idea to keep the leftover carpet after any carpet installation.)

What Kind of Carpet Remnants Do Stores Sell?

This is a bit tricky to answer because the available remnants vary by store. Because remnants are unexpected leftovers, the availability of what you’re looking for may be limited in your area. It can be likened to a consignment shop — sometimes you find exactly what you need, and sometimes you don’t. The best option when trying to find a specific type of carpet scrap is to contact the store directly.

How do you know which store to contact? There are both brick-and-mortar and online options when it comes to purchasing carpet remnants. Take a look at some of the most popular stores selling carpet remnants on our list below.

Brick-and-Mortar Stores with Remnant Carpet for Sale

1. The Home Depot

  • Types of carpet remnants: Varies widely by location. Contact the nearest Home Depot for details.
  • Online ordering available?: Yes
  • Cost: Prices vary widely by the type and style of the individual carpet remnant. To learn about the carpet remnants at the nearest store, change the store using the store locator in the top left corner, or call the local store directly and ask for the flooring department.
  • Other available remnants: Home Depot is widely reported by other shoppers to sell vinyl remnants, but the website doesn’t provide specific details. For more information on how to buy other flooring remnants from Home Depot, contact the nearest store.
  • Payment types accepted: Home Depot credit cards, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover
  • Promotions: Promotions and special offers generally will not apply to carpet remnants. Learn more about Home Depot’s promotions, or contact the nearest Home Depot for more information.
  • Pickup or shipping options: Some flooring remnants are available for online order only and can be shipped directly to the buyer’s home. Learn more about Home Depot’s shipping options here.
  • Find the nearest Home Depot
  • Check out Home Depot’s carpet selection.

2. Lowe’s

  • Types of carpet remnants: Varies widely by location. Contact the nearest Lowe’s store for details.
  • Online ordering available?: No
  • Cost: Prices vary widely by the type and style of the individual carpet remnant. Contact the nearest Lowe’s for the pricing on the store’s available selection.
  • Other available remnants: Lowe’s is widely reported by other shoppers to sell carpet, vinyl, and laminate remnants, but the website doesn’t provide specific details. For more information on how to buy carpet, vinyl, or laminate remnants from Lowe’s, contact the nearest Lowe’s store.
  • Payment types accepted: Lowe’s credit cards, Visa, Master Card, and American Express
  • Promotions: Promotions and special offers likely will not apply to carpet remnants. Learn more about Lowe’s promotions, or contact the nearest Lowe’s for more information.
  • Pickup or shipping options: Flooring remnants are available for pickup only and cannot be shipped.
  • Find the nearest Lowe’s
  • Check out Lowe’s carpet selection.

3. Menards (Midwest)

  • Types of carpet remnants: Frieze, carpet tiles, indoor/outdoor, and Berber (selection varies by location)
  • Online ordering available?: No
  • Cost: Pricing varies by store. Contact the nearest Menards store for exact pricing.
  • Other available remnants: Menards also sells vinyl remnants. Other discounted flooring options are available in the clearance section.
  • Payment types accepted: Menards credit cards, Mastercard, Visa, Discover, and American Express
  • Promotions: Menards offers frequent deals in weekly flyers, including many 11% sales throughout the year.
  • Pickup or shipping options: Flooring remnants are available for pickup only and cannot be shipped.
  • Find the nearest Menards
  • Check out Menards’ carpet selection.

Suggested Article: Menards’ 11% Off Sales Dates

Online Stores with Remnant Carpet for Sale

4. American Carpet Wholesalers

  • Types of carpet remnants: An extensive assortment of brands, styles, and colors. Exact selection varies.
  • Cost: Starts at $0.56 per square foot
  • Other available remnants: None; carpet only.
  • Payment types accepted: Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover, and check by mail
  • Promotions: American Carpet Wholesalers has a large clearance section with heavily discounted flooring.
  • Shipping options: American Carpet utilizes freight delivery. Once the buyer’s order leaves American Carpet, the buyer will be given a freight bill number, freight carrier telephone number, estimated charges, and any other important information. Once the buyer receives that information, the buyer should contact the carrier to set up a delivery date and confirm any delivery charges. Smaller orders, such as area rugs, will be delivered to the buyer’s door. Large and heavy orders, however, are best picked up at the nearest delivery terminal because freight delivery at a residential address costs anywhere from $25 to $150 extra. Learn more about American Carpet’s shipping policy.
  • Start shopping online with American Carpet Wholesalers.

5. Caldwell Carpet

  • Types of carpet remnants: Berber, plush, shag, frieze, commercial, and more
  • Cost: Request a price quote by calling (800) 772-7090.
  • Other available remnants: Caldwell Carpet also sells vinyl remnants.
  • Payment types accepted: Master Card, Visa, American Express, and Discover
  • Promotions: Caldwell Carpet is currently running a carpet sale featuring discounted prices for a limited time.
  • Shipping options: Caldwell Carpet offers several shipping methods. These include shipping to the nearest freight terminal, which is the most cost-effective method; shipping to the installer’s location (be sure to discuss with the installer ahead of time); and home delivery (costs extra and does not include unloading). Learn more about Caldwell Carpet’s shipping policy.
  • Start shopping online with Caldwell Carpet.

6. Dalton Carpet

  • Types of carpet remnants: Commercial loop, residential frieze, and residential/commercial pattern
  • Cost: Starts at $0.59 per square foot
  • Other available remnants: None; carpet only.
  • Payment types accepted: Check, money order, PayPal, American Express, Visa, Master Card, and Discover
  • Promotions: Dalton Carpet has many sales and closeout deals.
  • Shipping options: Dalton Carpet utilizes freight delivery for larger purchases and strives to provide customers with the best delivery price available. Contact Dalton Carpet to find out about shipping for a specific order. Call 1-800-338-7811, and the company will provide an exact shipping price.
  • Start shopping online with Dalton Carpet.

7. Georgia Carpet Industries

  • Types of carpet remnants: An extensive assortment of brands, styles, and colors. Exact selection varies.
  • Cost: Request a price quote by calling (844) 242-8474.
  • Other available remnants: Discounted/overstock vinyl, tile, laminate, and hardwood is also available.
  • Payment types accepted: American Express, Master Card, and Visa
  • Promotions: Georgia Carpet Industries offers deals of the month.
  • Shipping options: Georgia Carpet Industries ships nationwide. Carpet and vinyl flooring are shipped in rolls; wood, laminate, and tile are shipped on pallets. The shipping cost for items weighing over 150 pounds cannot be quoted in the shopping cart because Georgia Carpet Industries uses several carriers to find the best shipping rates for customers. For an exact freight quote on an order, call 1-844-242-8474. Items weighing under 150 pounds can be quoted in the shopping cart. Learn more about Georgia Carpet Industries’s shipping policy.
  • Start shopping online with Georgia Carpet Industries.

Other Places to Find Cheap Carpet Remnants — Sometimes For Free!

Who wants to buy carpet remnants when they can be had for free? While most stores that sell carpet also sell remnants, you might be able to find even cheaper or free carpet remnants if you look in the right places. Popular places to find affordable or (better yet) free remnants include Craigslist and other websites featuring classified ads, Facebook buy and sell groups, and local advertisements in the newspaper or on bulletin boards. 

eBay and Amazon also provide flooring options, which can include carpet remnants, overstock or discontinued carpet, and other types of discount flooring. If you have a friend that is installing new carpet, they may also be willing to sell or give you their leftover scraps. If you keep looking, you’re sure to find exactly what you need at a price you can afford.

In Summary

Carpet remnants have many uses: pet beds, area rugs, auto carpets, DIY craft projects, and more. There are also plenty of places to get carpet remnants. You can try asking if your local carpet store has any remnants in stock; you can look for a brick-and-mortar location of a major national chain, like Lowe’s or Home Depot; you can try an online-only carpet outlet like Dalton Carpet or American Carpet Wholesalers; or you can even try another online marketplace like Craigslist, eBay, or Amazon.

Have you decided that remnants isn’t going to cut it? Here’s Our List of the Stores That Sell Rolls of Carpet and Other Types of Flooring

For more information on finding products that can be repurposed, see our articles: Where to Find Reclaimed Wood for Sale: Places That May Surprise You and Where to Get Pallets for Free or Cheap (Policy at Target, Michaels, etc).


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