How to Drill Through Carpeted Bunk Boards on Boat Trailer Without Shredding Carpeting

Updated 03/20/2021 | Published 03/19/2021

Question:

Hello, I bought a Malone LowMax kit and am finishing it up soon. I want to add bunk boards to the cross bars and have CE Smith brackets with a swivel hard. I need to drive lag bolts from the swivel head into the boards that are pre-carpeted. I need to drill a hole to get the lag bolts started so they dont split the wood. Is there a good way of drilling through the carpeting? I am afraid of the carpet catching on the drill bit and tearing up new carpet. Any suggestions? Could I cut an X at the drill area and pull the carpet back? Use a leather punch to punch a hole in the carpet? Any easier ideas? Thank you.

asked by: Robert W

Expert Reply:

I've had to do this before, so I understand your concern about the carpet getting shredded. What I did was take a sharp utility knife and cut a small X right where I wanted to drill my holes. This worked very well and didn't rip up the carpet.

expert reply by: Mike L