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Frequently Asked Questions
How does tack strip hold a carpet?
The carpet is stretched over angled pins that grip its backing.
The strip is fixed around the perimeter of the room.
The carpet is then held in tension across the whole floor.
It is not stuck down at all.
That tension makes it lie flat and wear evenly.
It also means the carpet can be lifted and refitted later.
Which way should the pins face?
Towards the wall - and this is the commonest installation error.
Stretching the carpet then pulls it onto the pins and tightens the grip.
Fitted the wrong way round, the pins release under load.
That is exactly the load they exist to resist.
The carpet then works loose within months.
Checking direction before fixing the whole perimeter saves lifting it again.
How far from the wall should it go?
Set back by roughly the thickness of the carpet.
That leaves a gap to tuck the raw edge into.
The gap both hides the edge and helps hold it.
Too close and there is nowhere to tuck.
Too far and the carpet dips into the gap.
Thicker carpets need a correspondingly larger setback.
What if there is underfloor heating?
Nailing may be prohibited entirely, and it is worth checking before firing anything.
Puncturing a heating pipe or cable is expensive and disruptive.
The same applies to a damp-proof membrane.
Adhesive-fixed strip is the usual alternative on those floors.
Some systems use a bonded perimeter grip instead.
Establishing what is under the floor is the discipline that matters most here.
Why has my carpet developed ripples?
Almost always a stretching problem rather than a carpet fault.
Carpet relaxes after fitting and needs adequate initial tension.
Under-stretching shows as ripples a year or two later.
A power stretcher achieves tension a knee kicker cannot match.
Re-stretching resolves it where the carpet is sound.
Adhered carpets cannot be re-stretched at all, which is a real argument for this method.
Does the subfloor change the strip?
It changes the fixing rather than the strip itself.
Pre-nailed strip suits timber subfloors.
Masonry pins or adhesive suit concrete.
Fixing centres matter as much as fixing type.
A strip that lifts under tension takes the carpet with it.
Heavier-duty strip with more pin rows is available for commercial and high-tension work.
Is it safe to handle?
The pins are genuinely sharp and injuries during fitting and lifting are common.
Gloves and knee protection are standard rather than optional.
Lifting old carpet exposes the pins directly.
Offcuts left on a floor are a hazard to anyone walking through.
Disposal needs care for the same reason.
Cutting to length produces sharp ends that are worth blunting or positioning away from doorways.