Tackstrip installed correctly around the perimeter of the room.

Tackless strip is just tackstrip, right?  No! Tackstrip has a very important role in the installation of carpet in many applications.  Following is an explanation of the types of tackstrip, its various uses, and tips to remember when selecting and installing tackstrip.

Tackstrip correctly positioned around each spindle on a stair.

Q.E.P./Roberts 10-750 Carpet Installation Tool Kit

First, lets identify the various types of tackstrip.  They each have an important role to play in the installation of carpet. Until tackstrip was developed in the 1930s, most residential floors were made of hardwood.  Carpets that were available were either loose laid or turned and tacked and fastened to the floor with upholstery tacks.  The new innovation of tackless carpet gripper revolutionized the carpet industry by making carpet both easier and more economical to Install.  Today, the product is known as smoothedge, carpet strip, tackless strip, gripper, tackless carpet gripper and tackstrip.  Whatever you call it, there are several important factors to consider when selecting the tackstrip that is most appropriate for the job.  These include the width of the strip, the type of anchoring nail, the length of the strip, the type of wood, the pin height, the bevel angle and if aluminum strip is considered, the type of substrate and the height of the carpet.

1. 1-inch wide and -inch thick with two (2) rows of pins -- meets the minimum requirement The type of tackstrip that is recommended by CFI, the CRI-105 and the CRI-104 is the most commonly used.  The plywood is one full inch wide.  Front and back rows of pins are moved farther apart for extra strength and easier hooking with heavily-latexed backed carpets or thick Padding. 

2. 1-3/4 inch wide and -inch thick with (3) rows of pins Architectural/Commercial            This is the type of tackstrip used for difficult installations.  Three rows of pins are spaced equally over a 1-3/4 inch wide strip.  Anchoring nails are positioned closer to the wall to prevent the strip from lifting during stretching.  This is the tackstrip to use when holding power is required both commercially and residentially.  According to standards, Use architectural tackstrip for stretches exceeding 30-feet in length or width, heavily-latexed backed carpets most woven and Berber style carpet.

3. 1-1/4 inch wide and -inch thick with (3) rows of pins Tri-Tack tackstrip Introduced in the mid-1990s, Tri-Tack is the fastest growing type of tackstrip sold today.  With a full 3 rows of pins set in a 1-1/4 inch wide plywood strip, it is an economical alternative to double-stripping and full width commercial tackstrip.  Tri-Tack provides extra insurance on difficult residential installations and is excellent for use on Berbers.  It is available in pre-nailed wood, pre-nailed concrete, heavy-duty concrete and dual purpose pre-nailed.

All types of Tackless strip are available in several different pin heights in order to accommodate even the most exacting carpet installation requirements. 

Long Pin (C-Pin) -- -inch pin height is used for carpets with rough or heavily latexed thick backings where extra penetration is required.

Medium Pin (E-Pin) -- 7/32-inch pin height of the most commonly stocked tackstrip.

Short Pin (D-Pin) -- 3/16-inch pin height to use with dense pile carpets to avoid pins penetrating through the face pile of the carpet.

Extra Short Pin (J-Pin) -- 5/32-inch pin height to use with low-profile carpet, wovens, fine velours, and velvets with thin backings.

Tackstrip is held back from the edge on the riser to allow the carpet to be folded in place.

The four-foot tackstrip is the traditional length because the American standard plywood panel is 4 x 8 feet.  Plywood panels that are imported from Russia are 5 x 5 feet, which require fewer lengths per installation, less cutting time and is often more economical than the four-foot tackstrip.

Carpet folded in place and not on top of the tackstrip.

Bevel angles on most brands of tackstrip vary between 19-degrees and 30-degrees.  The higher angles create a larger space to tuck the carpet between the tackstrip and the wall.