The gripper pins are extremely sharp and you should take care not to cut yourself. Position each carpet gripper approximately 10mm away from the skirting board, with the pins facing up and pointing towards the wall. This allows just enough space for the carpet to be tucked in around the edges.
The gripper should be fixed about 7mm away from the wall, slightly more for thicker carpets. Check measure the depth of your new carpet with a tape measure before fixing any gripper. If you guess the distance your carpet will not fit properly. Start in one corner of the room and fix gripper rods in 5 ft lengths.
Place the tack strips down around the perimeter of the room spaced away from the wall at a distance equal to the thickness of the carpet being installed (e.g. ½” from wall if ½” carpet). Angle the tack strip with the points facing toward the wall.
Ideally, you should leave a gap around the same thickness of your carpet between the skirting and the gripper (around 10mm). This will enable you to neatly tuck the carpet in after you've fitted it to the gripper.
Keep a space equal to about two-thirds the thickness of the carpet between the walls and the tack strips. Use a scrap piece of carpet as a guide.
Eighteen inches is the most common parameter but as little as 8 inches is okay in a smaller space. If you have a tricky furniture layout, make sure the front legs of both sides of a sectional, for example, land on the rug.
The gripper pins are extremely sharp and you should take care not to cut yourself. Position each carpet gripper approximately 10mm away from the skirting board, with the pins facing up and pointing towards the wall. This allows just enough space for the carpet to be tucked in around the edges.
Use a knee kicker or power stretcher tool to stretch the carpet over the grippers and ensure a tight and smooth fit. As you lay the carpet, work methodically from one side of the room to the other, adjusting and stretching the carpet as needed to avoid wrinkles or bulges.
Without them, a carpet installation can look poor in some cases; not using carpet grippers makes a carpet almost unusable! Without grippers holding the carpet in place, you can expect the carpet to be wrinkled and look tatty.
Assess the grippers: if you're installing new carpet and the gripper rods are in good condition, you might save time and effort by leaving them in place. However, if they're damaged, old or you're switching to laminate or LVT, they'll need to go.
If you're replacing your old carpet with new wall-to-wall carpet, the existing carpet tack strips can usually remain in place. If the tack strips are rusted, rotted or otherwise damaged, remove and replace them. If you're installing a different type of flooring, remove the tack strips completely.
If you plan to install baseboard moulding before adding carpet, it needs to be installed 1 inch above floor level to allow room for both pad and carpet. If adding baseboards after carpet is laid, it should be installed at the same height as without carpet.
Pneumatic Staplers for the Heavy-Duty Job
If you're carpeting corridors, banquet halls, or any vast space, pneumatic staplers are the muscle. Using compressed air, these tools deliver the force necessary to secure carpets in high-traffic areas.
This carpet gripper is 9mm tall, whereas most other gripper is just 6mm high. Made with seasoned wood and coated nails, this professional quality gripper is intended for use on both wood and concrete floors, With a regular standard medium pin length it is suitable for around 95% of carpet installations.
Carpet gripper comprises long, thin pieces of wood with small sharp pins that hold the carpet in place. Make sure you wear gloves when you handle it, as the pins are very sharp. You should fit gripper all the way around the edge of your room, except across the doorway (where you'll need a threshold bar instead).
Velcro straps are an excellent alternative to using carpet grippers because they're more friendly on your carpet and floor.
Protecting Your Carpet—on Both Sides
It also protects the top layer of your carpet from furniture indentations and the wear and tear of foot traffic. Without a carpet cushion or padding underneath your carpet, you'll end up with a frayed and worn carpet—on both sides. And you will need to replace it much sooner.
The adhesive used in the manufacture of Rug Gripper is water-based, which makes it safe for use on all types of flooring.
When laying a new carpet, gripper rods are vital for a snug and secure fit. While you might be tempted to reuse old grippers, we recommend changing them with every new carpet, as they can lose their effectiveness over time. TOP TIP: Even if gripper rods look in good condition, they might not provide the best grip.
15m Pack of Concrete & Wood Quality Carpet Grippers
You definitely need them if you want a nice finish to your new floor. Whether you reuse them or not is a different question. So here's what to take into account when making that decision. When you take the old carpet up do an inspection on the old ones.
Felt back carpet can be glued straight to the floor by applying spray adhesive, and so you won't typically need to use carpet gripper rods when installing this carpet type. Carpet gripper rods are also usually intended for use with carpets paired with an underlay.
You don't need to leave a gap underneath the skirting boards. If you're having a carpeted floor then fit the skirting boards first.
However, you may need to replace your old gripper if your new carpet isn't the same thickness as the old one. And if you're working on your subfloor or replacing your carpet with new flooring, like laminate or vinyl, then you'll need to remove them.