Rugs, Carpets and Carpeting - tackstrip placement

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slam
11-01-04, 06:30 PM
hello everyone, this is my first post here and i expect it won't be my last now that i am a home owner.

my wife and i have almost finished decorating my 2 year olds room and the final piece is the carpet which arrives tomorrow! i have one question before i get started with installation which is how far should the tack strip be installed from the moulding? we've left the moulding up off the floor by approximately half an inch which i think is right for the thick carpet we're getting. please specify if the answer you give is from the moulding or from the wall.

if someone could point me to a comprehensive carpet installation guide, that would also be useful. i've read about half a dozen but none that detailed.

thank you very much


Carpets Done Wright
11-03-04, 05:35 PM
Tackstrip should be no greater then 3/8" from a fixed vertical surface(baseboard), If the carpet face yarn and backing are less then 3/8" thick, the tackstrip should be the thickness of the carpet from the fixed object.

www.carpet-rug.com
Look for CRI-105 Installation Specifications, and download the .pdf file.

Chrguy
11-04-04, 04:19 PM
With all due respect Mr Wright. What you said was, of course, correct. However if I understand the original question, he said that he had installed the baseboard 1/2" ABOVE the floor. (leaving 1/2" space between floor and bottom of baseboard) Since carpet is stretched and then tucked into the 3/8" space you specified between the tackstrip and the base, there will now be too much space beyond the tackstrip. I believe that the installer will adjust where he places the t'strip so "Slam" would not have to reposition the base. However, in the future, Slam, no need to raise b/b off floor. the carpet edge is wedged between t'strip and b/b to give a neat finish to the edges.
I used to have customers ask me if they should install the b/b AFTER the installation to help "keep the carpet down." Seemed like a reasonable question, but I assured them it was totally un-necessary if the job is done right.


Carpets Done Wright
11-05-04, 07:50 AM
You are still required to leave the strip no greater then 3/8 of an inch from a fixed object.

The carpet will tuck under the baseboards. I agree that ½" is pushing the height. But if the carpet is thick as they say, it will look great.

If you cram it tight to the baseboard, will you be able to use your wall trimmer?
Or do you cut from the back free handing, or do you cut against the baseboard from the face?

eplain
11-28-04, 10:55 PM
1/2 inch is WAY to much. Period.

a 1/4 inch is fine (for ANY thickness carpet) if you WANT to raise it. The idea isnt to let the carpet slide under perfectly. it NEVER works that way as floors are never perfect and when you get things THAT close, there is always a shaddow somewhere, and that looks terrible. Looks wise, id rather you just drop the moulding.

The issue is sometimes though, that people pay big $ for thick moulding and then they loose a half inch to an inch under the carpet. I understand that thought process but...trust me, you DONT want to go too high...its not appealing when the bottom of the base moulding is higher than the carpet :(

If you use your wall trimmer correctly, you will be able to tuck anything properly. Though like everyone else in this trade, raised moulding really only benefits the installer. We all know its easier for us to install.

As far as putting the baseboard moulding on after the install, i always tell my customers...PLEASE dont press the moulding down and pinch the carpet onto the tackless. MAN! its a hassle to get that carpet out when its time has come. And reinstalling isnt funnow either, as the tckless is UNDER the base moulding! aaarrrgghh.


Ed