Flooring help; tack strips

[mikeb1206]

Trying to put down tack strips on concrete, I have the correct concrete type but cannot get the nails to penetrate the concrete without the nails folding over.

Very frustrated at this point.

I am using a 4lb baby sledge to drive them.

I tried contact cement yesterday, let sit over night and 3 out of the 6 came up when stretching the carpet over them.

I need this job finished today and the tack strips are eating my lunch.



HELP me with ideas before I pull out my hair.

[yanta61]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxDdK-9992g"]Carpet Tack Strip Installation on Concrete : Carpet Installation & Maintenance - YouTube[/ame]

[Philip-TX]

You need a .22 cal Ramset. Probably rent from big-box.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ramset-Ha...5#.UoZH5uLAERA

[bsills]

Depending on the concrete it can be very difficult to nail, try liquid nails.

[bowhuntertex]

You gotta hit them hard and straight. And on older concrete the nails that come in the tack strips don't always work.

[Buck-N-Rut]

You can get the nails for the tack strip where you get the tack strip. You dont need a sledge. Hammer them straight in. If they wont go then I dont know what to tell you. The other option in drill holes in concrete and then put a dowell rod in the hole and then screw tack strip into the dowel. Good luck.

[ItsLeo]

I'd give up nailing. Drill holes with a masonry bit and insert anchors and bolt them in place.

[ATControlFreak]

Carpet Tack Strip Installation on Concrete : Carpet Installation & Maintenance - YouTube

I love this method! I wished I'd have thought about doing that when I placed my tack strips. It would've saved me a lot of stress. I was having the same problem as the OP. I finally got mine drove the old fashion way. Brute force and dumb luck!

[pblaetz]

Liquid nails and shorter souter nails. If you have a carpet supply company near by, they will sell the nails. There is also wider tackless that is easier to install. Use a nail set and only hit them til they bite.





And DO NOT throw the hammer as much as you'll want to!

[mikeb1206]

Liquid nails and shorter souter nails. If you have a carpet supply company near by, they will sell the nails. There is also wider tackless that is easier to install. Use a nail set and only hit them til they bite.





And DO NOT throw the hammer as much as you'll want to!

Hard not too.

[mikeb1206]

Ok, broke out the drill. Tapcons and screwed them down.

Thanks for all the advise.

[Atfulldraw]

that dowel method is slick!

even slicker is hiring someone else to do carpet.....

[Coach W]

Carpet Tack Strip Installation on Concrete : Carpet Installation & Maintenance - YouTube

Oh how easy that would been years ago if I'd known!!! lol Tack strips suck!!! so bad I decided to scrap the carpet and go with tile

[ItsLeo]

Ok, broke out the drill. Tapcons and screwed them down.

Thanks for all the advise.

Great solution