Why so few tacks in strip

[highup]

OK OK, stupid question................

Seems there are far less tacks on the strip than days of yore.
Tacks that are presently on tackstrip from most all manufacturers are too long for many of today carpets.
Sure would be nice if someone made tackstrip with ever so slightly, shorter pin lengths, but with an additional 10 or 15 tacks per piece.
It would be very beneficial at places where tackstrip is placed next to raised surfaces such as 3/4 inch wood flooring or ceramic tile placed on CBU.

I'm just day dreaming..............manufacturers only care about the bottom line.
I'd pay more.................... but they still don't care........ just like most installers. ....so I am dreaming a virtual impossibility.

Hey............ I got to vent or it's going to get ugly.

 

[Nick]

I remember getting the good sticks for $5.00 a box .
This crap today if you drop a stick on the floor it breaks in two.

 

[DarisMulkin]

They do make strip with shorter pins. But the suppliers usually only handle one size, C pins. At least here if you want shorter you have to order a pallet of it. There is one company that also says they have more pins in the length but for the life of me I can't think of the name of the company. I think it is Apax but not sure. They also have a better grade of plywood. Under layment grade I believe. I'm sure Roland will know for sure.
Shorten the pins with binding tape or a selvege edge. I used a cheap thin vinyl once for a flatweave job. I let it hang over the pad for about an inch and it looked really nice when done.

Daris

 

[highup]

I remember getting the good sticks for $5.00 a box .
This crap today if you drop a stick on the floor it breaks in two.

The True Value store sells strip for $1.00 or $1.25 per stick.

They do make strip with shorter pins. But the suppliers usually only handle one size, C pins. At least here if you want shorter you have to order a pallet of it. There is one company that also says they have more pins in the length but for the life of me I can't think of the name of the company. I think it is Apax but not sure. They also have a better grade of plywood. Under layment grade I believe. I'm sure Roland will know for sure.
Shorten the pins with binding tape or a selvege edge. I used a cheap thin vinyl once for a flatweave job. I let it hang over the pad for about an inch and it looked really nice when done.

Daris

Have to order a pallet................. same story I got here a long time back. Sounds bogus to me, but who knows?
I did that skinny vinyl trick too on a really thin border material. It was called Calalilly and was 9" wide................... skinniest fabric I ever done seen. What is the next smaller pin size from C and how much shorter is it?

It would be nice to have some if only for areas that might get stepped on.

 

[Roland]

The company that Daris is thinking of is the people that at one time owned Halex They came back out under the name of Traxx They claim more tack's per pc.
Most dist. want you to by the shorter pin's like the J pins by the skid. What I did is got with other installers that do wovens and we went together to make the bigger order

 

[Ernesto]

Commercial strip has smaller pins just because most commercial carpet is thinner and you get 3 rows of pins. Or you can buy alumimnum strip.

http://www.halexcorp.com/carpet_tack_strip_2e.shtml

 

[Roland]

E pin's are the standard pin size, even on the commercial " at lest aroung here ". I wonder who the person was that desided on it going C,E,D and then J. I alway thought D came before E, then they went all the way to J.

 

[Ernesto]

When in doubt just buy the aluminum strip. Smaller than J pin and upcharge the heck out of it cus it lasts forevah. I like it along sliders and on top of my wall and wrought iron fence to keep the dogs from jumping over. ouch!

http://www.halexcorp.com/carpet_tack_strip_5.shtml

 

[Roland]

Also great for basements that have moisture concerns now and then by outside doors.

 

[Ernesto]

I counted 64 pins or so in a one inch wide four ft tackstrip, and the aluminum has 270?

 

[highup]

I counted 64 pins or so in a one inch wide four ft tackstrip, and the aluminum has 270?

I got a box of Powerhold and a box of Chinese. I'll count em in the morning.
....ya got me wonderin how bad it really is.

How much is a box of it and how many feet in it?

 

[Ernesto]

I got a box of Powerhold and a box of Chinese. I'll count em in the morning.
....ya got me wonderin how bad it really is.

How much is a box of it and how many feet in it?

You started it and now yer gonna have to count like I did!

If ya have to ask how much............

 

[TNT]

Tommy gets nothing but short pin American made. He's tried Chinese and long pins, and the old man gets and uses what he wants. The short pin American. Do you have any idea how mad he gets when someone borrows a box of his preferred and replaces it with the wrong thing? Hell to pay on that one!

Tia

 

[highup]

OK, ......I complain, then see the ultimate tackstrip.

I got a call this morning and was asked to remove some cat peed carpet today in a dining room.

That, plus using the "good" parts of that carpet to repair two other cat pee'd areas.
One 3X3 repair in a hall area by a closet door, the other was a small landing about 4 X 5.Hey, work is work, and it's only pee. Besides, it by the hour. with is always good, especially when the customer doesn't ask how much.............. No indication so far that she even cares. It's not her only home if that tells you anything.

Found out that the lady I was going to be working for was the mother of a girl I went to school with... from kindergarten through high school. We weren't close friends............ I mean...... I mean........ she was .......a ......a girl! YUK!
(OK, OK, that was my grade school image)

Anyway, two corners of the room were pee'd good but the middle of the carpet was in amazingly good condition especially for it's age. I am guessing early 70's or older.
It was a cut pile, woven wool carpet........... and white.
Home was built in 1929 and has been pretty well kept up. Neat place, with leaded paned windows throughout the home and arched front door. A wonderful Tudor style home.
Hardwood flooring in this home included the room I was removing the carpet from, and is probably 1/4 sawn oak and it's in really good condition. The floor only had this single carpet installed, so damage from the staples and pad was quite minimal.


Anyhow, back the the tackstrip........... and I remind you the carpet is pretty old.
Made by Roberts, (Smoothedge) and the strip was a rectangular profile and had no angle cut on the wall side of the tackstrip typical of all strip most of us have ever seen.
The strip was 8 feet long and a full 3/8" thick, with pins a good 1/4 in tall and of a thicker gauge than what we have today.

On the back of the strip, it said
"Type A"
Obviously this strip was not pre-nailed.

I have never seen anything like this stuff. Have you? You'd have to cut it with a saw, no snips would cut it.

 

[Nick]

They came out with that long strip here years ago . Didn't go over big .

 

[Ernesto]

I remember Smoothedge, then they made Goldentouch. I also have seen handmade using 1/4in ply strips and blue tacks.

You know your in trouble when you go into an old home like that and the base or QR is on top of the carpet.

 

[DarisMulkin]

I remember Smoothedge, then they made Goldentouch. I also have seen handmade using 1/4in ply strips and blue tacks.

You know your in trouble when you go into an old home like that and the base or QR is on top of the carpet.

I've seen a lot of the old long strip, some local carpet companies even had their name on it for advertising. Also have seen the home made.
As far as the 1/4 round goes when I started in Minnesota that was the way it was done, r&r the 1/4 round and be very careful you don't break it especially on the round birdcage step thats in oak. Some was nailed to the wall others to the floor, then there was some that was both and you were screwed in removing it.

Daris

 

[highup]

They came out with that long strip here years ago . Didn't go over big .

Years ago ..........as in 40? LOts of older homes here, but first of this I have seen.

I've seen a lot of the old long strip, some local carpet companies even had their name on it for advertising. Also have seen the home made.
As far as the 1/4 round goes when I started in Minnesota that was the way it was done, r&r the 1/4 round and be very careful you don't break it especially on the round birdcage step thats in oak. Some was nailed to the wall others to the floor, then there was some that was both and you were screwed in removing it.

Daris

Never seen the hand made, nor this product. Stranger then the length is the thickness of it. I'm sure it was cut using a saw and miter box, 'cause I can't see any kind of snips cutting this stuff.

 

[Ernesto]

Back in them days when I was a young buck the old sarge made me miter the corners of the strip and we used the strip cutters that had razor blades. He had some crazy ideas. Now you can literally cut strip with sizzors. GoldenTouch was pretty hard to cut and darn close to 1/4 inch. If I remember the Japanese made it on ships offshore.

What was your count on the pins in your strip?

 

[TNT]

I remember Smoothedge, then they made Goldentouch. I also have seen handmade using 1/4in ply strips and blue tacks.

You know your in trouble when you go into an old home like that and the base or QR is on top of the carpet.

Tommy just had one of those earlier this week, with the 1/4 round on top of the carpet. A former carriage house behind an old Victorian home which was converted into a duplex. When measuring, I questioned whether the 1/4 round was on top, but felt how far out the tackless came and decided it was not so. Apparently it was super wide strip, because my decision was wrong.

Tia