What Is A Carpet Gripper? Fitting Carpet Gripper Guidance

Carpet grippers, carpet gripper rods, and tack strips are all the same thing, and they're an important part of carpet and underlay installation when you're investing in new flooring. You fit carpet grippers around the perimeter of the room, and they're designed to hold your carpet firmly in place to stop it from bunching and shifting over time. Getting the right carpet gripper is key, and at QA Flooring Solutions we make it easier than ever to find the new carpet grippers that are perfect for you, with our range featuring options for wood and concrete subfloors, with deep base offerings for thicker carpet and underlay too, you're sure to find the perfect gripper for the job.

Our pre nailed carpet grippers make installing your new carpet completely foolproof too, helping position your underlay easily before fitting and holding the carpet perfectly in place.

How do I install carpet grippers?

Even experienced carpet fitters often pick up new tips and tricks when it comes to fixing grippers in place. There's always something to learn, no matter how long you've been in the trade. For example, do you wear knee pads to protect yourself? If not, they're a worthwhile investment because those grippers are sharp! That's just one helpful hint, though, so, what about the gripper installation process?

• First, loose-lay the carpet gripper rods end-to-end around the perimeter of the room to ensure you have the right amount.
• Our grippers come with printed arrows which should face towards the wall.
• Make sure the grippers are fixed into position 7mm away from the wall, up to 10mm away from the wall for thicker carpets, and ensure the pins are angled towards the wall to allow the tacks to do their job and hold the carpet firmly in place.
• All of our carpet grippers can be cut to size using gripper shears. Always protect yourself when working with carpet grippers - as a professional tradesperson you're probably quite familiar with how painful those small pins can be!
• Once you're happy with the position, nail in place or use a gripper adhesive to fit your gripper.

So, all that is fine when fitting gripper rods around the walls, but what do you need to do at doorways between rooms, how do you deal with the door frame, and what about for carpeted vs wooden floors? Well, that depends:

• Between two carpeted rooms:
  You usually stop the gripper rods about 6 mm (¼ inch) short of the doorway centre line on each side, then cover the join with a door threshold/bar (also called a "carpet to carpet" or "carpet to hard floor" threshold). This protects the edge and makes a neat transition.
• Between carpet and hard flooring (wood, tile, vinyl, laminate):
  You place grippers only on the carpet side, stopping short of the actual doorway, and again finish with the correct type of door bar/transition strip.
• If it's the last room (carpet finishing against a bare edge):
  You don't normally run the gripper across the doorway itself. Instead, you finish the carpet neatly under a threshold strip.

PLEASE NOTE: Never put gripper rods where people might step directly on them (like right across the doorway without a threshold) — the tacks are sharp.

Where does the underlay fit in?

Once the carpet grippers are down, you'll then need to fit your underlay in place. At QA Flooring we have a full range of carpet underlays, offering different types of benefits. Pick your preferred option to ensure you maximise the effectiveness of your carpet above and then get ready to install it after the gripper, but before the carpet.

Despite a common DIY misconception, the carpet underlay isn't held in place by the gripper. Instead, it's secured with its own adhesive, which bonds it directly to the subfloor. To get the best fit, cut the underlay neatly around the inside edge of the gripper. Once the underlay is fixed down, you're ready to move on to fitting the carpet.

How to fit the carpet in place

Next up is tacking the carpet in place. And it's straightforward enough for professionals.

• Simply lay the carpet over the gripper rods, stretching the carpet tight towards the walls using a knee kicker (or power stretcher for larger rooms) for best results.
• Carefully, and with safety gloves, use a carpet tucker (also called a stair tool or carpet bolster) to neatly push the carpet edge down into the gap between the skirting board and the gripper rods.
• The sharp pins will grip at the carpet's backing material and anchor it perfectly in place.
• You will inevitably have excess carpet that extends up the wall. Use a carpet tucker to firmly crease the carpet against the skirting board. Then simply cut this with a stanley knife for a clean finish against the skirting board's edge.
• Tuck the small amount of excess carpet material into the gap between the gripper and wall (or under the baseboard or skirting board) to create the perfect finish.

What type of carpet gripper do QA Flooring Solutions sell?

Whether you're dealing with wood subfloors or concrete, our gripper range features options for both, as well as an impressive dual-purpose gripper, so you're sure to find something suitable as a UK tradesperson.

Learn more about them below:

• Wooden Nail Gripper: Pre-nailed for easy, fast installation on board and suspended timber subfloors.
• Dual-Purpose Grippers: Pre-nailed with dual purpose nails for wood and concrete subfloors.
• Concrete Grippers: Pre-nailed with masonry nails, specially tempered nails designed for ease and speed of installation and an exceptionally strong fixing on concrete floors.

When selecting carpet grippers, it's important to choose the appropriate type, height and length based on the carpet and underlay's thickness and the specific requirements of the installation. Proper installation of carpet grippers is crucial for ensuring a securely held and well-finished carpet installation.

As a trade professional you'll know it always pays to be prepared when it comes to a carpet installation job, so it's always wise to stock multiple types of grippers so you're prepared for any new carpet installation request that comes your way. Stock up on our carpet grippers today by opening a trade account for the best prices and deals. And with fast delivery and top quality products on offer, you'll struggle not to put some of our grippers in your basket.