Why does nobody warn you about using a power stretcher on old tack strip?

My buddy Tom, who's been laying carpet for 20 years, told me to just use a power stretcher on some old tack strip I found in a 1970s house in Portland. He said it'd save time and not to worry. Well I hooked it up and that ancient tack strip ripped right out of the concrete slab, taking chunks of the floor with it. Cost me an extra 3 hours and $150 in patching materials to fix the mess. Has anyone else dealt with tack strip that's been glued down for decades just crumbling when you put real tension on it?

2 comments

2 Comments

mary7761mo ago

I mean, Tom's been at it for 20 years so I get why you trusted him, but that's terrible advice for any slab that's got glue down tack strip from the 70s. Idk maybe it's just me but I've learned the hard way that old glue basically turns the wood into a brittle mess, especially on concrete where moisture seeps up over the decades. You gotta check the condition first before you put any serious tension on it, otherwise you're just asking for the whole thing to pop loose. I've seen guys ruin brand new carpet that way too because the strip gave out mid stretch and they lost all their tension. Honestly, you probably saved yourself from an even bigger headache later if it was that far gone already.

laura_black3127d ago

Is it really that big of a deal though? I've pulled up plenty of old tack strip on concrete slabs and most of the time the glue is just kinda crispy but the wood is still solid. You'd have to have some serious moisture issues for it to turn the whole thing into a brittle mess, and even then you'd see water stains or feel dampness before you even got to stretching. I feel like people overplay how bad old glue is, especially when you're just talking about putting tension on carpet. If the strip was nailed in properly in the first place, it should hold fine. Plus half the time you can just add a few new nails if you're worried, no need to rip everything out.