laying carpet over a cement floor

I am planning on laying carpet over a cement floor. I would like advice on how to fasten tac strip. also you cant nail or staple any of the carpet down. how do you do it

 

I watch a show on The Learning Channel called Trading Spaces and they laid an almost self-adhesive carpet onto concrete floors. This carpet came in squares and looked very nice when finished. I'm planning on using these "carpet squares" on my own concrete floor, as soon as I can find them! This may not be what you are looking for, but it is an idea. Good Luck!

 

hello Gilbert,

To answer your question most tackstrip can be bought with concrete nails already in place so all you have to do is swing the hammer. Also I have to stress carpet laying is a professional trade and the results of not stretching carpet properly can be upsetting so if you must do it yourself please be patient and TAKE YOUR TIME.

 

Tackstrip comes prenailed with either small ring shank nails for wood floors or comes prenailed with steel nails for concrete floors. It can be a challenge to get the nails to to drive properly in an old concrete slab. I call it Ironcrete. When I get to a job and it has very tuff concrete, I use a hammer drill and a ¼" masonry bit I drill through the tackstrip and into the concrete. Then use a plastic wall anchor and a roofing nail. 5 per 4' of tackstrip. You can also cut the tackstrip into short sections of 1 foot and use liquid nails. Cutting them keeps bowed strip from trying to lift off the floor before it is cured.

Use a powerstretcher and not a kneekicker to install the stretched in carpet properly.

You can also do what is called a double stick glue in. Where you full spread glue special padding and then full spread glue the carpet to it. Using special seam tape to do seams, that has no paper on the back of the seam tape.

But as Kevman said... Carpet installation is a professional trade. I'll say it is an art. Your results will vary.