How to Lay Tackless Strips on Concrete

Purchase the tackless carpet strips and tack strip epoxy. Look for strips made specifically for a concrete floor. These typically have a "C" designation. Tack strip epoxy is made specifically for this task.

Clean and prepare floor. Sweep the concrete floor thoroughly. If it is extremely dirty, then giving the floor a through mopping is also a good idea. It's important that the floor be clean, since the tackless strips must be flush against the floor. You can remove any loose tackless strips attached to the floor from a previous installation with a heavy putty knife or by pulling firmly on the strip to loosen its grip on the floor.

Measure the room's dimensions and determine the correct lengths of strips required for the job. You'll need enough to cover the entire outside dimensions of the room, about 1/2 inch from the walls.

Cut the appropriate lengths of tackless strips. Cut the strips several inches longer than the dimensions, which gives you some margin for measuring error. Once the strips are laid in the position where they will be attached, you can trim them to the exact length with your utility knife.

Turn the strip upside down, and carefully pour a small line of epoxy glue down the length of the tackless strip. Make sure the strip is pointed in a way that will allow for the pins to face the wall when it is flipped over.

Flip over the strips containing the glue, placing them about 1/2 inch from the wall. Do not install strips in front of doorways or areas that open directly into another room or space. Make sure the strips are set up next to each other in corners to ensure proper coverage for the carpeting and padding.

Test the strength of the glue by pulling gently on the attached strips. Each glue has a slightly different recommended wait time before it dries. Detach any strips that are still loose from the floor, and glue them again. If the strip is damaged when removed, replace it with a new length of material.