Removing Carpet Nail Strips

Grab the cut end of carpet and pull it from the stairs using gloved hands.

Removing carpet nail strips.

Pick somewhere to start either a corner or a break between two tack strips. A very easy way to remove carpet tack strip from the basement concrete floor. Begin at the top of the stairs. Carpet tack strips are pieces of wood with small sharp nails sticking out of them that grip a carpet and hold it in place.

Locate the brad nails that hold the first piece of tack strip to the floor. Carpet tack strips can usually remain in place but look for rust rot or other damage. If not cut the carpet near the top of the top stair riser. Some people have a hard time with this step but i ll show you how to remove carpet tack strips the easy way with three simple tools.

Use the 6 in 1 painter s tool and a hammer to lift one end of one of the strips. If you are pulling up carpet from stairs. If you re removing your old carpet and planning to install new carpet in its place you don t have to remove. The strips of metal nails under your carpet and carpet padding are called tack strips.

Typically there will be three nails spaced evenly along each three foot section of tack strip. Step 5 remove the carpet tack strips. Removing tackless strips is a job requiring a certain amount of patience and care if you do not intend on refinishing the floor. The trick is to use a cat s paw prybar and to remove all the nails holding each tackless strip.

Carpet tack strips are wooden boards installed around the perimeter of a floor to hold carpet in place. Pry up the metal nosing and remove it if present. Step 3 place the curved edge of a small pry bar against the tack strip lining the pry bar up with the first nail. If the floor is made of concrete you are left with unsightly holes along the perimeter of the room.

If you decide to remove the carpet you must also pry up the tack strips which are held in place with nails. You may also need to remove your carpet if you have hardwood floors underneath that you would like to refinish. Removing old carpeting may be necessary to save labor costs if you are having your carpet replaced.