Installing new tackless strip on old concrete.

[ACE]

I was tearing out moldy tactless strip yesterday for a property manager that didn’t want to pay for fans and dehus. I ended up using pad adhesive on the tactless strips just to get the job done. I have never been able to hammer in tackless or brass strips into old concrete, it just chips away. Will using a 20 oz hammer make a big difference? I usually use hot glue but if the concrete is damp at all hot glue is useless. What other fast setting adhesive would work well in a damp environment that is encountered in WDR?

 

[sweendogg]

The nails in concrete tackless strip is only really meant to tack into place until you double nail the stuff. On all concrete we only hit the nail once initially to set the nail with a 16oz to 20 oz hammer. We then come back behind and using a hamme drill, drill an 1/8 inch hole about every 8 inches and at each end of strip. We then renail with 3/4 inch maze nails. After these nails have been sunk intothe concrete, we go back and burry the rest of the nail head that comes with the strip. If the floor as a radiant heat or other speaciel circumstances, we will use liquid nails, or this product:
http://www.tools4flooring.com/chemrex-c ... -1308.html

However if we have to glue the strip, we always schedule a day or 2 for drying.

Here is teh tacks trip we use.

http://www.halexcorp.com/carpet_tack_strip_3.shtml

you may also want to try this in really wet area or areas prone to moisture:

http://www.halexcorp.com/carpet_tack_strip_5.shtml

 

[KevinD]

Hammer drill and nails here also. Never messed with the rest of the stuff.

 

[hogjowl]

I purchase nails from my supplier that are slightly larger in diameter than the normal tack strip nail. I set the original nails in place with a slight tap of a 20 oz hammer, but not fully set them. Then, I come back and nail the strip in place with the larger nails and follow up by setting the original nails last.

 

[Harry Myers]

If you have a problem with nailing into concrete I would use some chem-rex sold at a carpet tool place. It is a urethane adhesive and moisture allows for better curing .

 

[handdi]

make sure ya get alum nails when drillin hit them in and they expand carpet places have them

 

[John Watson]

I use aluminum square nails after I drill the hole.

 

[Harry Myers]

Here is another option . Kool slide sticks that you use with the kool glide seam tape is excellent for holding tackless. They are making green kool glide sticks for tackless . I would not buy them now they are not perfected.The regular kool glide work great . Once again another urethane adhesive but in hot melt form.

 

[Jack May]

I use aluminum square nails after I drill the hole.

Square nail in a round hole?

Genius or retard?

Jack

 

[Harry Myers]

John you do know who it works right.

 

[Jack May]

Yeah, I was just yankin John's chain a little

(Hence the Jack sign off)

John

 

[John Watson]

dats OK.. I believe I am a bit of both, I'm part square head so my ansestors have mastered putting square pegs in round holes for centuries. My Grand father said it was while they were perfecting the craft, all the screw ups became swedes...

 

[Guest]

Or you can always use Lock Tite or liquid nails. :idea:

 

[sweendogg]

We use to use aluminium drive nails but we still could pop aluminum on very long drives, the maze nails hold alot better than the aluminium's did.

 

[hogjowl]

The idea is to be able to secure the strip while you are there. Not to have to wait hours on glue to dry.

 

[Harry Myers]

ACE: What other fast setting adhesive would work well in a damp environment that is encountered in WDR?



Both methods I gave you dont have to wait Chem rex you could powerstretch 1/2 hour after applied and the kool glide sticks you can stretch when the glue cools down. If you even want something faster the chem rex , you can use bondo.

 

[hogjowl]

Not you. I was aiming that comment at the portable hack.

 

[lancehollister]

The nails supplied in the tack strip dont work well on concrete. I would replace with quailty concrete nails and the smaller the better. You want to use a min. 20 oz hammer and a hammer bar is recomended. Then you want 2 or 3 solid hits at the most to sink the nail.

 

[hogjowl]

Weird ... I've found that replacing them with a slightly larger diameter nail bites the concrete better. Next time I'm at the supply shop I'll buy some smaller ones and see.

 

[lancehollister]

The nails i use are slightly fatter. By little i mean 1/4 inch or so. Just long enough to sink in 2 or 3 solid hits.

 

[hogjowl]

Oh, then we are talking about the same nails.

Stop confusing me!

 

[Jim Martin]

http://www.pamhotmelt.com/

 

[ACE]

Wow,
Thanks for all the ideas! I will try a few of them out on my basement; which is a small unfinished space 8 x 12 and always damp. I felt like a real hack on the job the other day, next time I’ll be ready for this situation.