I want to install a very thin berber carpet on a radiant heat floor with a thin pad. I know already about the insulating issues with carpet and am not concerned with that part.
My tubing runs very close to the walls and I don't want the carpet installers to nail down the tack strips. I have read that some basement floor carpet installers will sometimes glue the tack strips to the concrete, can the same be done for tack strips on my plywood subfloor?
Yes, it can be done. It will cost more to do that.
If you have plywood as a subfloor, you probably don't need to glue it. The nails in the tack strips will not go through the plywood.
It's also unlikely that the radiant tubing runs so close to the walls. Normally it's held back a few inches and the tack strip is an inch and a half from the wall.
R
Well, mine does run 1.5 inches from the wall. Subfloor is also 1/2" plywood on the radiant panels...which are also plywood.
I'm thinking of gluing the tackstrips myself and using liquid nails? think that will hold it?
I'm also guessing that the tack strip should be about 1 inch from the wall??? sound right?
Initially, but I've had problems w/ construction adhesive for the long haul. Plain old carpenters' glue would be my choice if were going to actually glue them down.
But, how long are the nails in the strips? Not enough to penetrate the subflooring and the distance to the radiant tubing which isn't directly in contact w/ the bottom of the subflooring, is it???
Liquid Nails will hold the tack strip, but would it pull away when the carpet is stretched in? Nail the strip down and be done with it..imo.
-- Oren
..through the use of electrical or duct tape, achieve the configuration in the photo..
Typically the tubing distance from the wall is 1/2 of the field spacing. Electric radiant cable runs more closely together, but you have tubing (hydronic). What sort of radiant do you have that they ran so close to the wall and why?
I still don't think you have a problem. The tack strip is typically about 1/4" from the baseboard/wall, the tack strip is about 3/4" to 1
1/4" wide, and the nails are in the middle of the strip. As long as you can tuck the carpet under the baseboard you're fine. If the room is large, and you need to stretch the carpet more, then you'll want the wider tack strip. Other wise the 3/4" will be fine with the thin Berber. If you haven't installed the baseboard yet, even better.Gluing will work, and liquid nails will be fine. Make sure you allow time for a complete cure.
BTW, gluing is permanent, carpet is not. You'll be damaging your subfloor when you go to change carpets and have to replace some of the tack strip.
R
The way I was taught was to space the strip with my index finger against the wall..not a tight fit, but relaxed.
Oh, and don't put smiles on the wall/baseboard when you nail it :(
-- Oren
..through the use of electrical or duct tape, achieve the configuration in the photo..
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