nailing tack strips into concrete

When laying a hardwood floor, tack strips form the essential basis of its secure installation. Incorporating them over any subflooring adds a layer of necessary support, and such is particularly significant when hardwood is laid on concrete.

No other material is as hard and sturdy as concrete, making it a challenge to drive nails and screws into its sturdy surface. Tack strips are the essential component for the installation procedure; they offer a reliable basis for your new flooring.

When looking for the ideal tack strip, you have an abundance of size and length options to choose from. Fret not for selecting the more commonplace 1” x 3” sized strips – or step it up with 2” x 4” instead – so long as the size you pick is suitable and proportional to the thickness of your hardwood flooring!

Deciding on the perfect size of tack strip for your space, you now must saw and shape it for the bounds of your area. Sawing is typically the accepted way, though you can also opt for a power drill with an accompanying hole saw attachment in order to cut the strip correctly.

Having cut your tack strip to size, you must make pre-drilled holes into the concrete for nails or screws which necessitates the use of a concrete drill bit of a slightly smaller diameter than the fasteners. Doing so will prevent any slips while you are driving them into the concrete.

Once the holes have been prepared, installing your tack strip is easy. Simply hammer in or screw a fastener into each pre-drilled hole, ensuring that the head of the fastener sits flush with the surface of the strip.

To make sure your hardwood flooring can be properly installed, you will need to affix the tack strip to the concrete. This can be done by carefully hammering in nails or screws in each hole until it is firmly fixed. When the tack strip is set up, you can then work on the hardwood flooring.

For a hardwood floor that you can depend on for years to come, you’ll need to create a strong foundation. Tack strips can assist in this, and fortunately, they’re easy to install – no matter your skill level. So if you have the time and the necessary tools, putting in those tack strips shouldn’t be a challenge. Soon enough, you’ll be standing atop a gorgeous newly-installed hardwood floor.

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