Should You Be Able To Feel Carpet Tacks (Explained)

Have you ever stepped on some new carpet and then suddenly leaped back because a tack has touched your foot? Should you be able to feel carpet tacks?

You should not be able to feel the tacks in your carpet, but this does sometimes happen with short pile carpets, especially around the baseboards and the doorways. If you can feel the tacks, you will need to take action, as there is a small risk that you might injure yourself if one sticks up further than the others.

Carpet tacks are very sharp, so in this article, we’re going to explore why you might be able to feel them and what you should do if you can.

Should You Feel Carpet Tacks In Your Carpet?

In most situations, the carpet is held flush against the floor with sharp little tacks that press into the bottom of the carpet and hold it firmly in place. This stops the carpet from pulling up or rolling, and makes it safer to walk on because there is a reduced risk of tripping.

The tacks tend to be very sharp, and they will be placed all around the edges of the room, wherever the carpet finishes. Most of the time, the carpet will be deep enough that you do not feel these tacks, but occasionally, you will feel them, especially if:

The carpet is thin
The carpet has a very short pile
The carpet has got worn in that area
The pins are not well aligned and are standing prouder than they should be

If any of these things occur, you may be able to feel the carpet tacks, although this is usually only a problem over thresholds, because this is normally the only place that you might step where the tacks will be. In the rest of the room, the tacks will be pressed up close to the baseboards, so you will be unlikely to walk on them.

Feeling carpet tacks can be unnerving even if they aren’t sticking up enough to hurt you, because you may be very aware that they could be dangerous. If you can feel the tacks, it’s therefore important to make sure that you don’t just leave them, but instead, take some action.

What Should You Do If You Can Feel The Tacks?

If you can feel the tacks, you should crouch down in the area where you can feel them and test whether they are coming through the carpet. Carefully run your hand over the pile, but don’t stab yourself if the tacks are protruding.

If you have just had the carpet fitted, you should get in touch with the company that fitted it and let them know that you can feel the tacks and you want them to come and deal with the problem. Some installers use different kinds of tacking strips for different parts of the carpet, and this can help to ensure that you don’t feel the tacks.

However, if you are dealing with an old carpet and you just want a quick and easy solution to the tacks, you can use a hammer to gently bend the tacks down so that the points face horizontally or near-horizontally instead of upward. You don’t need to actually hammer them in most cases; just use the end of the hammer to press them.

On the whole, carpet tacks are bendy and will easily re-shape when pressure is applied. This should stop you from feeling the tacks when you walk. You can always press them down further if you find that you can still feel the tacks.

What If You Can Still Feel Them?

Sometimes, this trick won’t be enough, especially if your carpet is very thin and the tacks protrude a long way. Just bending them down might not stop you from feeling them.

If you need a better fix, you should purchase a strip of felt from your nearby craft store, and cut it to the length that you need to cover. Next, peel back the carpet that is causing the problem and place the felt strip on top of the tacks. Press it down firmly, and the tacks should pierce the felt, going right through it.

When you have done this, press the carpet back down on top of it and walk on it (with shoes on initially, and then barefoot when you are sure it’s safe). The felt will help to lift the carpet up, reducing how much of each tack sticks through. This should stop you from feeling them.

FAQs

Q: How far from walls should tack strips be?

A: Tack strips should be around ¼ or ½ an inch from the walls, and no further. The pins should be angled towards the walls, rather than into the room, as this reduces the chances of you standing on the pins, and also better holds the carpet in place. If you are laying tack strips yourself, make sure they face the walls.

Q: How long does it take for a new carpet to settle?

A: You should avoid putting furniture on a new carpet for around 72 hours after installation, allowing time for any glue to adhere and for the fibers to settle against the flooring. Carpet that has just been installed is fine to walk on, but do not put anything heavy on it, or you may cause permanent indentations.

Q: How do I know if my carpet is too loose?

A: Your carpet should lie totally flat, with no lumps or wrinkles in it. If it forms folds or piles up around the baseboards, it hasn’t been fitted properly.

Conclusion

You should not be able to feel carpet tacks when you walk on your carpet, so get in touch with the installer if it’s new, or use a hammer or felt to fix it if it’s old. Carpet will eventually wear thin, which may contribute to the tacks poking through, although the tack strip should be in low foot traffic areas, except the thresholds.

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Should You Be Able To Feel Carpet Tacks (Explained)