Remove Tack Strips

What happens in this clip

After the carpet is removed, the tack strips will remain along the perimeter of the room. Use your flat pry bar to lift and remove these tack strips from the floor. Take care as they contain sharp tacks that can cause injury. For any stubborn nails or staples left behind, use nail-puller pliers to remove them individually.

Goal: Clear the floor perimeter of all tack strips.

What's used

Tools

• Dust Mask
• Flat Pry Bar
• Nail-puller Pliers
• Claw hammer
• Work Gloves

About the full video

This project provides step-by-step instructions on how to remove old carpet and its padding. It covers identifying the type of carpet installation (tacks vs. tack strips), removing shoe moldings, cutting and rolling up the carpet, extracting tack strips, and finally, removing the carpet pad, whether it's stapled or glued.

Step 4 of 6: Remove Staples and Tack Strips

Inspect the subfloor for any staples left behind by the carpet installation. Use a pry bar or pliers to remove them. Then, locate and carefully pry up the tack strips that were used to hold the carpet edges in place. Be sure to remove all pieces so the surface is smooth.

Open this step in the guide

Every video in How to Remove Carpet from a Stair Landing

1. Step 1: Prepare the Stair Landing Area

   • 0:00–0:58 Assess Existing Carpet and Secure Workspace
   • 0:14–0:23 Initial Cleanup and Debris Removal
   • 0:16–0:24 Clean and Prepare Staircase Substrate

2. Step 2: Score the Carpet Edges

   • 0:33–0:43 Cut Carpet into Strips
   • 2:37–4:28 Cut and Roll Carpet Strips
   • 0:21–0:50 Remove the Carpet

3. Step 3: Remove Carpet and Padding

   • 0:00–0:09 Remove Carpet and Padding
   • 0:00–0:09 Remove Carpet and Pad
   • 0:01–0:40 Remove Carpet and Padding

4. Step 4: Remove Staples and Tack Strips

   • 0:55–1:00 Remove Tack Strips (this video)
   • 1:15–2:15 Remove Staples and Tack Strips
   • 3:04–4:13 Remove Tack Strips and Staples

5. Step 5: Clean the Subfloor

   • 0:12–0:14 Clean the Subfloor
   • 0:13–0:14 Clean the Subfloor
   • 0:18–0:23 Clean the Subfloor

6. Step 6: Dispose of Old Carpet and Padding

   • 0:31–0:38 Remove Carpet Padding
   • 3:40–4:43 Dispose of Old Carpet and Padding
   • 0:54–1:02 Remove Carpet Pad