Stapled down carpets ???

[Oldtom]

I have to replace the carpets in a low income rental property. In most of these places, they use cheap carpet installed without padding and stapled down rather than using tack strips. This is done because low income tenants destroy carpet, and there is no point using anything but cheap, easily disposable, quickly removeable carpet.

my normal carpet guy is AWOL, so I have to do this myself. Does anyone have any install tips for stapled down, no padding carpet installs? I would like to use a laminate flooring which is harder to destroy, but, that is not in the budget right now :-(

Thanks in advance for any advice

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Renters that trash carpets will also trash laminate flooring. A big disadvantage with laminate is the water resistance issue-it handles spilled liquids very poorly.

Personally I'd install the tack strips. If you're changing carpet that often, you can just leave them in place and reuse them.

 

[DakAttack]

I would never spend the money for tack strips in a trash apt. Rip up the old carpet, if the staples don't come up with the carpet hammer them down flush enough with the floor to cover them with the new carpet. Cheapest carpet you can find, throw it down. Staple again or use multipurpose carpet adhesive to glue all the necessary points. Corners, edges, center. Remember to stretch it continuously after you glue so you get no wrinkles. Stretch as you staple as well. Allot of low cost/elderly housing places we use to work at would only want the cheapest most minimal work done because of the type of people living there.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: DakAttack
I would never spend the money for tack strips in a trash apt. Rip up the old carpet, if the staples don't come up with the carpet hammer them down flush enough with the floor to cover them with the new carpet. Cheapest carpet you can find, throw it down. Staple again or use multipurpose carpet adhesive to glue all the necessary points. Corners, edges, center. Remember to stretch it continuously after you glue so you get no wrinkles. Stretch as you staple as well. Allot of low cost/elderly housing places we use to work at would only want the cheapest most minimal work done because of the type of people living there.


That's how I'd do it.

 

[pandus13]

OP,
i'm not sure what floor/subfloor you have under the carpet, but other trick would be to install 6mil plastic or tyvek house wrap under the carpet...
this is to protect your floor/subfloor from bodily fluids, spills, cats/dogs marking territory.....
or use outdoor type carpet: if dirty, uninstall, take out, clean, hose it off, air dry, re-install

i also heard about painted floors; i thing now the trendy name is "european floors"
cheap floors could be tongue and grove OSB stained and 5 times pollyed (looks like cork) , or plywood cut into 4'x4' squares
google images have both if you want to see samples....

i'm sure there are 2 books on amazon called "section 8 bible".
i would do a search on google for "how to harden rentals"

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: DakAttack
I would never spend the money for tack strips in a trash apt. Rip up the old carpet, if the staples don't come up with the carpet hammer them down flush enough with the floor to cover them with the new carpet. Cheapest carpet you can find, throw it down. Staple again or use multipurpose carpet adhesive to glue all the necessary points. Corners, edges, center. Remember to stretch it continuously after you glue so you get no wrinkles. Stretch as you staple as well. Allot of low cost/elderly housing places we use to work at would only want the cheapest most minimal work done because of the type of people living there.


That's how I'd do it.

+1,000

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Renters that trash carpets will also trash laminate flooring. A big disadvantage with laminate is the water resistance issue-it handles spilled liquids very poorly.

OP,
some landlords started using the click-type vinyl planks which looks like wood (Home depot allure is the most available).
these are floating type of floors, but may handle abuse better.
they will not handle heavy furniture dragged on top or a determined dog digging through....
and not as cheap as laminate....
if using laminate you want AC4/AC5 tough (commercial grade)

 

[CT8]

Low end renters are trash.

 

[firemachine69]

Originally Posted By: Oldtom
I have to replace the carpets in a low income rental property. In most of these places, they use cheap carpet installed without padding and stapled down rather than using tack strips. This is done because low income tenants destroy carpet, and there is no point using anything but cheap, easily disposable, quickly removeable carpet.

my normal carpet guy is AWOL, so I have to do this myself. Does anyone have any install tips for stapled down, no padding carpet installs? I would like to use a laminate flooring which is harder to destroy, but, that is not in the budget right now :-(

Thanks in advance for any advice




From one landlord to another:


Pour concrete floors. You can get them in basically any color. It's pretty much floor-leveller thin-set with hue.

And it's practically indestructible.

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: firemachine69
Pour concrete floors. You can get them in basically any color. It's pretty much floor-leveller thin-set with hue.

And it's practically indestructible.

...cough,cough, is in now in high-level/money development....
maybe some epoxy art on top....
OP, you can advertise yourself as modern , up to date amenities....

next step is for you to shop where correctional facilities shop too.... (kidding, i know how it is from the same side of the barricade)

 

[pandus13]

firemachine69,
as a firefighter, what other tricks of the trade you recommend for rentals/low-level rentals?
i guess you saw and have more stories then many will do in lifetime...
thank you

 

[firemachine69]

I don't have low-end units, however it's a small world around my neck of the woods, and I know quite a few folks who were completely unprepared for the advise the average renter dishes out. The reality is, even the best tenant will not take as good care as they would their own belongings, that's just the reality of the situation.

And even when you have awesome tenants (my last one were my brother/his wife, my wife's cousin/her husband), there's always the possibility of poor compatibility. Neither was very fond of each other, and as the mediator, they all had very valid points (or so I thought).

Then you get stuff like inadvertent damage (brother keeping the windows/doors shut tight 24/7 in the winter toi save in the outrageous hydro bills, leading to accumulation of condensation)... Forget the bad ones, even the good ones can ruin a budget.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Renters that trash carpets will also trash laminate flooring. A big disadvantage with laminate is the water resistance issue-it handles spilled liquids very poorly.


I guess you don't know much about flooring. My Dad ran a flooring business for over 40 years.

There are laminate floorings that are so water resistant they are for all practical purposes waterproof.

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
There are laminate floorings that are so water resistant they are for all practical purposes waterproof.

Steve, I know you work a lot with luxury type of owners, but can you recommend a few companies products?
either tough or water proof or both.

Thank you

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: pandus13
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
There are laminate floorings that are so water resistant they are for all practical purposes waterproof.

Steve, I know you work a lot with luxury type of owners, but can you recommend a few companies products?
either tough or water proof or both.Thank you


My favorite is Coretec plus, which I have all over the downstairs. It is 100% synthetic except for a two mm layer of real cork on the back to keep it quiet. No glue, it snaps together. Needs no pad or underlayment, bridges most surface irregularities, definitely cool for a DIY job. Mine looks just like old weathered driftwood with texture, knots, very realistic. And it's never slippery, even when wet, great for bathrooms and shower areas. Completely waterproof.

Another one is Luxe Plank from Armstrong. There are more out there...

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: pandus13
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
There are laminate floorings that are so water resistant they are for all practical purposes waterproof.

Steve, I know you work a lot with luxury type of owners, but can you recommend a few companies products?
either tough or water proof or both.Thank you


My favorite is Coretec plus, which I have all over the downstairs. It is 100% synthetic except for a two mm layer of real cork on the back to keep it quiet. No glue, it snaps together. Needs no pad or underlayment, bridges most surface irregularities, definitely cool for a DIY job. Mine looks just like old weathered driftwood with texture, knots, very realistic. And it's never slippery, even when wet, great for bathrooms and shower areas. Completely waterproof.

Another one is Luxe Plank from Armstrong. There are more out there...


Thank you Steve. good to know real-life opinions. (i also heard good stuff about their/coretec waterproof plywood (used as bathrooms subfloor))

now off-topic question: i'm in midwest and i installed bamboo planks. have a couple spots where its squiks (planks against nails, propably plywood not completely flat/true). what do you recommend to quiet down the noise? (it sits nailed on top of this sandwich: first floor concerete/cement, glued down 6mm cork, 5/8 plywood, tar paper)

 

[pandus13]

OP/OldTom,

also regarding the outdoor carpet use, i remember a post from somebody from NO/ThaSwamp, where they had outdoor carpet glued and after the Katrina, they just clean/bleah and hose it off.... (it may be user KingCake, but my memory it is not what used to be)

or...

you can search for the very elusive low-income GOOD tenant: may i suggest local teachers, local hospital nurses or firefighters?