Tack strip or gripper rod (UK) is an instrument used in the installation of carpet

Carpet

A carpet is a textile floor covering consisting of an upper layer of "pile" attached to a backing. The pile is generally either made from wool or a manmade fibre such as polypropylene,nylon or polyester and usually consists of twisted tufts which are often heat-treated to maintain their...

. The tack strip is a thin piece of wood, between 1 and 2 meters long, studded with hundreds of sharp nails or tack

Tack

Tack may refer to:* A type of cut nail, used in upholstery, shoe making and saddle manufacture* Horse tack, harness and equipment to allow horse-back riding* Tack , quick, temporary stitching intended to be removed...

s. The tack strips are nailed, tack side up, to the perimeter of the area being carpeted. Once the underlay

Underlay

Underlay or underlayment generally refers to a thin layer of cushioning made of materials such as sponge rubber, foam, felt, or crumb rubber; this material is laid beneath carpeting to provide comfort underfoot, to reduce wear on the carpet, and to provide insulation against sound, moisture, and...

 is installed, and carpet is stretched over the area, the carpet is firmly anchored to the floor via the tack strips. This prevents the carpet from coming loose over time. The strip has 2 fixing mechanisms: first the carpet edge is jammed into the gap between the tack strip and the wall, second the tacks gripthe carpet to stop it pulling away.

Tack strip was invented by Roy Roberts in 1939. This product revolutionized the power stretch method still used today for installing tufted carpet.

Gripper Edge and Smoothedge were original trademarks made famous by Roy Roberts and his companies.

Tack strip is also known as carpet gripper, gripper rod, tackless, and gripper edge.