I keep seeing guys skip the tack strip on the last stair riser

I mean, maybe it's just me, but I've walked into three jobs this year where the last guy didn't put a tack strip on the final riser before the landing. The carpet just gets stapled down and it always looks loose after a few months. My boss in Tacoma always said, 'If it's a step, it gets a strip,' and that's stuck with me for 15 years. Does anyone else run into this or have a different way to lock that last piece in?

2 comments

2 Comments

lily_gonzalez683d ago

What's the reasoning for skipping it? Are they trying to save a few minutes or do they think the staples alone will hold the tension?

scott.grace3d ago

Saw a contractor on a forum say they skip the house wrap tape sometimes because "it's just for water, staples do the holding." Which, sure, but then you get drafts and moisture in the walls. Seems like a bad trade for saving ten bucks on a roll of tape.