Smooth-edge (gripper rod)
Smooth-edge (gripper rod) is the perimeter fixing system used in residential carpet installation. Carpet hooks onto the strip and is power-stretched flat.
Ask Chalkline about this →Smooth-edge (also called gripper rod or tackless strip) is a thin perimeter strip of timber or composite board with angled pins or tacks, fixed to the subfloor around the room perimeter. Carpet is laid over underlay, hooked onto the pin field of the gripper, and power-stretched flat across the room.
It is the dominant installation method for residential broadloom carpet in Australia and is covered by AS 2455.1:2019 (verified 2026-05-10). The strip is positioned 6 to 10 mm from the skirting face so the carpet tucks neatly into the gap and cannot be seen from the room surface.
Power stretching is mandatory for a compliant smooth-edge installation. Using only a knee-kicker is not sufficient: inadequate stretch causes rippling within months of lay-down and is the most common carpet defect at practical completion.
Also known as: gripper rod, tackless strip, carpet gripper
Category: Floor coverings, installation method