1/4" crown staples for bunk carpeting?

[HRG]

T50 (1/2" wide) staples are normally recommended for stapling carpets to bunks.
But I have a pneumatic gun that shoots narrow (1/4" wide) crown staples. I would be using the narrow 1/4" wide x 3/4" leg stainless steel staples. I'm not sure if the 1/4" width is wide enough to hold carpeting down without pulling through the fabric. This is assuming that the air pressure and staple depth have been adjusted properly to not go through the fabric during installation. It's the long term use that I'm asking about.

Has anyone here actually used the narrow 1/4" wide crown staples to secure carpets to bunks? If so, how did it hold up?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Can you get the crown staples in Monel ?

 

[flashback]

My concern with a staple that long would be pulling them after the carpet rots. The 1/4 crown will work fine..

 

[HRG]

Can you get the crown staples in Monel ?

Googling has not found narrow crown staples in monel. Also, I already have a lot of stainless steel narrow crown staples with 3/4" legs left over from a previous job so I won't have to buy the staples. Thanks.

 

[HRG]

My concern with a staple that long would be pulling them after the carpet rots. The 1/4 crown will work fine..

The seller for thick bunk carpets answered a question on Amazon and said:
"Hello,
Thank you so much for your inquiry. Given the thickness and increased pile height of our carpet we recommend stainless steel staples that are 5/8" or 3/4". Stainless steel staples that are 1/2" can be used if necessary but may pull out over time. I hope this answers your question. Thank you!
By The Impact Foundation LLC Seller on May 6, 2021"

I'm planning to use thick marine carpets for my bunks so I think the 3/4" leg stainless steel staples will be OK. If I own the boat long enough to change the bunk carpets, I'll probably replace the 2x4's also. Thanks for your confirmation that the 1/4" crown staples will work fine.

 

[Thirsty Endgrain]

I understand the tendency, but I wouldn't overthink this one.

 

[HRG]

I understand the tendency, but I wouldn't overthink this one.

Have you used 1/4" narrow crown staples to secure bunk carpets? Hoping to receive results from folks who have actual experience with narrow crown staples. Thanks.

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, put two in line with each other just touching. Stainless is fine.

 

[Horigan]

I would be concerned about being able to pull them out when you replace the bunk carpet again. If they are relatively easy to remove, I would go for it.

 

[HRG]

Gee, put two in line with each other just touching. Stainless is fine.

My concern is not getting 1/2" width by two adjacent narrow staples. It's whether the 1/4" width has enough holding power without being pulled through the carpet over time. Just asking if folks had actual experience using 1/4" narrow staples to secure bunk carpets, that's all. Thanks.

 

[HRG]

I would be concerned about being able to pull them out when you replace the bunk carpet again. If they are relatively easy to remove, I would go for it.

Using end cutting pliers, it's quite easy to pull nails out of wood. The leverage is substantial. I have one and pull all kinds of long nails out of wood with no problem. Staples would be easy peasy.

But replacing the two 2x4 bunks if needed when the carpet needs replacing would be fine. Thanks.

 

[HRG]

To end this thread, I've decided to go ahead and use my pneumatic narrow crown stapler gun to secure the carpets to the bunks. Will see what happens.
Thanks.

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, I would think that 2 1/4" staples with their four legs will have more holding power than 1 1/2 staple with its two legs.

Also, aren't you stapling on the back side of the bunk? The pull from there will be sideways. Again the two staples will hold better.

 

[HRG]

Gee, I would think that 2 1/4" staples with their four legs will have more holding power than 1 1/2 staple with its two legs.

Also, aren't you stapling on the back side of the bunk? The pull from there will be sideways. Again the two staples will hold better.

Good point about the pull being sideways. Thanks.

 

[harringtondav]

I used the SS 1/4" crown staples shown below when I re-carpeted my previous boat. 5/8" length seemed good since I had to wrap carpet around the ski locker under deck and didn't want them poking feet. These worked fine for the boat and a bunk re-carpeting job.
As far as retention vs. 1/2", reduce your stitch length to twice that for 1/2" staples.
I got these from Amazon. My only gripe is this and another box if staples were loose packed in a too large box without any packing. I nearly had to load my pneumatic stapler one staple at a time.

 

[HRG]

I used the SS 1/4" crown staples shown below when I re-carpeted my previous boat. 5/8" length seemed good since I had to wrap carpet around the ski locker under deck and didn't want them poking feet. These worked fine for the boat and a bunk re-carpeting job.
As far as retention vs. 1/2", reduce your stitch length to twice that for 1/2" staples.
I got these from Amazon. My only gripe is this and another box if staples were loose packed in a too large box without any packing. I nearly had to load my pneumatic stapler one staple at a time.
View attachment 370390

Thanks for sharing your experience.
I'm not sure what is meant by "reduce your stitch length to twice that for 1/2" staples". Does it mean that if 1/2" wide staples are placed 4" apart, then space the 1/4" wide staples 2" apart?

 

[harringtondav]

Thanks for sharing your experience.
I'm not sure what is meant by "reduce your stitch length to twice that for 1/2" staples". Does it mean that if 1/2" wide staples are placed 4" apart, then space the 1/4" wide staples 2" apart?

Sorry. My reply was too wordy. "Does it mean that if 1/2" wide staples are placed 4" apart, then space the 1/4" wide staples 2" apart?" is what I meant to say. Also I agree with your notion that air pressure with 1/4" crown staples may need to be reduced. ...I've had to do this. Test with scrap carpeting on scrap wood to dial it in.
Also another reply mentioned the hassle of pulling staples when the carpet rots. My thoughts are by this time the bunk planks may also be ready to be pitched. If not, tear off the old carpet, cut the new carpet a bit wider or narrower and staple it down. ..no one will notice what is going on below the bunks.

 

[HRG]

Sorry. My reply was too wordy. "Does it mean that if 1/2" wide staples are placed 4" apart, then space the 1/4" wide staples 2" apart?" is what I meant to say. Also I agree with your notion that air pressure with 1/4" crown staples may need to be reduced. ...I've had to do this. Test with scrap carpeting on scrap wood to dial it in.
Also another reply mentioned the hassle of pulling staples when the carpet rots. My thoughts are by this time the bunk planks may also be ready to be pitched. If not, tear off the old carpet, cut the new carpet a bit wider or narrower and staple it down. ..no one will notice what is going on below the bunks.

Thanks Dav. Looks like the plan is good to go.

 

[HRG]

T50 (1/2" wide) staples are normally recommended for stapling carpets to bunks.
But I have a pneumatic gun that shoots narrow (1/4" wide) crown staples. I would be using the narrow 1/4" wide x 3/4" leg stainless steel staples. I'm not sure if the 1/4" width is wide enough to hold carpeting down without pulling through the fabric. This is assuming that the air pressure and staple depth have been adjusted properly to not go through the fabric during installation. It's the long term use that I'm asking about.

Has anyone here actually used the narrow 1/4" wide crown staples to secure carpets to bunks? If so, how did it hold up?

Did a test today, fastening marine carpet to a scrap piece of 2x4 using my pneumatic staple gun. Test was to adjust the depth of the narrow 1/4" wide, 3/4" leg stainless steel staples and to see what the holding power of the narrow staples would be.

The holding power of one narrow staple is very good and I couldn't pull the carpet off one staple, using quite a bit of strength using just my arms. (guess the carpet could be pulled off by stepping on the 2x4 and pulling the carpet with both hands.) Convinced me to go ahead with the narrow staple carpet job.

So I carpeted two floor bunks today placing the staples about 1.5" to 2" apart. Am confident that the narrow staples will fasten the carpet fine for a long time.

Hope this helps someone who only has a narrow pneumatic staple gun,
HRG