What are fitting plates and carpet grippers?

Fitting plates and carpet grippers are designed to hold carpets in place, with thousands of different types and styles available to buy online or straight off the shelves in DIY stores. You might be replacing carpet after lifting it, or simply laying some luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) adjacent to a carpeted area, but whatever your circumstances, you’ll need to get to grips with these innovative options.

What is the difference between fitting plates and carpet grippers?

While it’s true there is some cross-over concerning these products, the key difference lies in where they are used around your rooms. Fitting plates, also known as threshold strips or door plates, are the narrow pieces of metal found within doorways. Their job is to hold the carpet down, ensuring it isn’t disturbed, while also making sure its edges remain protected from people stepping on it. Unlike fitting plates, carpet grippers are typically deployed around the edges of a room to hold the fitted carpet in the correct position.

How do carpet grippers work?

Dedicated carpet grippers are able to hold carpeting in place using rows of jagged metal teeth that are tilted slightly in a single direction and face upwards. A tip to remember if you need to replace carpet grippers is that to function effectively, their points must lean backwards and towards your walls. Once in position, your newly bought carpet can be stretched over the top of the grippers before being placed down. As the new carpet pulls back to take shape, the tilted angle of the grippers’ teeth ensures they push into the carpet’s backing and keep it firmly in place.

Selecting an appropriate fitting plate

The threshold strips or fitting plates designed for doorways that have carpet installed on either side will have not one, but two rows of sharp teeth, providing a set for each side. On top of these two rows, a cover made from metal or plastic is present for people to tread upon.

Don’t worry if you want to fit carpet in one room and another type of floor covering in the one next to it. Fitting plates are available to buy for every application you could require. In this specific circumstance, the correct kind of fitting plate will be one that has teeth on one side but is smooth on the other. A massive range of these door plates has been produced to cover an extensive range of eventualities, and this includes differences in height, which is a common issue when laminate floor is fitted. If the new floor is replacing vinyl or carpeting, it can often be half an inch taller than the floor’s original height.

Leave it to the professionals

If you choose to have your new carpets fitted by professional installers, you can sidestep the stress of deciding what the right solution is to keep your carpets in position. A professional installation will typically include carpet grippers, door plates and even underlay as part of the service.