What type of carpet staples should you use while wrapping bunk carpet on bunk boards?
At ‘Cuda Powersports, we are passionate about teaching people how to wrap their bunk boards properly. In our recent post about the best way to wrap bunk board with a bunk carpet, we noted that all you need is a staple gun and your hands. No templates, cutting, or fancy tools required!
Since our method just uses staples, it is essential that you use the right staples. There are a lot of carpet staples on the market. So, we probably get over a dozen questions a day asking what type of staples to use when wrapping bunk board.
Don’t worry! We’ve got the answer for you, so keep reading.
What size staples do you need to secure your bunk carpet?
The first step is to determine what size staple you need. There are two measurements when selecting staple size.
The “crown” refers to the top of the staple. The “legs” refers to the two sides that go into the wood.
We recommend a staple that has a 3/8-inch crown. That is the size that fits into most DIY-level staple guns.
We recommend staples with a ½-inch leg. Using a staple with a ½ inch leg length will help you get the staple through the thick pile height of our bunk carpet and allow you to get a good hold of the wood.
So, using a staple with a 3/8-inch crown and ½-inch leg will help your bunk carpet keep a solid hold for many years.
Should you use stainless steel or galvanized staples to install bunk carpet?
Whether stainless steel or galvanized staples are better for installing your bunk carpet is an age-old debate. You may find different opinions on this, but we believe that galvanized staples are the best for installing bunk carpet.
Over the years with our boat trailers, we have found both galvanized and stainless steel perform pretty much the exact same.
There is a misconception that stainless steel will not rust, but that is actually not true. Iron is used inside the staples, which will rust in saltwater or brackish water. Many manufacturers even label their stainless steel staples as “not for marine use” because of this.
Since stainless steel costs about three or four times more than galvanized, we recommend you just buy galvanized and put your savings into your fuel tank instead.
If you are really determined to get staples that will not rust, you’ll need a Monel staple. Monel staples will not rust, but they are considerably more expensive at $30–40 per pack of 1000.
Key takeaways: What are the best staples for securing bunk carpet to your bunk boards?
We recommend galvanized staples with a 3/8” crown and ½” legs as the best staples for securing your bunk carpet to your bunk boards.
These staples will be the perfect size and material to secure your bunk carpet for years to come. They’re also the most economical choice.
Don’t waste your money on stainless steel or Monel staples. Instead, put those savings in your fuel tank and spend more time on the water!
Watch our videos if you want to learn more about the best staples for installing bunk carpet and the best way to install bunk carpet to your bunk boards.