Tacks & Gimp Pins

Upholstery Tacks and Gimp Pins for Traditional Furniture Work

Shop upholstery tacks and gimp pins for traditional furniture restoration, securing webbing and foundation materials, attaching fabrics and fixing decorative braid or trim.

Livedale supplies blued cut upholstery tacks with fine or improved heads, together with 13mm coloured gimp pins for finishing furniture neatly.

These traditional upholstery fasteners may also be known as:

• Upholstery nails
• Cut tacks
• Blued tacks
• Furniture tacks
• Webbing tacks
• Upholsterers’ tacks
• Gimp nails
• Braid pins
• Trim pins
• Decorative upholstery pins

Although tacks and gimp pins are both driven into furniture-frame timber, they perform different jobs.

Upholstery tacks are primarily functional fasteners used during furniture construction and restoration. Gimp pins are smaller coloured pins used to secure decorative braid, trim and finishing materials where a discreet fixing is required.

Shop Traditional Upholstery Tacks and Gimp Pins

Challenge Blued Cut Upholstery Tacks – Fine or Improved Heads

The Challenge Blued Cut Upholstery Tacks – 6mm to 25mm, 500g Box are available with either a fine head or an improved head.

Available lengths include:

• 6mm
• 10mm
• 13mm
• 15mm
• 20mm
• 25mm

They can be purchased:

• By the 500g box
• In quantities of five boxes

Challenge cut tacks may be used for suitable:

• Calico
• Top fabric
• Hessian
• Upholstery webbing
• Traditional fillings
• Platform and lining materials
• Multiple upholstery layers
• Furniture restoration
• New traditional upholstery work

The fine-head and improved-head versions are intended for different types of fastening.

Fine-Head Upholstery Tacks

Fine-head tacks have a smaller head and are generally used for materials where a less prominent fastening is preferred.

Potential uses include:

• Calico
• Interliner
• Lightweight top fabric
• Thin hessian
• Detailed furniture work
• Temporary positioning during traditional upholstery

The smaller head can help reduce the size of the visible fixing area, but it offers less surface coverage than an improved-head tack.

Improved-Head Upholstery Tacks

Improved-head tacks have a broader head that spreads the holding force across a larger area.

They are generally more appropriate for:

• Jute webbing
• Heavy hessian
• Thick fabric folds
• Multiple upholstery layers
• Firm foundation materials
• Heavier furniture work

The broader head helps reduce the likelihood of the fastener pulling through coarse or heavily tensioned material.

Lion Brand Blued Cut Upholstery Tacks – Fine or Improved Heads

The Lion Brand Blued Cut Upholstery Tacks – 10mm to 25mm, 500g Box are manufactured from cut sheet steel using traditional Crown nail machinery.

Available lengths include:

• 10mm
• 13mm
• 15mm
• 20mm
• 25mm

Choose between:

• Fine heads
• Improved heads

They are available:

• By the 500g box
• In quantities of five boxes

Lion Brand furniture tacks are suitable for professional traditional upholstery, antique restoration and furniture manufacture where a high-quality cut tack is required.

Potential uses include:

• Securing calico and top covers
• Fixing jute webbing
• Attaching hessian
• Holding traditional upholstery layers
• Furniture-frame work
• Antique chair and sofa restoration
• Reproduction furniture
• Hand-finished upholstery

Fine-head Lion Brand tacks are generally used for fabrics and lighter foundation materials, while improved-head tacks provide greater surface area for webbing and heavier materials.

13mm Coloured Gimp Pins – 500g Box

The 13mm Coloured Upholstery Gimp Pins – 500g Box are used to attach decorative braid, gimp and suitable finishing materials.

Available colours include:

• Black
• Blue
• Fawn
• Green
• Grey
• Red
• White

They can be purchased:

• By the 500g box
• In quantities of five boxes

These 13mm upholstery trim pins may be used for:

• Securing decorative braid
• Attaching gimp trim
• Finishing fabric edges
• Securing suitable bottom cloth
• Hand-finished furniture
• Traditional upholstery
• Decorative furniture restoration
• Concealing fabric joins and fastening lines

Selecting a colour that complements the braid, fabric or surrounding upholstery can help make the fixing less noticeable.

Choosing the Correct Upholstery Tack Length

As a general principle, use the shortest tack that provides a secure fixing.

A tack must penetrate far enough into the furniture-frame timber to hold the material without unnecessarily damaging the frame.

6mm Upholstery Tacks

The 6mm Challenge tack is suitable for delicate and shallow upholstery work.

Potential uses include:

• Fine fabrics
• Lightweight calico
• Detailed traditional upholstery
• Shallow frame sections
• Temporary positioning
• Materials requiring minimal penetration

10mm Upholstery Tacks

The 10mm size is a popular general-purpose option.

It may suit:

• Calico
• Top fabric
• Light hessian
• Lining materials
• Small furniture repairs
• General traditional upholstery

13mm Upholstery Tacks

The 13mm tack provides additional penetration and is widely used for general furniture work.

Potential uses include:

• Upholstery fabric
• Hessian
• Fabric folds
• Traditional upholstery layers
• Medium-depth furniture frames

15mm Upholstery Tacks

The 15mm option may suit heavier materials and furniture sections requiring more timber penetration.

It may be used for:

• Webbing
• Heavier hessian
• Multiple material layers
• Slightly heavier furniture frames
• Traditional seat foundations

20mm and 25mm Upholstery Tacks

The longer 20mm and 25mm tacks are intended for heavier work.

Potential uses include:

• Thick folded materials
• Multiple upholstery layers
• Heavy webbing
• Substantial timber frames
• Furniture construction requiring deeper penetration

Long tacks should only be used where sufficient sound timber is available.

An unnecessarily long tack may:

• Split old or narrow timber
• Emerge through another surface
• Strike a spring or hidden fitting
• Weaken the furniture frame
• Create a sharp exposed point

Fine-Head or Improved-Head Tacks?

Choose fine-head upholstery tacks where:

• Calico or top fabric is being fitted
• The material is relatively light
• A smaller tack head is preferred
• Detailed traditional work is being completed
• A broad head could remain visible

Choose improved-head upholstery tacks where:

• Jute webbing is being tensioned
• Heavy hessian is being secured
• Several upholstery layers are being fixed
• The fastener needs a larger holding area
• A fine head may pull through the material

The head type should be selected according to the material and the load placed on the fixing, not solely according to appearance.

Upholstery Tacks for Jute Webbing

Traditional jute webbing may be fixed to suitable furniture frames using improved-head upholstery tacks.

Browse Traditional Jute Upholstery Webbing for natural jute and black-and-white herringbone webbing.

A traditional fixing method may involve:

1. Securing one end of the webbing.
2. Folding the end where required.
3. Driving the first row of tacks.
4. Folding the webbing back over the fasteners.
5. Adding a second fixing row.
6. Stretching the webbing across the frame.
7. Securing the opposite end under tension.

Improved-head tacks help spread the holding force across the woven strap.

The furniture-frame timber must be sound enough to withstand both the fastener and the tension applied to the webbing.

Tacks for Hessian, Calico and Upholstery Fabrics

Fine or improved upholstery tacks can be used to secure traditional furniture materials including:

• Hessian
• Calico
• Interliner
• Platform cloth
• Top fabric
• Felt
• Traditional fillings
• Folded fabric edges

Browse:

• Upholstery Hessian
• Calico, Interliner & Cambric
• Platform & Lining Cloths
• Upholstery Vinyl & Fabric

Select a tack head broad enough to hold the material securely without creating unnecessary damage.

Gimp Pins for Decorative Braid and Trim

Gimp pins are used where decorative braid or trim needs to be fixed neatly to an upholstered surface.

They may be suitable for:

• Armchair borders
• Sofa facings
• Decorative furniture backs
• Seat rails
• Headboards
• Pelmets
• Footstools
• Traditional dining chairs
• Hand-finished upholstery

The braid or gimp is normally positioned over the edge of the upholstery fabric to cover staples, stitching or raw material edges.

The coloured pin is then driven through the trim into the furniture frame.

Space the pins evenly and keep them within the centre of the braid wherever possible.

Gimp Pins or Decorative Upholstery Nails?

Gimp pins and decorative nails serve different finishing purposes.

Choose gimp pins where:

• Narrow braid or trim is being secured
• A small coloured fixing is preferred
• The pin should remain relatively discreet
• Traditional hand finishing is required

Choose Decorative Upholstery Nails & Nail Strips where:

• The nail heads form a visible design feature
• A metallic finish is required
• A decorative border is being created
• Individual nails or continuous nail strip are preferred

Gimp pins normally blend into the trim, while decorative nails are intended to remain visible.

Upholstery Tacks or Staples?

Choose traditional upholstery tacks where:

• Antique or traditionally constructed furniture is being restored
• Jute webbing is being hand fixed
• A traditional fastening method is required
• The furniture will be worked using a magnetic tack hammer
• Individual fastener placement is important

Choose Upholstery Staples where:

• Faster powered fastening is required
• Fabric, hessian or lining cloth is being fixed to suitable timber
• Modern furniture is being manufactured
• A pneumatic, electric or manual staple gun is available

The original furniture construction and restoration requirements should guide the chosen fixing method.

Driving Upholstery Tacks

Traditional tacks are normally driven using a suitable upholstery hammer.

Browse Upholstery Hammers & Mallets for magnetic tack hammers and other furniture tools.

A typical process is:

1. Position the material accurately.
2. Start the tack using the magnetic hammer face where available.
3. Keep fingers clear of the striking area.
4. Drive the tack squarely into the timber.
5. Stop when the head holds the material securely.
6. Avoid crushing the upholstery material unnecessarily.
7. Check the visible surface regularly.
8. Maintain consistent spacing.

Do not drive the tack at a severe angle, as this can weaken the fixing or cause it to emerge through the furniture frame.

Preventing Damage to Furniture Frames

Old and antique furniture timber may be dry, narrow or weakened by previous fasteners.

Before fitting new tacks:

• Remove old broken metal
• Inspect for splits
• Avoid existing oversized holes
• Keep fixings away from fragile edges
• Select the smallest suitable tack
• Check the timber depth
• Avoid repeatedly striking the same position
• Repair loose joints before applying webbing tension

Using an excessively large tack can cause unnecessary damage and reduce the amount of sound timber available for future restoration.

Removing Old Upholstery Tacks and Gimp Pins

Browse Staple Removers, Tack Lifters & Ripping Chisels and Upholstery Pliers, Stretchers & Pincers for suitable removal tools.

A typical removal process is:

1. Lift the edge of the tack head carefully.
2. Protect visible timber where required.
3. Grip the raised tack with pincers.
4. Pull it in the direction of the shank.
5. Avoid tearing reusable fabric or braid.
6. Collect the removed fastener immediately.
7. Inspect the timber before fitting a replacement.

Do not leave removed tacks inside upholstery fillings, loose fabric or workshop waste.

Safe Handling and Installation

Wear suitable eye protection when driving or removing upholstery tacks.

Take care when:

• Handling sharp tack points
• Using a magnetic tack hammer
• Stretching webbing
• Working near coil springs
• Removing rusted fasteners
• Cutting away old upholstery
• Working around weakened timber
• Holding small gimp pins

Keep fingers clear of the hammer path and stabilise the furniture before beginning work.

Do not use badly corroded, bent or damaged fasteners.

Trade Upholstery Tacks and Gimp Pins

Livedale supplies traditional cut upholstery tacks and coloured gimp pins to professional upholsterers, furniture restorers, manufacturers, training workshops and colleges throughout the UK.

The range includes:

• Challenge blued cut tacks
• Lion Brand blued cut tacks
• Fine and improved tack heads
• Tack lengths from 6mm to 25mm
• 13mm coloured gimp pins
• Individual and bulk-box purchasing options

Approved trade customers can access preferential pricing across eligible products after registering for a trade account.

Choose the fastener according to the material, head type, required penetration and furniture-frame condition.