What are The Best Staples for Bunk Boards and Marine Applications?

At ‘Cuda Powersports, we build our bunk boards differently. We do not use any template cuts, screws, or adhesives in our installations. We recommend using just a few staples to wrap your bunk boards.

But not every staple is created equally. So, what is the best staple for wrapping bunk boards with boat trailer bunk carpet?

We acid-tested three types of staples to determine which one held up the best for marine use, including:

Keep reading to learn which ones perform best when tested for the marine environment.

What Type of Staples Are Best for Installing Marine Carpet?

Previously, we recommended the Monel T50 staple with a 3/8" crown and 1/2" leg as the best size staple for wrapping bunk carpet. However, we no longer recommend these staples, as they are incompatible with pressure-treated lumber. Since most bunk boards are made of pressure-treated lumber, we had to find a new solution.

What to Look For When Choosing a Staple

There are several key things to look for when choosing a staple for bunk carpet:

Does it fit in my DIY or pneumatic staple gun?
What size is the Crown?
What size are the Legs?
What material is it made from?
Is it compatible with pressure-treated lumber?

What Staples Do You Need to Install Bunk Carpet?

You want to look for staples that are:

3/8 inch crown
1/2 inch legs
Stainless Steel

These will be the right size and composition to secure your bunk carpet.

Which Staples Perform Best in Marine Environment?

We performed an acid test on three types of staples. The acid test shows how quickly a metal will corrode in a marine environment.

Galvanized Staples

First, we tested galvanized staples.

The galvanized staples corroded substantially very quickly. This test shows that they will not hold up in a marine environment and are not a good product for securing bunk carpet.

Stainless Steel Staples

Next, we tested stainless steel staples. The stainless steel staples held up pretty well against the acid test, showing only mild signs of corrosion and rusting. These results were not perfect, but they performed much better than the galvanized staples and would perform decently on a boat trailer.

Additionally, we ran the magnet test on the stainless steel staples. They attached to the magnet, indicating that they are not made of pure stainless steel.

NiCcoreA Staples

Next, we tested these new NiCcoreA staples from Renewed Warriors. The NiCcoreA staples showed some minor discoloration and corrosion but otherwise had a minimal reaction to the acid test. There were no signs of rust.

Additionally, the NiCcoreA staples feature a “Bayonet V-Point” on the tips of the legs. These bayonet points help drive the staple entirely into the wood and prevent the crown of the staple from sticking up. Compared to a standard staple tip, these have a considerable advantage for installing bunk carpet, where you don’t want any metal sticking up where it can snag or scratch your boat.