Fit Carpet Pad to the Stair. Measure across the stair from one side to the other. The best tool for precisely cutting carpet to specification is a utility knife, and we strongly recommend having one before starting work. Carpeting the stairs is a functional and stylish investment in your home. Stairs are the most common place in the home to have carpet, and yet they are also the trickiest. Make sure you affix the strips to the tread of each stair, having the angled edge facing away. How to Install Carpet on Stairs - how hard is it? The best carpet for stairs has a low pile—¾-inch or less—to be both more stable underfoot and resilient to traffic. Thankfully, most carpet laying tools are relatively inexpensive, so you won’t have to spend a small fortune. When carpeting the landing with the same carpet, you have two options. This will be the width of your piece of carpet. If you have existing hardwoods underneath, be careful when cutting the carpet. What’s more, carpeted stairs are quieter, because they absorb the impact of footsteps, which is important in such a heavily trafficked area. Fixing a ripped carpet while the tear is small can prevent accidents and keep the damage from spreading. Don’t put gripper on the bottom step. If … It will help if you mark a line on each step that you can follow to ensure you have an equal amount of space at each side of the runner. Tack strips should also be fixed to the riser, with the angled edge facing down this time. Fixing a ripped or torn carpet is essential because loose carpet tears easily. Pull the landing carpet down over the edge of the top step. Cut pieces of underlay to fit the tread and staple in place. Grip the carpet with both hands for easier removal and to maintain balance and safety When that is the case, you should cut a piece of carpet to the width of your staircase. Because of this, you should get in touch with flooring suppliers. However, with the instructions above, anyone with basic DIY know-how should be able to fit stairs carpet themselves. Remember to leave a gap between the tack strip and the riser of about three-quarters of the thickness of the carpeting. Tack the carpet strip to the bottom of the first riser and then pull it over the first step. If you are using a stair runner that leaves a gap at either side, the fitting instructions are the same as below – just make sure the gripper strips are the correct width. Whatever carpet you choose must be hard-wearing, as this will enable it to withstand heavy foot traffic. Step 2: Remove Staples, Nails or Tack Strips. eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'diydoctor_org_uk-under_first_paragraph','ezslot_2',661,'0','0']));Don't want to do this job yourself? You will need approximately 4' of carpet to cover the width, to allow the carpet to flow through the posts and wrap around the outside of the stair. Once every stair is clear, you should take the opportunity to clean each one. If possible, precut the carpet widthwise but not lengthwise. After removing the carpet, dispose of the carpet pad. Steps: 1. While carpet creates a soft and comfortable look, which makes a house feel more inviting, the benefits extend beyond aesthetic appeal alone. Installing carpet on stairs effectively will require precise cuts so its best to have the right tool to do so, otherwise you may regret the finish on the edges of the carpet once you're done. See our laying carpet underlay project for information on different types of underlay. If you’re unsure of your skills, then you should consider calling a professional to help. Speak to them about your project and expectations for an end result. How to Carpet Stairs and Fit Carpet on a Staircase, General Building, Self Build and Renovation, Planning Regs, Project Management and Safety, Let us help you find a tradesman local to you, recommend getting a good supply of spare blades, laying carpet underlay project for information on different types of underlay, Staircase Parts and Jargon – How to Understand the Common Stair Terminology so You know How to Describe the Type of Stairs You Want, Building an Under Stair Cupboard – Instructions for a Clever Space Saving Design for an Under Stairs Storage Solution, How to Lay Carpet Underlay – Learn About Different Types of Underlay and Which one you Should use and how to Lay it Correctly so That it Preserves Your Carpet and Feels Great Underfoot, How to Clean a Carpet – What Different Types of Carpet Cleaners There are Available to use and how to use Them, Laying a Carpet – How to Get a Fitted Carpet Laid Yourself, Laying Floor Boards – How to Cut and Fit Floor Boarding, How to Stop Creaking Floors and Creaking Stairs – Why Floorboards and Stairs can Creak and What you can do Stop the Noise, Building An Under Stair Cupboard – Instructions For A Clever Space Saving Design For An Under Stairs Storage Solution, How To Clean A Carpet - The Different Ways And Tools For Cleaning Carpets, How To Lay Carpet Underlay - Learn About Different Types Of Underlay And Which One You Should Use And How To Lay It Correctly So That It Preserves Your Carpet And Feels Great Underfoot, How To Stop Creaking Floors And Creaking Stairs - Why Floorboards And Stairs Can Creak And What You Can Do Stop The Noise, Laying A Carpet - How To Get A Fitted Carpet Laid Yourself, Laying Floor Boards - How To Cut And Fit Floor Boarding, Staircase Parts And Jargon - How To Understand The Common Stair Terminology So You Know How To Describe The Type Of Stairs You Want, A hammer and blunt bolster will be very useful too. First, you need to calculate how many tiles you need, then take the necessary preparation and cut out a template. Laying carpet on stairs can be a difficult and time-consuming task, especially for novices. Please also see our projects on Laying a Carpet and Laying Underlay for even more information about laying carpets. Measure the bottom stair from the back of the stair to the front edge. Unless you want to waste time and money replacing your blades, you should use a sharp utility knife. To use our stair calculator, you need to enter the following measurements as a minimum: Total Run – The total horizontal length of the stair stringer; Total Rise – The vertical height between the bottom of the first step and the top of the final step in the stair stringer Cut the carpet with a utility knife under the nose of the landing. Address: Unit 2 91 London Road, Copford, Essex, CO6 1LG. Once you have your tools you will then need to choose and buy your underlay and carpet. This allows you to snugly fit the carpet into place. Unless you’ve installed carpeting before, you might not know what a knee kicker is. Most staircases require little more than a vacuum, but you might wish to wipe yours down with warm water and soap too. Carpet gripper – This will hold your stair carpet in place. Measure the stairs to keep you right, measure the length of the stairs and the … If you are fitting a stair runner that leaves a gap on either side, you could fit stair rods if you wish, to complete the look and give a neat finish. For waterfall installation, you will place strips along both the width and... 3. Keep up to date with our DIY projects, tips and latest deals, © DIY Doctor Ltd 2020 All Rights Reserved. Underlay is used to reduce wear on carpets, so it makes sense to choose a durable option here too. Apologies, but we don't seem to have a video for this project yet, but we will do our best to get one up soon. Do I Need Underlay for Underfloor Heating. Buy 6 inches or so more than you think you need, just to be safe. Today I wanted to share the method I used to add a mitered corner on the landing and continue the runner around the corner of our stairs. Be sure to allow for any nose where the tread overhangs the riser. Use the vise-grips to pull the carpet free from the riser. You will want to take the carpet pad and flatten it against the stair so … Take your strip of carpet and roll it up, with the underside facing out. Make sure you start at the bottom step, with the pile looking down the staircase. A hard-wearing underlay will also provide better heat, sound, and moisture insulation. The bolster can then be used to push the carpet between the strips at the corner. Laying carpet on stairs is not the easiest job, so if you want a really good finish then it’s best to get a professional to do it. Take the strip of stair carpet and roll it up, leaving the underside facing outwards. So, how to lay carpet tiles on stairs? Don't neglect to cut it 2 inches wider than it needs to be. Don't try to use carpeting left over from a room installation -- cut-to-fit carpet pieces have to be turned under at the edges all along the stairs, and that's tricky. If the carpet is in one continuous piece, cut off manageable pieces as you pull it up. These strips will secure your carpeting to the stairs, making it safe to walk on. Discover soft lounge carpets, cosy bedroom carpets, dependable stair carpets and more online. Fix gripper to the tread of the stair with the angled edge facing away, leaving a gap between the gripper and the riser 3/4 the thickness of the carpet. Once the base and foundation are prepared, you can pick up your carpeting. If you already have carpeting installed, make sure you remove that first. After finishing one stair, you should repeat the process with every other step, until you reach the top. Run a small bead of seam sealer or … It’s also important that you clear away any old underlay, along with nails, tacks, and staples. Carefully place tackless strips on the riser and back of each tread as … Laying carpet tiles on stairs can be done with 4 simple steps. A heavy-duty staple gun is also needed to secure the underlay to the floor before you lay the carpeting down. Unfortunately, that option isn’t always available. Once you get the hang of using your knee kicker, you’ll never want to install carpet without one again. Laying carpet on stairs can definitely be tricky. While it is possible to cut the carpet from the top side, you can achieve a cleaner cut by flipping the carpet over and cutting it from the back side of the material. Step 2. We carry full insurance for your total peace of mind. Let us help you find a tradesman local to you. First, prep the stairs by removing the carpet with a utility knife and a pry bar. Grab the cut end of carpet and pull it from the stairs using gloved hands. Well, this was just the tip of the iceberg. After all, you don’t want to waste time purchasing too little or money purchasing too much. Unless you do this, the carpet will stretch over the nose, leaving a gap from the bottom of the riser to the top. Likewise for underlay. Once the stairs are clean, you must work out how much carpet you need. How to Fit Stair Carpet. How to calculate stairs. The strips are constructed with small carpet tacks attached, which eliminates the need for individual tacks. These pieces should fit between the strips on each stair. If every step is the same, you can make a template to cut your underlay pieces with. Here are instructions on laying carpet on your stairs, including tools you will need and a few tips and tricks to get the stair carpet fitted without any mishaps. The only other way is to cut and fit the stairs as normal but fit around the legs. The back of the material may also be marked with pencils, markers or a chalk line for reference points while cutting, which is more accurate than trying to cut from the top side. How to Cut Carpet for Stairs Step 1. Carpeted stairs are much quieter and safer, especially if you have children. You don’t need any tools … Chances are, a carpeting expert will be able to offer some helpful advice, as well as suggest carpet types that will suit your needs. Start by measuring a single step from the bottom of the riser to the back of the tread. The most economical way to fit a stair carpet is to use the width of the carpet cut in strips across the width and fitted to the stairs with joins where the riser meets the step. Required fields are marked *. However, if you’re on a budget and happy to have a finish that’s serviceable if not perfect, then you can have a go yourself. Carpet will blunt most blades very easily, with many rooms requiring up to ten blades. For stairs, measure one stair tread from one side to the other side of the rail (or wall) and then round it off to the nearest foot. This padding is a squishy material, which provides a soft underfoot and extends the lifetime of carpeting. Cut them 1.5 inches narrower than the width of the steps to be carpeted. There is a huge selection to choose from including Saxony carpets and twist carpets. If the step has a nose, you can fix the landing carpet to the underside of it. Instead of removing the carpet completely, why not add a touch of elegance to the staircase and install a stair runner?… Tack strips, also known as tackless strips, act as an anchoring base for carpeting. These strips will secure your carpeting to the stairs, making it safe to walk on. Take the stair carpet up to the top of the final riser, tack it into place and trim it off in a neat line. Underlay forms a foundation for a carpet. The inclusion of the top step is so that the landing carpet flows over the top step and seamlessly into the stairs once fitted. Buy a hard-wearing carpet that will withstand a lot of foot traffic. Then, measure the stair riser from the bottom to the top of the tread and round off to the nearest foot. Pry up the metal nosing and remove it, if present. Using the knee kicker, you should stretch the carpet to keep it from rucking up later. To calculate how much carpet is required, you need to measure the size of your staircase. Pull the landing carpet down over the edge of the top step. We have included a pack of 10 in our Carpet Fitters Tool Kit, but if your planning to fit a lot of carpet then we would recommend getting a good supply of spare blades. Make sure you measure the nose too, which is where the tread hangs over the riser. When measuring a landing area for carpet, it’s important to note that measurements will need to include the top step of the stairs as well as the landing. Use the bolster to push the carpet firmly into the gap between grippers at the stair corner. Cut out your carpet pieces with a utility knife or a carpet knife. Last month I shared with you guys how I installed a stair runner on the cabin staircase using multiple small rugs. Cross section of stairs with carpet grippers, underlay and carpet layed. To work out how much carpet you need to buy for your stairs, measure one step, from the back of the tread to the bottom of the riser. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); If your steps have a nose, you may need to tack the carpet just under the nose so that it fits around it snugly. Start at the bottom of the stairs, with the pile facing down the stairs so it doesn’t get rubbed the wrong way as it’s stepped on. We work with the industries best to ensure that we recommend only reliable and trustworthy tradesmen. Most carpet fitters prefer hooked blades because the blade remains sharp for longer. A stair that has one open side with railing posts on it is known as a cap stair. Step 2: Apply Tackless Strips. This small tool is essential when laying stair carpet because it allows you to stretch carpeting in a small space. Like tack strips, you can buy your own knee kicker from hardware outlets. Measure The Stairs. What commonly happens is that the carpet is cut too short which creates a noticeable seam when fixed. Make sure you affix the strips to the tread of each stair, having the angled edge facing away. Even if falls were to occur, the padding of carpeting could prevent serious injuries too. dir141_stairs-carpet-runner-near-complete_s4x3. Measure the width of your stair tread, from one wall to the other or, more often, one wall to the balusters on the... 2. Add at least an inch onto this measurement, and times by the number of steps. Take the stair carpet up to the top of the final riser, tack it into place and trim it off in a neat line. Many stairs have a nose, which can cause problems if not dealt with properly. Whatever you do, remember to cut any excess carpet from the bottom step too. This will keep it from getting rubbed the wrong way when it’s stepped on. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Choosing carpet for the stairs can be a bit more difficult than choosing carpet for other areas of the home. Just to be safe, you should add an extra inch to this measurement before multiplying it by the number of stairs. Without the right materials and tools, you can’t even attempt fitting stair carpet. Fix another piece of gripper to the riser, with the angled edge facing down. Once you do that lay the stories the normal way but turn the extra over against the legs of the lift and staple/tack in place. However, with the extra width needed for doorways this is not usually practical. You will need some specialist carpeting tools but thankfully there are not too expensive. When the time comes to lay your stair carpet, you must begin with the tack strips. Step 3. Guys! This would allow you to affix the landing carpet where the stair carpet ended much easier. After affixing every tack strip, you should cut pieces of underlay to fit the tread. Home > DIY How To Projects and Tutorial Guides > How to Carpet Stairs and Fit Carpet on a Staircase(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Laying carpets on stairs can be a little tricky. Grab your copy now for all the DIY help you need right at your finger tips! Otherwise it will just stretch over the nose from the bottom of the riser, leaving a gap between the carpet and the top of the riser. Unless you already have all the supplies, here are several essentials you need for laying carpet on stairs: When buying carpet for stairs, purchasing a standard-sized runner strip is much easier. Some people continue with a single piece of carpeting along the landing, but that isn’t always possible. You don't want to damage them. Sharp objects can fall, cutting carpets, but most often, tears and rips occur along the … Also, carpet blunts blades very, very quickly with the average room needing up to 6 blades. This will make sure you don't get any misplaced strips protruding once the carpet is set. There’s a lot more to the process. dir141_4fa-carpet-edge_s4x3. When fitting stair carpet over a nose, you must tack the carpet under it. If the step has a nose, you can fix the landing carpet to the underside of it. Easy Ways to Measure Stairs and a Landing for Carpet: 8 Steps However, if you would prefer to carry out the work yourself, it can be done. Take this opportunity to give the stairs a good clean before you start again. However, this may not be possible, in which case you will need to cut a strip to the width of your stairs. Your email address will not be published. The other way is to cut your stair runs 3cm bigger than the width needed from the lift legs to the opposite side of the stair. If you are pulling up carpet from stairs: Begin at the top of the stairs. If not, you may need to go down to the bottom of the first riser to get a neat join. Again, leave 3/4 the thickness of the carpet between the gripper and the bottom of the riser. - YouTube Before you can start laying carpet on stairs, you must make preparations. If not, you may need to … When purchasing carpet for your stairs, it will be much easier for you if you can buy a standard sized runner strip of stair carpet. Don't fancy doing this project yourself? Browse our exclusive House Beautiful carpet collection and premium branded carpets, or stay on budget with our Essential Value carpet range. If you are carpeting the landing too, measure this and add on to your stair measurement. The practical stage of installing a carpet can’t begin until you have carpeting to install. Once those pieces are prepared, you should secure them to the staircase using a heavy-duty staple gun. A carpeted staircase would be much safer than a hard surface since they’re usually less slippery. The most important ingredients in any home improvement concoction are the supplies. If your stairs and landing carpets are different, you may prefer to take the stair carpet up and over the top step, then put a joining strip between the two carpets. Finally, install the carpet tiles on your stairs. Whether you plan to pick up a runner that is ready to go, or craft something totally custom, you’ll … Binding tapes are great if you want to do it the easy way. Materials and Tools: carpet staples hand stapler stair tool hammer utility knife measuring tape knee kicker gloves. eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'diydoctor_org_uk-under_second_paragraph','ezslot_3',691,'0','0']));Remove any old carpet from the stairs, along with old underlay, tacks, nails, staples and any other unpleasant things sticking up. You can find this essential on sale at various websites online, along with most hardware stores. Repeat this on every stair, but don’t put a tack strip on the bottom step. If you want to learn how to lay carpet on stairs, these instructions make the project a much easier one for any handyman or handywoman to carry out themselves. All project content written and produced by Mike Edwards, founder of DIY Doctor and industry expert in building technology. Tack the carpet to the bottom of the first riser, pull the carpet up and over the first step, using the knee kicker to stretch it well so that it doesn’t ruck up in future as it gets walked on. Turn-and-Tack Method 1. If that method wouldn’t work for you, make sure you trim the carpet in a neat line. For example, the point at which the skirt board sits level on the floor at the bottom of the stair. That is why most people would suggest calling in an expert. Stair Rod used to finish of a carpet fitting project. In order to fit a stair carpet you will need the following: Have a look at our Carpet Fitters Tools Kit, for a complete list of tools that we recommend (note that you can select only the tools that you need – you don’t have to buy the complete kit if you already have some of the tools). Having a hammer makes installing tack strips easy, especially to wood or plywood subfloors. When the time comes to lay your stair carpet, you must begin with the tack strips. It has the same measurements for the tread and riser as a box stair (combined 18"). You’ll have to decide which finish works best for your situation. The formula for a Level Cut = 90 – Degree of Stair Example: 90 – 37.5 = 52.5 Carpet runner is sold in standard 27-inch and 36-inch widths; buy the width that best fits your stairway. Carpeting stairs is a great projects for a DIY enthusiast! The width of the carpet has to be rounded up to 4 or 5 metres in width depending on the carpet ordered. Luckily, our stairs carpet calculator takes the guesswork out. Staple tack strips and install padding. Start at the top of the stairs and remove the carpet with the vise-grips and utility knife. Measure and cut a piece of carpet to the appropriate length. Leaving these materials behind could not only ruin your new carpet but harm you too. Work your way up each step, repeating this process, until you get to the top. The Level Cut is used to cut a component that is angled with the stairs level at the top or bottom. All our fitting is fully guaranteed by a highly experienced team who are always reliable, honest and courteous in your home. Carpet fitters use hooked blades so that the blade stays sharper for longer. If not, cut the carpet near the top of the top stair riser. Binding Tape. For example, if the stair is 30 inches wide, your carpet runner will measure 26 inches wide, so your tackless trips must measure 24.5 inches wide. If you are carpeting your landing with the same carpet, you can either continue one piece of carpet all the way along the landing. Your email address will not be published. How Much Does Wood Floor Installation Cost. This is because, in addition to having to decide on carpet style and color, the carpet has to be of appropriate durability and thickness to be installed on the stair.