carpeting a staircase
w14
Does anyone know the correct way to install carpeting on an open staircase and upstairs hall? Not wall-to-wall! I have beautiful hardwood floors. Are the edges turned under or bound? Do you carpet the first riser as well as the last? How do you secure the hall carpet? Does the stairs carpet meet the hall? Do you use padding? The rest of the house is too beautiful to mess this up. I have brass carpet rods, too, to install after I figure out what is right. I'm not keen about buying "runners" as I've only seen limited color availability and widths. Thanks, w14
kathypullin
I looked into this a few months ago, and decided not to do it, as it appeared to be fairly destructive to the wood floor. From what I read the carpet is nailed, or stapled to the wood. You need a pad to stop the rug from slipping, and the type of pad is a wood to carpet pad. The carpet rods are purely decorative and will not hold the carpet in place.
kathypullin
Here's a website with more information on how carpet is installed on stairs: http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/fc_carpets_rugs/article/0,2037,DIY_13811_2269276,00.html
w14
kathypullin,So what did you do? It seems cold and noisy (in winter, but fresh and clean in summer). I feel like it's not finished--although I've had the stairs and hall bare for many years because of the beauty of the wood. I'm leaning towards a cozier feel since the whole house is hardwood floors (with area rugs). I think I could stand putting the nails in. Our house was built in 1939. We've been very careful to "restore," not remodel. There is evidence of nail holes in the stairs, but they are so few and unnoticeable, I'm wondering what the original owner had down. Oh, I forgot to mention, there's one 90 degree turn in the stairs and one in the hall. How do you do THAT when it's not wall-to-wall?! Still not sure if I'll do this, but I would like more input. w14
seattledesigner
Edges are typically bound or taped. Keep in mind that any carpet can be cut to runner size. Corners on the landing will be seamed by the installer. A plusher carpet will cover the treads (and seam) best. A non-linear pattern will probably work best. Also, in addition to the installation damage to the wood, there is also a high likelihood that the floor color under the rug will be different than the uncovered areas if you ever decide to remove the carpeting.
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