Carpeting on stairs is common due to the fact that stairs are the most common part of home to have carpet though applying tricks is a must for the installation.
However, it would be a bit difficult to select a carpet for stairs rather than for other home areas.
This is because there are thing to consider more when installing carpet on stairs, such as the carpet durability and thickness.
Further, the carpet must also look good in design since it must wrap around the edge of the stair as well as through the railing posts.
In addition to consider carpeting on stairs, here are the things that you must keep in mind before you finally selecting a carpet to wrap your stairs.
Let’s check them out in the following review sections which include safety for chairs, carpet quality and durability, thickness consideration, soil resistance, styles and appearance, open stairs, installation, stringers, warranty coverage and everything to consider about carpeting on stairs.
Safety for Stairs
Safety is the first factor to consider when someone gets an idea to cover the stairs with carpet. Check out what kind of flooring you have already had on stairs.
If so, covering the stairs with carpet is not a bad idea.
This is much dealing with the safety you must provide for your family especially the elder people and small children who are potentially getting slipped when walking on.
In fact, walking on hard surfaces are too risky. Everyone can probably lead to fall due to the slippery stairs.
If you cover the floors with carpet, you will have a safer and softer landing spot than hardwood or laminate. In this case, falling on a hardwood may cause you get injured.
Read Also: Frieze Carpet Review Installation, Design And Cost
Carpet Quality
Due to the fact that stairs are the highest traffic spaces in most homes, carpet is commonly used on stairs.
The foot traffic on stairs gives a greater impact dealing with the forced gravity when you are descending the stairs. Thus, choosing a carpet with the highest quality along with the cushion is a must.
To ensure the safety and add comfort, adding pad is a good idea yet it requires an additional cost.
Carpet Durability for Stairs
While safety places the top rank followed by the quality, carpet durability the third rank to consider.
As we have mentioned, stairs are the highest traffic area, requiring you to be carefully aware of selecting the carpet for covering.
A big question on your mind is probably what kind of carpet that will be suitable enough for stairs, right?
Find the durable one!
Carpeting on stairs is different from carpeting on other home areas. You must choose a carpet type which is not only in a good look to fit the interior home design but also able to stand up to the heavy traffic.
In the other words, the carpet you are choosing for bedrooms, living rooms or other home areas will not be appropriate to use on stairs.
Thus, there is one thing to remember when choosing a carpet for stairs that is the one with the high durability you can afford and with the style that you like most.
Thickness Consideration Carpeting On Stairs
Thickness must be taken into consideration every time you select a carpet especially for stairs.
In this case, many people believed that the thicker a carpet, the more durable it is. Well, this is not always true.
In fact, even a carpet with the thinnest profiles proves to be more durable than the thickest one.
Truly, thickness is one of the most crucial factor in determining the suitability of the carpet to the environment. A too-thick-carpet can be dangerous and uncomfortable.
That is because the too-thick-carpet wraps around the stairs nosing, making your foot getting a ramp.
In this case, it has nothing to support your foot underneath. Believe it or not, a very thick carpet will cause someone slipped and fallen.
You don’t want to experience it, do you?
Moreover, some carpet installers are not willing to work on installing thick carpet due to the difficulty they are going to face. That’s true. Installing a thick carpet is very much difficult and effortful.
The most common carpet thickness, in this case, is considerably ½ inch for the pile height along with the 7/16 inch padding or less. Meanwhile, a good carpet for stairs is the one with the 8 pounds density rating.
The information about the carpet thickness dealing with the idea of installing carpet on stairs is very much crucial not only because it is potentially causing you slipped but also hard to find the installer for the projects.
So you have to look over the carpet thickness before finally purchasing.
Soil Resistance
Soil resistance is another criteria you must be aware in thinking about carpeting on stairs. Remember, staining is different from soiling.
In this case, if you need a carpet only to cover the stairs, the one with stain resistance is not listed in the first recommendation.
In the other word, stain resistance is not importantly consider. However, to ensure anything about carpeting on stairs, it is much necessary to choose a type with the soiling resistance.
Did you realize that your foot must have brought something out there?
It could be oil residue as you have just walked from the kitchen.
When you are reaching the stairs and walking on the carpeted stairs, your feet may leave the oil residue on the carpet. Actually, this can be avoided by wearing socks or slippers in the house.
If not, your barely feet as well as your pet’s footmarks won’t be good for the carpet. Thus, selecting a carpet with soiling resistance feature is much recommended.
This way, the soil resistance feature will not make the reside stick to the carpet fibers. It will neither attract the dirt particles.
Style and Appearance Carpeting On Stairs
Thanks to the carpet manufacturers for producing the carpets with the stylish designs to fit every touch of interior home design.
Never think too hard about selecting a carpet style for stairs since any style of carpet will definitely suit the stairs.
Many people are wondering how their carpet will look like after being wrapped by the carpet since carpeting the stairs includes the process of cutting and posts railing.
In relation to the carpet installation, things to concern are the backing of the carpet that wraps the edge around and the seams where the carpet are joined around the post.
However, the backing of the carpet will not be visible unless the one in the lowest-grade product.
Even the backing of the most entry-level or builder-grade carpet products will not be visible. Thus, make sure your carpet are properly installed.
In fact, carpeting on stairs is not an easy task. Remember, it has its own particular direction to the pile which is usually running form the top of the stairs to the bottom.
This will actually enhance the carpet performance and ensure the appropriate wear.
For example, berber carpet can be bend backward to make the backing visible between the rows. This is usually called “Smiling”.
However, people tend to make mistake when bending it. They bend it wrong way instead of backward.
In fact, installing the carpet on stairs is based on the lengthwise, making the rows of loops run from the stairs top to the stairs bottom. This is aimed to prevent the smiling effect the stairs’ front nosing.
In this case, you will be able to see the backing if the berber is installed on an open stains on one side and it wraps the edge around outside the staircase.
Yes, you will probably be able to see the backing since the caret is bent across the direction. In short, the high quality berber will not be a problem for stairs.
Open Stairs
What about carpeting on open stairs?
Will it be possible and no problem?
There is not significant difficulty in installing a carpet on open stairs as long as you do the proper way of installation. In this case, there are two ways to bend the carpet in order to install in on open stairs.
Firstly, you can bend the carpet lengthwise and secondly, you can do it widthwise. Thus, the carpet smiling will possibly occur on the side of the carpet.
If you want to prevent or avoid smiling, the best solution is finding the high quality berber designed with the larger loops. That is aimed to cover the space within the rows when you bend the carpet sideways.
Installation Of Carpet On Stairs
Once you make a decision on installing carpet on stairs, the thing you should check out later is the installation project.
In this regards, there are two installation techniques you can choose to install your carpet.
First is the waterfall technique and the French cap technique. The waterfall installation technique requires you to bend the carpet simply over the edge of the stairs and to bring it down straightly to meet the next step tread.
Using this installation technique will enable you to finish the project fast. Noticeably, this installation technique is widely used among the new home builders.
In comparison, the French cap installation technique requires you to wrap the carpet around the stair edge and tuck the carpet under the lip, contouring to the step shape.
If you are using this installation technique, you must provide more time and skill so that you can create a tailored look as you expect.
Stringers Carpeting On Stairs
Carpeting on stairs must also take stringers into account. Stringers are the side supports that are available for the stairs.
In this case, the stringer will just run along the wall at the similar angles of the stairs especially if you have a closed-in stairs.
A big question is: will you cover them with the carpet or just paint them?
The answer simply depends on your likeness.
Truly, carpet on stingers has an aesthetic look. It has no other purpose but the look only.
If you have uneven stringers in your classical home, covering them with carpet will be a good idea. This will definitely help to hide the stairs imperfections. If not, your stringers will just look so outdated.
However, if you prefer the contemporary style, you can leave the stringers uncovered. Paint them the color similar to the trim.
Carpeting On Stairs Warranty Coverage
When it comes to purchase a flooring either soft surface like carpet and laminate or hard surface like tile, ceramic and wood, don’t hesitate to ask the salesperson about the warranty coverage of the flooring products.
Mostly, there are lots of carpets that come with no warranty for stairs. In fact, though a carpet purchased to be installed in apartment, the manufacturers exclude the warranty coverage for all stairs.
In these recent years, some carpets haven been added with the stairs warranty coverage.
If you are aware of protecting the carpeting on stairs, make sure the type you are going to purchase is completed with the warranty coverage for stairs.
Read Also: How To Calculate How Much Carpet You Need
Everything To Consider For Stairs Carpeting
Lastly, let’s check out everything you need to take into consideration when it’s time to purchase a carpet for stairs.
Those are the durability, a proper thickness, soil resistance and warranty coverage. While there is no exact criteria for the best carpet to install on stairs, you may considerably check out Mohawk SmartStrand collection.
The carpets grouped into this collection are all featuring an excellent soil resistance along with the stairs warranty coverage.
There is also a large number of styles options along with the suitable thickness and durability.
As long as you perform a proper selection and installation, a carpet can be one of the best home element contributing to the amazing look on stairs.
So what will you have in mind about carpeting on stairs?
If you are sure to carry out the project, make sure you have fully read this review to enrich you with the basic information about carpet for stairs.
