5 Great Tips When Choosing a Stair Runner or Fully Carpeting Your Stairs
Posted on February 1, 2022 at 9:00 AM by Becky Smith
1. Deciding between stair runners or fully carpeted installation
Installing a stair runner or new carpet can add a nice touch to your home and is a great home improvement project. Of course, we all love the natural beauty of hardwood stairs, but they also come with a price. They are often slippery, so people choose to carpet their stairs for an extra layer of safety.
If you have young children, you might consider when they are running up and downstairs, which is safer, a stair runner or fully carpet stairs? People consider installing carpet because often, non-carpeted stairs can be very noisy and creaky. Also, using carpet or a stair runner will help eliminate the noise in the middle of the night when we want to get up and enjoy a drink of water.
When deciding whether to use a stair runner or carpet your stairs, consider how much time and energy you want to spend. Stair runners are great for a faster carpet installation. Unfortunately, many choose the “waterfall” stair runner installation, which is difficult to do if you don’t have a landing.
Installing a stair runner will allow you to vacuum less, which will cut down how often you have to bring the vacuum up and down the stairs. If your whole house already has wall-to-wall carpeting, it may be a good idea aesthetically to continue with fully-carpeted stairs.
FYI: Braided stair treads compliments a traditionally styled home perfectly!
2. Removing old carpet
This is a great time to repair your floor or replace any damaged carpet pads when removing your old carpet. First, check the floor for pet stains and spray the proper cleaning solution. Then, if any staples came up from the rug pad, make sure to hammer them down.
3. Choosing the perfect stair carpet
When choosing the carpet for your stairs, you want to choose one that is stain-resistant and one that will hold up with a lot of wear and tear. Staircases are often are heavy traffic areas, and having the ability to spot clean is essential. So choose a carpet that is stain-resistant and durable.
You also want to make sure your carpeting is not too thick. If the carpet is too thick, it may be easy to fall. At the same time, you want a carpet that will be comfortable to walk on.
After narrowing down the best quality carpet, decide if you want a patterned rug or a solid color. If your looking for a variety of colors and patterns to choose from for carpet for your stairs American Country Home Store has a great selection of Dash & Albert Rugs that would be perfect for a stair runner.
4. Don’t forget the rug pad
Installing a carpet pad will add extra cushion to your stair carpet and increase the duration of the carpet. The carpet pad acts as a barrier between the carpet and the floor. We don’t recommend installing a stair runner without a carpet pad!
5. Installing a stair runner
Installing a stair runner can be done yourself, but you may consider hiring a professional if you want precision with cutting and measuring.
To learn more about installing a stair runner yourself, check out our blog post, “How to Install a Runner for a Stairway.”
Do you need some help picking out a carpet for your stairs?
Finding the right carpet can be a challenge. We recommend using an indoor/outdoor rug for a durable, long-lasting option. Click the links below to see our most popular rugs!
