Installing Carpet on Stairs - Carpet Installation Videos
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Installing Carpet on Stairs
How to Install Carpet on Stairs
This first video gives an overview of the method of installing carpet using a traditional method called the cap and band installation. This is for a straight staircase, a spiral staircase is a different method.
We assume you start with no carpet in place. If you are remodeling, you will have to remove the old tacking strips and you should remove the old padding as well.
Tools for this job should include:
- Tack strips
- Hammer
- Staples or upholstery nails
- Utility knife
- Measuring Tape
- Knee Pads
- Knee kicker (you may want to rent one of these, see the video below)
- Stair Tool (you may want to rent one of these)
- Safety glasses
Calculate the amount of carpet you will need. Measure across the tread to get the width, and add the height and be sure to add the length under the noser for the total. Add at least 3 inches per stair to account for the padding under the carpet.
Put the tack strip down at the stair crotch location. Then tighten the carpet, tucking it into the crotch with a knee kicker as shown in the video, stretching the carpet at the center of the tread and hooking it on the tack strip. Attach the carpet firmly to the strip by sliding the kicker back and forth to compress the pins on the tack strip. Trim the excess carpet. Do the same on each side of the tread, and be sure that the carpet is smooth when you are finished with that tread. Sometimes stapling is done as well to ensure that the carpet is secure.
Installing a Stair Runner
Installing a Stair Runner
This video give an overview of the somewhat different approach to covering stairs with carpet, which is to install a carpet runner. This approach is sometimes referred to as the waterfall method. This is somewhat simpler in that it does not cover the entire staircase, so the steps need to be finished, but the advantage is that the finished surface is not as slippery as a wood staircase, and can be quite a bit quieter when traffic is up and down the staircase.
The job should only take about 2 hours, and can be accomplished with just a few simple tools. The video shows how to select the right size runner, the method to fasten it in place. This includes the installation of the stair rod with screws to retain the runner in place on each of the steps.
Air Powered Stair Kicker
Air Powered Stair Kicker
Finally, if you are using the cap and band method to place your carpet, you may be interested in this kicker. Using a traditional kicker on the stairs is a little more difficult that using it on a flat floor, so this shows the use of an air power stair carpet kicker, which seems to be much simpler to use. You may be able to rent one for your home improvement project.
Books on Carpet Installation
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CommentsLoading...
How do you wrap the carpet around the bottom two stairs if they are exposed in the basement
nice... Very helpful.
Right said Rudra.
Love the crazy amount of links and references you've put out. I really dig the way this hub's been laid out.
When you learn the Roberts method of installation, then you will know why all the tools and supplies were named after him.
However, no one else in the trade can explain his method in detail, well, that is besides me.
Try to find his method online. It's. Of there. Not bad on your install, just not the correct way.
See if anyone in the industry can tell you.
Rudra 4 years ago
nicely explained one of the most difficult things to do. love DIY.