How to lay a stair runner
You will need:
-
Knee kicker
- Strong utility knife and spare blades
- Tape measure
- Double-sided carpet tape
- Gripper strip
- Pincers
- Hammer
- Saw
- Threshold bar
- Screws
- Screwdriver
- Underlay
- Stair runner
- Tacks
If you've had some experience of fitting carpet in a room, you could save money by laying your own stair carpet. This is how to tackle a straight run of stairs - angled stairs use the same technique but the excess carpet must be folded up against the risers.
Buy the best carpet you can afford since stairs take a lot of wear and tear.
Time to complete job: 2-3 hours.
Approximate budget: From around £40, depending on the quality of the carpet.
First steps
To find a professional, visit The Contract Flooring Association.
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Step 1: Fix the gripper strips
Use pincers to remove any tacks and nails from old floor coverings and repair any squeaky boards.
Fit gripper strips at the bottom of each riser (upright section) and at the back of each tread, with the spikes facing into the angle made by the strips.
Do this with all but the bottom step. -
Syep 2: Laying the underlay
Trim pieces of underlay to fit on each tread. The underlay should fold over the front edge and be tacked to the underneath of the tread.
Tack the rear edge in front of the gripper strip on the tread. -
Step 3: Laying the carpet
Use the bolster to force the carpet into the gripper strips as you work your way up the stairs. Trim the end to fit into the top gripper strip.
Remember to allow plenty of upstairs hallway carpet to fold down over the top of the stairs and against the last rising then tacked into place.
Tip: The carpet pile should face down the stairs, so the carpet will smooth as you brush your hand from the back of the tread to the front. Fold under a spare piece of carpet at the bottom of the stairs so that it can be tacked to the first tread. -
Step 4: Stair rods
Although the carpet will actually be held in place by the tacks, you can fit stair rods for a tidy appearance.
Fit the clips for the rods at each edge of the carpet to prevent it from slipping sideways.
Tip: Make sure you purchase enough rods for the number of stairs to be covered.
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