Carpet stairs- installation and types

The staircases are the areas which witness maximum footfalls in the house. Carpeting the staircase not only adds to the aesthetic appeal of the house but also provides comfort from the hard surface of the stairs. There are some methods which need to be followed to the letter for installing carpet stairs.

PREPARATION

The first step is to measure the dimensions of the stairs such as length, breadth and the height. The number of stairs also needs to be counted since it will determine the number of tackles strips and pads one would require for the carpet. Now the next step is to consult a carpet professional to discuss the project such as the size of the stairs, design and choice of the carpet. Photographs of the staircase also help the professional in giving sound advice to the customer.

Taking the creative side of the carpet into account is also important because these carpets are mainly decorating items. The different types of carpets possess different kinds of designs, hence it is imperative to lend as much as visible symmetry to the carpet as possible.

METHODS

Purchasing the supplies such as the amount of carpet required for the stairs (extra couple of feet for accounting of possible cuts and errors), Tackles strips to hold the carpet and the padding, staples, hammer and nails, chisel and carpet knee kicker.

The tackles strips are then cut, 1.5 inches less than the width of the carpet. They are hammered into place through nails. Two strips per step. A horizontal strip is hammered to the height of each step and another set of strips are stuck on the other side of each step. The carpet pad is now cut and placed for each tread and the padding sheets are placed over the tackles strips and stapled.

The padding is pulled over the stair nosing and stapled every three inches. The carpet runner is then placed, ideally from top to bottom. The carpet runner should be between the outlines marked previously by a pencil. A carpet knee kicker will get the carpet fixed into the outline of the steps. The tackles strips should hold onto the carpet firmly, if not then a chisel can be used to press the angle between the step’s height and tread to ensure that it gets hooked in. Finally the excess carpet should be cut off.

OUTLETS 

There are many varieties of carpet stairs available in many designs and sizes at both online and conventional stores. Every kind of design can be checked out through the internet.