Carpeting is a thick, heavy material that requires a lot of effort and strength to remove. While some carpet seam irons can end up harming the fibers, this one is designed to never do so. Equipment / Tools Stapler Knee kicker Cutting tools Flat-head screwdriver Before you get started, there are a few simple tools you will need to install carpets on stairs: There are DIY tool kits for carpeting stairs available, but a few of the simple tools should be enough to help you complete your project with little fuss. Tools like carpet glue, carpet stapler, carpet seam iron, carpet seam roller, carpet stair tool, hammer tacker and carpet tape are a few tools that you may need for the carpeting project! Once youve finalized a stunning carpet, you have to get it installed at your home. Measure the Room. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY. Take these five things into consideration before removing carpet from stairs. The thin, dense pad helps to quiet and cushion footsteps, but it also prevents the runner from wearing out prematurely. Choosing a new carpet for your home can be an exciting prospect. The thick and fluffy pile becomes hard and compacted, while stains and discolorations may be visible reminders of household spills and mishaps. Push end of runner against floor at bottom of first riser. If so, here are six tips to make DIY carpet installation go more smoothly. If any glue remains, use a putty knife to scrape the glue away. You'll need to make a template and cut the carpet to fit when all the padding is attached. Ensure there arent any air bubbles trapped under the surface of the carpet and that it has been fitted tightly against each step. Place front edge of knee kicker on center of the runner about 2 inches from the riser. Step 3: Attach padding to the stairs by using a hammer stapler. Apply a 12-inch strip of adhesive to the step and lay the carpet over the step, smoothing it out by hand. Carpet adhesives are a crucial part of the glue down installation method. Install Tack Strips With a Gap Between the Wall, For Patterned Carpet, Buy an Extra 5 Percent, Do Not Attach Padding Over the Tack Strips, Consider Carpet Pile Direction When Seaming, How to Get Wrinkles Out of Carpet Without a Stretcher, Carpet Installation: What to Know Before You Buy. If you want to ensure that the carpet appears flat and tight across the floor, you must use a power carpet stretcher! The Carpet Power Stretcher is another tool that could come in handy during a carpet installation project! Tack strips are designed to grip onto the carpet and be stuck between the strip and the wall. Find trusted local pros for any home project. 2/ 9/16 Electric Gun Staples. Start at the middle, and work your way to each edge to minimize any bubbles in the middle. Stay connected to Zameen Blog, the best home dcor and real estate blog in Pakistan, for more DIY home improvement tips and tricks. Removing carpet from the stairs requires more tools and safety equipment than you might expect. After you have measured and obtained the correct length of Stair Runner, you'll need some additional tools to complete the installation, including a. Still, there may be instances where your budget is so tight that saving on installation costs is critical. WebTo install carpet on stairs without tack strips you can use carpet adhesive, magnetic flooring, or staples; adhesive is the most common method. 5. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Make sure to wrap the padding around the nose of the treads perfectly and staple it in place before moving to the next step. Proper carpet disposal is an important part of the project. Drill 116-inch pilot holes at each mark. Next, to calculate the length of your stair runner, add your measurements for the depth of the stair tread and the height of the riser, then multiply this sum by the number of stairs. Use a hammer to tap the pry bar under the tack strip, then pry the tack strip away. NOTE! Some contractors will charge per step, and that ranges from $10 to $45 per step. To keep things manageable, cut carpet pieces into smaller strips when you remove them. Some DIYers make the mistake of thinking that they can install carpeting just by cutting pieces with an ordinary utility knife and rolling out the pieces over the floor. Tip: If runner bulges and doesnt lie flat against the tread, lift it straight up off the strip and begin again. Carpet Stapler. Not to mention, having carpeting on the stairs can soften the look of your home and absorb sound waves. Then, using the centre point as a guide, mark the points where the outer edges of the carpet will lay on the marble stairs. This helps hide the pad. Get rid of the tack strips and don't try to use the old padding. 4. If the stair is open on the side with railing posts, the carpet must be cut around each post and re-joined on the other side. Roberts Electric Staple Gun. In total, installing a high quality rug and pad on your stairs costs between $380 and $1050. Remove padding in the same fashion. Cut pad where nosing and top of riser meet. These combine the best of both worlds, being resilient yet warm and soft. While there are many carpet installation tools in the market, it is confusing to know which ones to get at the start. Some stairs have carpeting that runs up the center with edges that are bare hardwood. There are a number of tools that can help you install your carpet. There are two ways of installing carpet on stairs: the Hollywood method and the waterfall method. 3/ Roberts Carpet tucker. Fold the edges around the step and use a stair tool and a rubber mallet to crease the carpet into the seam and secure it to the tackless strip. Smooth and stretch the pad, so it fits tightly against the tread and riser, then staple it to the riser. Removing the carpet is just part of the jobonce the carpeting is gone, youll still need to pry up the carpet padding and tack strips. The Roberts 10-254V Power Carpet Stretcher is a wonderful tool that ensures you successfully install the carpet. Place a bracket against either edge of the runner at the intersection of the tread and riser. The carpeting should be even with the floor, but if not, just trim the edge with a carpet knife. Moreover, it has a checkered head which prevents the hammer from slipping when securing the carpet to the floor. Most experts recommend adding 5 percent overage for waste on a non-patterned carpet, and you should add another 5 percent, for a total of 10 percent overage, for patterned carpeting. Cut your tack strips into lengths that are four inches shorter than the width of your chosen runner, then count out two strips for each stair. Step 5: Unlike installing carpet on marble and concrete stairs, it is recommended to start carpeting a wooden staircase from the bottom-most step and then work your way up. You need high-quality carpet glue if you choose the glue down carpet installation method! Once you remove a piece of carpet, roll it up, use a piece of duct tape to hold it in place, and place it into a large contractor garbage bag. Staple each edge of the runner 2 inches above bottom of riser. The Henry #663 Carpet Adhesive is a terrific glue that will amaze you with its performance. You can use an awl or straightedge to push the carpet into the tackless strips and form clean lines between the riser and the floor. The tack strip is quite thick and a normal cutter will not be able to cut it neatly. The narrow strip of carpeting is set on a pad and then attached to tackless strips nailed to each tread. There are two different ways to install carpet on stairs. Before you begin removing the tack strip, be sure to put on your safety glasses if youre not already wearing them. The [amazon link=B00336I62W title=Henry, W.W. Co. Pull up a small corner of the carpet to get a look at what is underneath. Recenter the runner, then push the carpet back over the nosing and toward the next tack strip. Butt pad to front edge of tackless strip. Step 4: Spread the carpet adhesive on the treads and edges of the concrete stairs with a trowel. Step 5: For marble, youll need to install carpet on stairs with glue. Dont worry about this happening to your precious floor coverings as the Delphin Dolphin Carpet Knife is adored by professionals for a good reason. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. 5. Here is a special comprehensive guide about thebest rooms to carpet! Stairs that have no risers are called Hollywood stairs. This tool is designed to cut through carpet backing yet be precisely straight when in use. A Carpet Tack Strip Cutter does exactly what the name suggests, it cuts tack strips! Step 4. For each tread, use sheet-metal snips to cut a tackless strip 2 inches shorter than the width of the runner. Two types of stretchers are essential to a good carpet installation: a long power stretcher that will brace against the walls to stretch the carpeting taut across the entire room, and a knee kicker that will help you push the edges into corners and over the tack strips around the perimeter of the room. Now it was time to finally place the carpet runner! Fasten the carpet underneath the nosing of the tread with staples and wrap the carpet around the nosing and over the tack strip at the back of the tread. Other tapes in the market tend to lose their stickiness after a few days which can frustrate you. Many installation teams will move furniture, remove and dispose of old carpet, install padding and new carpet, and move the furniture back in placeall within a few hours. Now that you have the low-down on how to install carpets on your stairs, it is time to get stuck into your next DIY project. Jillian is a freelance journalist with 10 years of editorial experience in the lifestyle genre. You can do this with chalk, so its easy to remove. Otherwise, you may end with a poor seam that isnt going to work! Carpet hammer tackers are becoming more popular amongst people who dislike the use of carpet glue. After glue dries to touch, unroll runner up 3 or 4 treads, making sure its between the layout marks. WebLay each piece in place, and secure it with a hammer stapler. Repeat the process with the next riser. Spread marble adhesive on the stairs using a caulking gun, if available. A Roberts Knee Kicker. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Safety glasses are especially important during this part of the project, when tacks and wood can fly off in all directions. If you follow our DIY guide on how to install carpet on stairs, you can upgrade your entire home dcor and give your staircase a stylish makeover all by yourself. The width of the stairs depends on how much of the area you want to cover. As you figure out how to measure stairs for carpet, start by selecting one stair tread. Carpet seaming is a challenging procedure that is a part of carpet installation projects! Home Home Decor Learn How to Install Carpet on Stairs, In This Post How to install carpet on marble stairs How to install carpet on concrete stairs How to install carpet on wooden stairs. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2014 |Handyman tips |All Rights Reserved. Risers are generally no more than 7-3/4 inches tall. Use carpet tool and rubber mallet to pack runner tightly between the tackless strip and the riser. Hold down front knob with one hand, using the other hand to keep the kickers shaft level. One of the most important components of home comfort is carpets & rugs and at the same time, it is one of the poorly covered topics on the Internet. Since marble and wooden stairs are replacing concrete staircases in homes, the most budget-friendly way to upgrade your living space is by covering the steps with a stylish carpet. He is a certified lead carpenter and also holds a certification from the EPA. Hold them in place and mark the locations of the screw holes. This positioning tool is designed for use with low-profile carpet, and features teeth angled forward to help grip and hold the carpet. Hit kicker with knee. You can mix a small batch of concrete and fill these gaps with a trowel. If you plan to install a stair runner without tack strips, you first need to be prepared. In case you fall, carpeted stairs will provide you with much better padding than the cold, hard marble, wooden, or concrete steps. If youre not going to use adhesives, you can consider using a carpet stapler instead! They work on the same principle as power stretchers but are made for smaller spaces! I'm Nancy and I love Home Decor! Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. Put away the pliers. Best Rooms to Carpet: Room by Room Guide! There are two types of nylon variations to choose from, nylon 6 which has better recycling capabilities and nylon 6.6 which has a higher resilience. (For upholstered installation, staple edges to riser, then staple runner to underside of nosing every 3 inches.). Measure the size of each stair and cut the carpet to fit. Step 2: Measure the total length of the stairs (treads and risers) in inches and then divide the sum with 12 to get the value in feet. A carpet seam roller has two small axles and a metal wheel which can be described as toothed. Step 3 Staple Carpet Pad Use a hammer stapler and staple the carpet pad in place starting from the center of each stair tread. At top of last riser, cut runner tight to the underside of the nosing or molding. If the dimensions of your stairs are not within these guidelines, you'll need to rebuild them for safety. When you finally reach the top riser, fold the carpets upper edge back on itself and staple it just underneath the overhanging lip of the flooring. Of all of the options available to you, a machine-hemmed, prefabricated stair runner is the most convenient choice for easy installation. The tape is highly appreciated by consumers and is said to be safe for delicate surfaces like wood and vinyl. Replacing Carpet on Stairs With Hardwood Tools Utility Knife Pry Bar Pliers Jigsaw Tape Measure Materials OSB (Oriented Strand Board) Construction Adhesive Nails Lint-Free Rag Stain View All Tools & Materials Note Product costs, availability and item numbers may vary online or by market. On average, you can expect to pay between $150 and $600 to carpet stairs, including new carpet for the landing. Roberts Knee Kicker is an Industry Standard, there are others, but most of us Pro's use a 2. Nail more than one tackless strips to the risers as needed. Step 3. Carpet on stairs sees the worst wear and tear because of its frequent use. Also, carpeted stairs are safer than hard-surface stairs, as they lessen your chances of slipping and pad your fall if you lose your balance. If you want to install carpets with perfect seams and properly cut edges, rely on a cushion back carpet cutter. If any hardwood floor is involved, there may be a need of tapping the staple with a hammer. How to Determine the Age of a Persian Rug. Free In-Home Estimates. Marble stairs have become somewhat of a default fixture in modern houses and for a good reason. Then, pull the padding tight around the stair nosing and staple it underneath (onto the riser), again spaced every three inches. Through this method the carpet finds solid support and doesnt find any room for movement. Step 6: Make sure to stretch your carpet and hold it taut as you fix it into the seam between the riser and tread. If youre going to seam your carpets, you need both a seam iron and a seam roller! Even if you remove the tape, you will not have to struggle with any floor issues which are incredibly common with carpet installation methods using glue! Apart from that, it is built to be more durable and lightweight than its competitors. Carpet Glue. Carpet runner Marble adhesive Carpet cutter Measuring tape Chalk Caulking gun (optional) Straightedge (optional) Procedure Step 1: Measure the stairs to calculate the length of the carpet youll need. Carpeting on stairs is usually priced differently because of the specialized skill needed and additional tools. Use a placer of two strips taped together to measure how high to place it. This way youll be able to formulate a game plan for your renovation. Carpet tack strips are typically sold in lengths of about three to six feet and will be required around the entire perimeter of the room. Ive experienced success in using it to tuck the carpet in various crevices. Use a tape measure to measure the stair and riser, and add around 4 inches to cover the edges. Jill Lawrence O'Hara, Bob Vila, 11 Ways to Make the Most of Your Towns Curbside Cleanup Day, 5 Ways to Prevent Cracks in Concreteand 1 Easy Fix, Make Your Home Less Chaotic With These 12 Simple Changes, The Biggest Mistakes Youre Making with Your Coat Closet, What to Know About Paying Off Your Mortgage Early, 14 Home Improvement Projects You Can Tackle with Your Tax Refund. Carpet rolls available in the market are available in 12 and 15-foot wide variants, which necessitates the need for seaming. She has vast experience with digital media, including SEO, photo shoot production, video production, eCommerce content, print collaboration, and custom sales content. The Delphin Carpet Knife is a favorite among professionals for its precision and performance. Caitlin Sole is the senior home editor at BHG. The Crain #905 Heat Iron is a fantastic tool that will let you finish your carpeting project in no time. However, XFasten Carpet Tape has been designed to eliminate this problem for good. The carpet installation process for concrete stairs isnt much different from that of a marble staircase. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Are you excited about decorating your home? The best features of this stapler include its 85 staple capacity and intelligent design that enables fast reloading. Grab toward the upper left or right corner of the riser. Regardless of whether it is used on the edge of the stairs or the side of the walls to tuck the floor covering, the tool works perfectly! A carpet stapler has heavy duty staples that can secure a carpet to the floor. Moreover, dont forget to subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date about the latest construction and property trends in the country. A tack strip cutter can ensure youre better able to make clean cuts on the tack strip and preserve the look! Line up runner between layout marks on first tread. Power stretchers have a lever and a pole which apply tension on the carpet across the room. The [amazon link=B0141L81GS title=XFasten Double Sided Carpet Tape/] is a residue free tape that is safe to use on multiple surfaces like wood, foam and rubber. Wide Economy Knee Kicker The Economy Knee Kicker secures carpet during The Economy Knee Kicker secures carpet during installation and makes it easy to fix loose carpet. Check end of runner with framing square. Covering these stairs with a beautiful carpet runner will only add depth to your dcor, along with making the steps safer for everyone in your home. There are a few carpet installation tools that you need to have. You can either use a straightedge or your fingers to press the carpet to the riser to make sure it sticks properly. If the padding overlaps, then youll have a fat lump around the edge of your carpetnot very attractive. Wrap the carpet around each post. No bumps allowed! Once you have brought the carpet around the posts, wrap it around the side of the stair and fasten it underneath the side nosing. Carpet glue is necessary for one of the most 2. Wiggle the electric carpet tacker between the nap to hide the staple impressions. Measure each step and riser and create a template to cut the carpet to size, to know the size and how to lay it. Starting with the top-most step, put the glue on the tread and riser while staying about an inch with the chalk marks. Step 6: Press the material on the treads and risers using your hands or a straightedge. The tool originates from Germany and is quite handy. This will save you time, money, and effort. But even for non-patterned carpeting, you can detect the direction of the carpets pile by looking at it from different directions in strong light. First, we cut the pad to fit each step. Using a blunt carpet knife can be frustrating and cause you embarrassment as you ruin your expensive new floor covering. Tiny nails, tacks with wide tops, strips of adhesive and staples are usually used to keep a carpet in place on one of the high traffic areas of a home. To do the waterfall method, follow the same steps but skip the step that requires attaching the carpet underneath the tread. Then, divide the total number of inches by 12 to get the value in feet. Nail one on each riser, centered, inch from the bottom, and one on each tread, inch from the rear, also centered. Using a pair of pliers, grip a piece of carpet on the riser, which is the vertical part of a stairnot the part you step on. 18 Designs for Basement Stairs that Add Style and Function, Step 7: Begin Installing Carpet on Stairs, How to Paint a Staircase to Spruce Up Your Entryway, How to Pour Concrete Steps for a Porch or Outdoor Entryway, 38 DIY Headboard Ideas for a Low-Cost Bedroom Refresh, How to Build Outdoor Wooden Steps to Spruce Up Your Entry, 34 Fun Window Treatment Projects to Add Personality to Any Room, How to Install Loose-Lay Sheet Vinyl Flooring in a Few Hours, How to Build Storage Under Basement Stairs in Only a Few Hours, Your Step-by-Step Guide to Reupholstering a Chair, How to Build Wide Deck Steps for a Grand Backyard Entrance, How to Make a Pallet Potting Bench for Your Gardening Projects, How to Make Your Own Colorful Punch Needle Designs at Home. Ensure you have tools such as: carpet adhesive, seam iron, seam roller glue, stair tool, cushion-back carpet cutter, knee kicker, tack strip cutter and hammer tacker. If youre certain that its time for that old stairwell carpet to go, follow these steps to do the job right. It has a heat-treated hammer mechanism which will let you shoot staples according to your needs. In other words, anyone walking on the carpet will never slip and will hence be safer! Foam-backed rugs: Avoid pinless rods entirely on spiral staircases. link to How Can You Tell if a Rug is Vintage? Cheryl Simmons is a flooring expert who grew up in the flooring industry, working in her family's retail store since her youth. Find trusted local pros for any home project. Finish removing any tacks that are still stuck in the stairs using a set of needle-nose pliers. Tamp it down to hold in place, or as an alternative secure it with staples. Please remember that this material should fit between the tackless strips and the bottom of the risers. The [amazon link=B07TSYW8BS title=Hoteche Heavy-Duty Hammer Tacker/] is the perfect tool for your carpet installation project if you have a large area to cover. Step 5. A hammer tacker is a tool that differs from carpet staplers in the way it operates! After you remove carpeting from your stairs, you may find that the carpet was hiding water damage, mold, cracks, breaks, or even pest damage. Carefully place tackless strips on the riser and back of each tread as shown. Padding should touch the edge of the tackless strips but should not overlap them. The ROBERTS Electric Carpet Stapler is another solid offering by the brand that will help you secure your floor coverings in no time. To determine how high to set the tack strips, use a spacer made out of two strips taped together. Install replacement rugs at 75mm intervals on the bottom of the riser, fold them, and secure them. The pad needs to be cut to precision to fit between the tackless strips and bottom of the riser. You can do this easily with the ROBERTS carpet seam roller without altering the position of the floor coverings backing. Regardless of the type of installation method you use, you need a solid and dependable carpet knife! Undertaking a project like this requires patience, endurance, and forethought to ensure that you can achieve the results you want, and with the least amount of effort. They are also generally safer as you are less likely to slip and lose your balance while climbing carpet-covered steps. Even professional installation teams have been known to get this wrong. Screw each bracket to tread and riser. Since you will probably be placing the seam together by hand, it may be too apparent. This padding is easily available at hardware stores as well as carpet stores. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Dab cut edges with latex carpet glue to prevent fraying. The [amazon link=B00A953Y8Q title=Delphin Dolphin Carpet Knife/] is a terrific investment if youre going to install a carpet. The special thing about this product is that it will give you time to make minor adjustments as you stick the floor covering on the floor with it. 3. It has a pretty ergonomic and non-slip plastic handle which will let you use it comfortably.