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Installing Carpet on Stairs - Carpet Installation Videos

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By johnr54


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

The Carpet Installation Training Handbook The Carpet Installation Training Handbook
Price: $19.95

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Rudra profile image

Rudra  says:
2 years ago

nicely explained one of the most difficult things to do. love DIY.

Josh  says:
2 years ago

How do you wrap the carpet around the bottom two stairs if they are exposed in the basement

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