Tips for Installing Carpet on Stairs

Bare wooden stairs can be a safety hazard, especially for small children wearing only socks. Installing carpet on stairs is a good way to protect the stairs and the people who use them.

Installing carpet on stairs in one continuous strip is called the waterfall method. Professional carpet layers aren't big fans of the waterfall method as it is prone to coming loose after a short amount of time.

With the second method (called cap and band), each stair gets its own piece of carpet. The cap and band method of installing carpet allows each piece to be fixed firmly to the stair. Installing carpet on stairs using the cap and band method will insure a safe, long lasting installation.

Things You'll Need

• Large carpenter's square
• Tape measure
• Sharp utility knife
• Heavy-duty stapler
• Blunt chisel
• Hammer
• Saw
• Tackless strips (available at most home improvement centers)
• Carpet padding
• Carpet
• Staples at least 1/2 inch or longer

Anatomy Of A Stair
The vertical part of a stair is called the riser. The horizontal part of a stair (The part you step on) is called the tread. Stair treads normally have a rounded end that sticks out over the riser.

Tackle The Tackless Strips
The first task in installing carpet on stairs is to attach some tackless strip to each tread and riser. A tackless strip is a thin strip of wood that has angled tack points on it. The tack points grab and hold the carpet. Tackless strip comes with nails pre-hammered along its length, so attaching it is simple.

• Measure and mark the center of all treads and risers.
• Measure the width of the stairs, and then subtract 1 to 2 inches from the width. This result is the length of the tackless strips you'll need.
• Cut your tackless strips to length. You'll need 2 strips per stair tread.
• Starting at the bottom of the stairs, attach a tackless strip to the first riser. Center the tackless strip and attach it ¾ inch from the bottom of the riser. Tackless strips attached to risers should have their points aimed toward the bottom of the stairs.
• Center and attach a tackless strip to back of the first stair tread. The strip should touch the next riser. Tackless strips attached to treads should have their points aimed toward the top of the stairs.
• Repeat for all stairs, working your way to the top of the stairway.

Add The Padding

• Measure and cut a rectangular piece of carpet padding that covers one tread and riser. The carpet padding should run from the top of the riser's tackless strip to the front edge of the tread's tackless strip. Leave a bit of slack in the carpet pad.
• Using the stapler, attach the carpet pad to the riser and tread.
• Repeat for all stairs.

Carpet Time!

• Measure from the face of a riser to the forward edge of a tread. Add to this measurement, the distance from the surface of one tread to the next. The result is the length of your carpet section.
• Measure and cut a section of carpet to the width of the stair and to the length you measured in the previous step.
• Using a dull chisel, press the end of the carpet against the tackless strip on the bottom of the riser. Make sure the carpet is securely fastened along its entire width.
• Smooth the carpet up the riser and staple it to the riser where the tread meets the riser.
• Place staples every 3 or 4 inches along the width of the carpet.
• Smooth the carpet over the tread tightly, and press it onto the tread's tackless strip using the chisel.
• Repeat for the remaining stairs. On each step, tuck the leading edge of the carpet piece between the riser and the previous section of carpet.