Placing a carpet over your stairs does not just serve as a means of decoration in your home but also a way to protect your actual floors as the staircase is a high-traffic area. Carpeting stairs is not an easy task, especially when you are not aware of the different ways you can do this.
After purchasing your carpet and performing the necessary actions, such as prepping and measuring your stairs, the next decision to take is the method you will adopt in installing your carpet.
There are two ways to install a carpet on their stairs: the Hollywood method and the Waterfall method. The Hollywood method requires more carpet, is labor-intensive, and takes longer to install. The Waterfall method creates a waterfall effect and gives a casual look.
Are you interested in finding out the different ways you can carpet your stairs? Have you purchased a carpet for your stairs, but you are clueless on what to do next? This article will explore the different ways to carpet your stairs, the right carpet to buy, and why you should carpet your stairs.
Reasons for Carpeting Stairs
Carpeting your stairs provides so many advantages that you are probably unaware of. Some of them are listed below.
Carpet Protect Stairs
Hardwood stairs are easily prone to scratches and dents, mainly because the staircase is a heavy-traffic area in a home. When you carpet your stairs, your hardwood floors are protected from all of the above disadvantages, and the structure will last longer.
Carpets Add Style to Your Home
When choosing carpets for your home, you have access to a wide variety of colors, pattern, styles, designs, and sizes that best suits your taste. Whatever the pattern or color may be, a carpet is sure to spice up your home. It adds aesthetic value to a home.
Carpets protect from falls
Running up and down a staircase can cause falls and lead to severe injuries. Staircases tend to be slippery, but carpets offer some cushioning, reducing slipperiness. They make your stepping safer and will protect you from slips and falls.
Carpets Reduce Sound and Noise
Hardwood stairs tend to make a lot of noise, and since stairs are high-traffic areas, they can get annoying. Installing a carpet on your stairs will help reduce and muffle the sound of shoes going up and down your staircase.
Carpets Provide Comfort
Carpets make your stairs ten times more comfortable to step on. They provide a cushion-like effect and will help to keep your feet warm during the winter season.
How to Pick The Right Carpet for Your Stairs
When choosing a carpet for your stairs, there are many factors you should consider to make the right decision, and some are listed below.
Examine Your Carpet and Needs
The first thing you need to do is be sure of what you need. You need to ask yourself many questions, like if your staircase area is a heavy-traffic area or the kind of staircase you have. Once you have the answers to these questions, you can purchase your carpet. You should also measure and prep your staircase before buying a carpet.
Carpet Durability
One of the most important things you need to do when choosing a carpet is to ensure durability. Since staircases are high-traffic areas, you must choose a carpet that will last for a very long time without looking shabby or worn out.
The carpet you would purchase for your bedroom cannot be the same as the one you will buy for your staircase. So, you should pick a carpet with a very high durability rating.
Carpet Thickness
A too-thick carpet is not what you need for your staircase. It is the worst option. This is because a thick carpet can end up treading around the nosing of the step, leading to falls and slips.
Thickness does not ensure durability, as a thin carpet could have a higher rating than a thick carpet. It is advisable to get a carpet that is ½ inches or less in thickness, a carpet padding of 7/16 inches or less, and a pile density rating of 8 pounds.
Choose a Soil-Resistant Carpet
Another essential thing to do is purchase a carpet with good soil resistance. Soiling happens when residue or any oily substance sticks to your carpet fibers, which attracts dirt particles. To prevent this from happening, you should get a soil-resistant carpet.
Different Ways to Carpet Stairs
Hollywood Method
The Hollywood method, also called the bullnose method, produces a sophisticated, tailored, and elegant look. It is rumored to have been used in the movie sets of early Hollywood movies.
It involves the nosing meeting the riser by tacking down the carpet directly on the staircase and wrapping it around the edge of the tread. After that, the carpet is stapled under the nose of the stair.
This method makes your home look more elegant, but it is costlier than the Waterfall method. It also requires extra labor and more carpet, but the finished product is beautiful to look at at the end of the day.
Waterfall method
This is the second way you can carpet your stairs. Unlike the Hollywood method, it gives a more traditional and casual look. Just like the name implies, the Waterfall method makes your carpet look like water cascading down the stairs. It creates a waterfall effect.
It is commonly used in most homes, as it is less expensive and does not require that much labor or carpet. It is also the best installation method to apply when using a patterned carpet because the patterns run smoothly down the stairs.
It involves bringing the carpet over the edge of the tread and taking it straight down to the next step or tread without attaching it to the riser. It is suitable for carpets that are too thick to be wrapped around the edge of the tread.
Conclusion
There you have it! Now you are aware of why carpeting your stairs is essential, how to pick the right carpet for your staircase, and how you can carpet your stairs.
If you are confused when picking an installation method, keep in mind that if you want an elegant, expensive but labor-intensive process, you should go for the Hollywood method. If you are looking for a cheaper option that gives a casual look and is fast to install, the Waterfall method is your best choice.