Stairs, especially modest, traditional ones, can be pretty boring. They can ruin the lively mood of the living room with a repetitive piling of straight and plain steps. When this happens, chances are buyers will notice it and that’s a turnoff. When rehabbing interiors, you can always brighten things up with some carpet. Learn how to install a stair runner on straight stairs in this article.

There are two ways to do this. The first installation option is the waterfall method. Imagine how water will run from the highest step down to lowest. That’s how the carpet will run on the stairs as well. It will “fall” off the edge of the nosing down to the corner of the lower tread. The other method is the upholstered. In this method, the carpet will be stapled on the bottom of the nosing, covering everything in its path. This will appear “seamless” on the side but will require a longer carpet.

First, measure the width of each tread, from the skirtboard to the baluster. Subtract the width of the runner from that width and then divide the result by two. For example, if you came up with 2 inches, lightly mark 2 inches from the ends of either side of the tread. Remember, when rehabbing interiors, detail is important so you should make your measurements exact.

Next, you much attach a tackless strip at the back of each tread. The “back” is where the tread and the riser meet. The tackless strip should be within your marker and around an inch away from the corner formed by the tread and the riser. Move it as far as 2 inches if the carpet you are installing is thick. Use the same principle in attaching a tackless strip on bottom of each riser. Remember, the tacks in the strip in the tread should face back toward the riser, and vice-versa.

After that, you will start laying carpet pads. The pads will prevent the runner from being worn out fast. It will also provide extra support for the feet and minimize sounds of footsteps.  The pads should be within the marker, butted against the tackless strip on the tread. They will run down to the next tread, covering the nosing, or the protruded portion of the tread. However, the pad should not reach the tackless strip on the riser. Staple the pad to wrap the nosing.

The next steps to installing a stair runner will be discussed in the second part of this article on rehabbing interiors.