The stairs and landing are two of the most common areas in a home to have carpet. Choosing carpet for your stairs and landing carries a large array of benefits that go beyond the aesthetics, promoting a safer and cosier home environment. If you prefer hard surfaces, such as hardwood or laminate, you could still get the best of both hard flooring and carpeting, by placing a runner on the stairs.
A carpet runner can provide your home with either a casual or elegant touch, depending on the type of carpet you choose. With so many designs, colours and sizes available on the market, it’s easy to find one that fits your style and personality. No matter if you go for a bold colour, wild pattern or calm, nude hues, a carpet runner placed on your stairs and landing will enhance your home’s appearance and complement the rest of the décor. Not to mention that it will provide your staircase with a soft cushion, making them more comfortable and safer to walk up and down.
Hard surfaces are slippery, and in case of a trip and fall the chances are you will get hurt. In terms of safety, carpet is great for houses with kids or elderly people. A fall on carpeting is unlikely to cause injury the way that a hardwood floor or other rigid surface can do. A good-quality pad beneath the carpet can increase the cushion. Moreover, objects dropped on a carpet are less likely to break than those dropped on a wooden floor.
If you use your staircase daily, which most people that have one do, a carpet runner will protect them from getting scuffed or scratched. It will also offer protection against furniture or other things you might move within your home.
Carpets are great for thermal insulation and sound dampening. When combined with a good quality pad, carpet can insulate a floor against heat loss, ensuring that your house stays warm and cosy. It also absorbs noise, making your home a quieter place. In terms of maintenance, a professional carpet cleaning provider, such as Carpet Cleaning Dublin by Happy Clean, can help you keep your carpeting in top condition all year round. When performed regularly, every 6 to 8 months or at least once per year, professional carpet cleaning preserves your floor’s appearance and condition, keeping them free of dust, dirt, bacteria, allergens and stains.
Choosing the right carpet for the stairs and landing can be a bit more difficult than choosing carpet for other areas in your house. Besides deciding on the style and colour, the carpet has to be of appropriate durability to resist the heavy traffic. The thickness is also important, as it has to look good as it wraps around the edge of the stair, and through the railing posts, if any.
Read our article below to learn which are the most important things to consider before deciding on what carpet is best for stairs and landing.
Carpet quality
The stairs are an area of your home that experiences a lot of foot traffic, therefore, you should get the highest-quality carpet and cushion you can afford. The impact of foot traffic is greater on stairs than on flat areas due to the added force of gravity as you descend the stairs.
When comes to determine whether the carpet you want to buy for your stairs is of high or low quality, there are a few things you should consider, such as the carpet’s density and texture, face weight, fibre type/twist and the padding material.
The weight of the carpet pile per square yard is its face weight. A heavier carpet indicates more fibres per square foot, however heavier face weight doesn’t necessarily mean better durability. While the face weight is a good indicator of the quality of a carpet, it shouldn’t be the only aspect you take under consideration. Carpet density refers to how close together the fibres are stitched into the carpet backing. The denser the pile, the higher quality of the carpet. Run your hand over the upside of the carpet. If you can feel the backing material, this means it is a low quality carpet.
The type of fabric a carpet is made of is a great and very important quality indicator. Different fibres have different characteristics, and some fibres work better in certain situations than others. For stairs and landing it is best to choose a carpet made out of synthetic fibres, such as nylon, which well known for its durability and resistance to mildew and germs. Wool is another viable option, however, wool carpets are more expensive and more difficult to maintain. To get the best of both natural and synthetic fibres, you could pick a blended carpet, for example one made of 80% wool and 20% nylon.
The fibre twist indicates the number of times the strands are twisted together within the one-inch length of the fibre. When the fibre twist number is higher, the carpet can withstand high traffic.
Each type of carpet has its unique appearance, characteristics and texture. For well trotted areas, such as the stairs and landing, Berber carpets are the most suitable option as they are very durable.
The padding material is a soft material that is flexible and designed to go in between the subfloor and the base of the carpet where the fibres are attached. Test the padding used on your carpet before choosing it, so you could get an idea of how it feels under your feet. While an upgraded carpet and pad will be an additional cost upfront, they will most definitely save you money in the long run, as the carpet will need to be replaced less frequently.
Thickness Consideration
Thickness is another important aspect to take under consideration when deciding on which type of carpet is best for your staircase. If very thick carpet can lead to slips and falls as it wraps around the front edge of the stair and acts as a ramp for your foot. Also, the installation process is a bit trickier when the carpet is too thick, as it is difficult to wrap it around the nosing and through the railing pickets.
Many people think that a thicker carpet is more durable. This is not always the case; in fact, some of the most durable carpets have the thinnest profiles, and some of the thickest carpets are full of air. It is best to get a carpet with a pile height of 1/2 inch or less, a carpet padding of 7/16 inch or less and a pile density rating of at least 8 pounds.
Soil Resistance
Did you know that there is a difference between soiling and staining resistance? If you are choosing a carpet that will only cover your stairs and no other areas such as the living room, stain resistance is not a top priority, because the carpet is not likely to be subjected to many spills. However, you should still look for a carpet that has good soil resistance.
Soil resistance refers to the ability of your carpet to prevent soil from sticking to the fibres. The benefit of this feature is more efficient soil removal through vacuuming and professional carpet cleaning using steam cleaning extraction methods.
Open Stairs
If you have stairs that are open on the side, then the carpet must be bent in two ways: lengthwise over the front of the stair, and width wise over the side. In these cases, there is the possibility of “smiling” to occur on the side of the stair. When people pick up a Berber carpet sample and bend it backward, they are sometimes able to see the backing between the rows. This is referred to in the industry as “smiling”. In order to avoid this from happening, look for a high-quality Berber with larger loops, which can help to cover the space between the rows when bent sideways. Higher qualities of Berbers will have less space between the rows. With proper installation, the seams where the carpet has been joined around the posts should not be too noticeable.
Installation of Carpet on Stairs
There are two methods of installing carpet on the stair: waterfall or French cap. The first method involves bending the carpet over the edge of the stair and bringing it straight down to meet the tread of the next step. Many home builders prefer the waterfall method as it is easy and quick way of installing the carpet.
The French cap method wraps the carpet around the edge of the stair and tucks it under the lip, contouring to the shape of the step. While it requires more time and skill, this method presents a very fine, tailored look.
Warranty Coverage
All carpets come with manufacturers’ warranties. Thoroughly go through the warranty to get an idea of the carpet quality, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. You should be aware of the warranty period along with the return and exchange policies. Many manufactures include on their list of instructions on how to look after your carpet, the necessity on having it professionally cleaned at least once per year. That means, the X years of guarantee only applies if you have your carpeting deep cleaned by experts on a regular basis. If you are looking for the best carpet cleaning services in Dublin, Happy Clean is your one stop shop for all your carpet cleaning needs. With more than 7 years’ experience in the industry and thousands of 5-star reviews, they are the best rated carpet cleaner in Dublin.
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