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what is waterfall carpet installation on stairs

by Coy Zulauf Published 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago

The “Waterfall” installation method involves bringing the carpet over the edge of the tread and straight down the riser to meet the next tread. Without molding it to the riser, it creates a waterfall effect. It is the most common installation method because of the clean look.Mar 8, 2016

Full Answer

What factors make a carpet ideal for stair installation?

What Makes A Carpet Ideal For Stair Installation?

  • Density. Density doesn’t equal durability. ...
  • Durability. Durability is incredibly important. ...
  • Soil Resistance. We’re not talking about stains here. ...
  • Smiling. Yes, great carpet can make you smile. ...
  • Expert Stair Installation in Brentwood, CA. ...

What is good alternative to carpet on stairs?

What can you put on stairs besides carpet?

  • Carpet. If you are looking at carpet flooring for your stairs, choose a one with a short or loop pile such as Berber carpeting.
  • Tile. Another durable option is ceramic or natural stone tile.
  • Hardwood. Thanks to its performance and style, one of the most popular choices for stairs is hardwood flooring.
  • Laminate.

How to install carpet on stairs without a kicker?

How to Lay Carpet Without A Knee Kicker

  • Measure the Room. You have to start by measuring the room in which the carpet would be installed. ...
  • Clean the Room. Clean the floor of the room in which the carpet is to be installed. ...
  • Install the Carpet Tack Strips. ...
  • Cut the Carpet Padding and Lay It. ...
  • Cut the Carpet And Lay It. ...
  • Stretch the Carpet. ...
  • Attach the Carpet To The Tack Strips. ...
  • Sweep the Carpet. ...

What can you put on stairs Besides carpet?

What can you put on the stairs besides the carpet?

  • Staircarpet. The floor is ideal for stairs.
  • Luxusní vinylové dlaždice (LVT)
  • Laminate floors on stairs.
  • Luxury vinyl flooring on stairs.
  • Hardwood stairs.
  • Stair tiles.

Why do you need carpet on stairs?

Why Carpet Your Stairs? 1 Carpet protects from falls. Whether you have small folk around, aging parents or just yourself, carpeted stairs offer the kind of cushioning that can make the difference between barely a scratch and some intense bruising (or worse). 2 Carpet muffles sound. The clickety-clack of shoes on hard surface floors can get intense on stairs, especially when you hear lots of them going up and down. 3 Carpet protects hardwood stairs. In many homes, the stairs are made of wood. Carpeted stairs protect the hardwood from the wear and tear of shoes and traffic.

Why do carpeted stairs have a clickety clack?

Carpet protects hardwood stairs. In many homes, the stairs are made of wood. Carpeted stairs protect the hardwood from the wear and tear of shoes and traffic.

Do stairs have landings?

Some stairways have landings or curve as they go up. An experienced installer knows how to take these changes into account and will help you estimate quantity so as to trim excess carpet accordingly from step to step.

Can you customize a rug for a stair runner?

Just about any carpet available can be customized for you whether specifically designed as a runner or broadweave carpet - with a pattern or without. If you'd like, you can even customize an area rug to complement or coordinate with your stair runner.

Where is carpet wrapped on stair tread?

As you can see, the carpet is wrapped around the edge of the tread, contouring the nosing to meet the riser. The carpet or runner gets stapled under the nose of the stair. You need to remember, every home is different and so are the layouts of each stair case.

Why is Hollywood style carpet so popular?

It is the most common installation method because of the clean look. This method is more appropriate for thicker carpets that are more difficult to wrap around the edge of the tread. The term “ Hollywood” style refers to a specific installation method.

How to wrap carpet around the edge of the tread?

The French Cap Method . The French cap method wraps the carpet around the edge of the tread, contouring the nosing to meet the riser, then coming straight down the riser. Start at the bottom of the staircase and work your way up, unless the more difficult steps are at the bottom.

What is the French cap method for installing carpet?

In this method of installing carpet—which is considered simpler but doesn't necessarily look quite as polished, the carpet is attached to the edge of the tread and then drops down to meet the back of the next stair tread without adhering it to the riser.

How to stretch carpet with knee kicker?

Using a knee kicker, stretch the carpet tight to the back of the tread, and hold in place until staples can be applied to the back of the tread behind the tack strip. Using the kicker, stretch also over the side tack strips (if against a wall) by positioning the kicker to face the side wall and stretching in that direction.

What are Hollywood stairs called?

Hollywood Stairs. . Stairs that have no risers are called Hollywood stairs. These are fairly simple to install; the same general process applies except the carpet is wrapped completely around the tread and stapled underneath.

What is a curved edge on a stair called?

A stair that has a curved outside edge is referred to as a bullnose. It is found most commonly at the very bottom of the staircase as the first stair. The carpet can be wrapped around the curved lip of the stair by making a slit as was done for the cap stair, and flexing the carpet around the bend.

How many slits do you need for a stair riser?

Depending on the depth of the stair, you may need to make two or three slits to achieve the proper coverage. Typically, carpet technicians install the riser of the bullnose separately from the tread to make it easier to wrap the carpet around the curve.

Before Staircase Photos

Firstly, I wanted to show you the before images of our own staircase makeover. I like to call this shag carpet, but its also known as high pile carpet. This is the same carpet that is throughout the house. Yuck!

Height and Thickness of Staircase Carpet

Since stairs are typically high traffic areas, durable carpet like Berber is a must. Berber is known for its low, densely woven fibers which have the benefit of repelling dirt and debris much more efficiently than shag carpet.

Consider a Timeless Design for your New Staircase

My goal in choosing a design for my Hollywood carpet stairs was to ensure that I picked one that was timeless. I didn't want to pick a trendy pattern that would be out of style in a couple of years. However, I was so torn. Even when I picked my carpet, I wasn't 100% sure of the design choice.

Waterfall or Tucked (Hollywood) Installation

There are two ways to install stairway carpet on staircase: waterfall and tucked (which is also known as Hollywood style).

DIY or Hire a Professional

There are so many factors to consider when deciding whether to DIY or hire a professional. You all know that my hubs is pretty handy when it comes to home projects, but time and patience was definitely a factor for me. Cost was also a factor, but time is money, as they say.

What is the best way to install carpet on stairs?

Cap and band and waterfall are the most common methods of installing carpet on stairs. While waterfall utilizes a single strip of carpeting on the entire stairway, cap and band calls for a separate piece to be installed on each tread and riser combination. Treads are the parts of the stairs you walk on, and risers are the vertical pieces ...

How to measure for carpet padding?

Measure the area between the front of each tread and the tacking strip at the back. Subtract ¼ inch from the width, and cut pieces of carpet padding to that size. Staple the carpet padding to each tread, centered horizontally.

How far should a tacking strip be from the riser?

Make sure the teeth of the tacking strip are pointing down. Nail one tacking strip to each tread, also centered horizontally along the back of each tread, 5/8 inch from the riser with the teeth pointing back toward the tread.

What is a cap and band on stairs?

The cap and band method creates a slightly tighter fit, as the carpeting is secured to tacking strips and also stapled to the underside of the stair nosing.

How to make a tack strip?

1. Measure the width of the treads and the risers. Cut one tacking strip to the appropriate size for each tread and each riser. Make your cuts so that at least two of the prestarted nails in the tacking strip are within each piece.

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