Hold a straightedge up to the two marks and draw a line across the tread. Discussion in 'General Flooring Chat' started by Davie smith, Nov 2, 2017. The stair carpet was crappy to say the least, and I really wanted my staircase to be amazing. Remove the carpeting. For a relatively small project, however, stair installation costs can run quite high due to the amount of labor involved. Inspect the stair treads for flatness. Sand down high spots with a belt sander. Cut a piece of laminate flooring for each tread. Installing laminate on stairs requires more precise cuts than in other areas. Mark each piece as to which riser it fits. You need to take care of the treads, risers and stair noses, which can get a bit complicated at times. Once you have a grip on the carpet, start to peel it back. Cut a piece of laminate flooring for each tread. In a matter of hours, you can convert carpeted stairs to hardwood without the cost or hassle of total reconstruction. Apply construction adhesive to the cut pieces of laminate nosing and press them into place on each stair. Once the carpet is gone you’ll pay $100 to $200 per step. As you might imagine, adding carpet to stairs is not as simple. Even further, converting those measurements into square yards is another obstacle all together. As a result, after removing the carpet, the bottom step had a 7″ rise and the top step had a 8.5″ rise. Account for the width riser and the stair nosing that you will install at the front of each tread when taking measurements and making cuts. We put the same laminate on the steps, using the proper nosing trim piece. To make it more manageable to roll up and throw away, use a sharp box cutter to cut the carpet into sections as you go. StareCasing-Hardwood Overlay System | Use a foam brush to apply the stain, and wipe with a lint-free cloth. Offering over thirty-six different species of wood and seven stain colors, treads can be made to match any preexisting hardwood flooring. Cut a piece of laminate nosing to the width of each stair. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Use a stair measuring tool for quick, precise measurements of the stair treads and risers. Follow the instructions on dry time. Years ago, the carpeting on the main staircase in my home was starting to look quite worn. Remove the carpet padding in the same way. Drive a screw into any loose treads or risers. Cut a piece of laminate flooring or 1-by (3/4-inch-thick) poplar or other hardwood (for painted risers) to fit each riser. Brown earned his bachelor of arts in communications from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. How to Install Laminate Flooring on Open Stairs, How to Remove a Carpet Runner on Wood Stairs, How to Trim Between the Stairs & the Drywall, Freshome: The Pros and Cons of Hardwood vs. Laminate Flooring, Laminate Flooring Installed.com: Installing Laminate Flooring on Stairs Is More Detailed Than Installing the Floor, How to Install Prefinished Wood Flooring on Stairs, How to Transform Carpeted Stairs Into Hardwood. A carpet runner application typically allows four to six inches on each side of a step (on standard steps). No messy demolition. Building codes prescribe a maximum and minimum riser height for each step, and a maximum and minimum depth for the part on which you put your foot, the run. Basically, wife wants to change the old carpet but she doesn't want to spend more than $1000 unless it's impossible to do. 14 0 1. However, with the right tools and techniques, a do-it-yourselfer can achieve beautiful results. Then run your laminate up 1/4" from the riser of the stairs. The stairs up to the main level are also carpeted and the main level is a parquet. Stairs so beautiful, you can’t take your eyes off them. StareCasing. Do you have a staircase that could use some help? Are you ready to upgrade your staircase? One of the most dramatic remodeling changes you can make is to rip up all the dusty old carpeting in a house and replace it with hardwood. When you remove the carpet to find either damaged treads or contractor-grade stairs that were always intended to be covered, laminate can, in fact, be an ideal choice for creating the look you want. If you are looking to replace the carpet on your stairs with the look and feel of wood, laminate flooring can be an affordable option. The stair nosing should cover the top part of the carpeted stair riser and fit on the wood subfloor of the top step. Hold the tape measure to the underside of the nosing to take the measurement and transfer the measurement to the top of the tread, marking at both ends. It will either come up in one large piece or in sections, depending upon how it was installed. We can settle for laminate. With the StareCasing System three-step installation process, you just measure, cut and install. Building codes specify minimum depths for stair nosings and step treads. Replace Carpeted Stairs With Wood Cost. © 2020 All-rights reserved | P: 866-761-9769 / F: 614-340-7146. Are you ready to upgrade your staircase? Drive 2-inch finish nails into the tread along the front where the nails will be covered by the nosing and at the back where they will be covered by the riser. Mark each piece as to which tread it fits. If the treads are extremely damaged, you can replace them entirely -- provided they do not extend into the stairs’ stringers, skirtboards or adjacent drywall. The rest of the steps had a 7.5″ rise. Break the nosing off in two pieces by prying them off with a pry bar. Or you can have laminate on the stairs and need to finish the carpet up to the top stair of laminate. Measure the height from the top of the tread above to the top of the tread below and subtract the thickness of your flooring. Saved by Zipperhead Creations. No guesswork. You could just cut the carpet up the thickness of the laminate floor and rip it out. If there were existing hardwoods underneath the carpet, sand them before re-staining. When removing carpet, consider how you will make transitions to the flooring above and below the stairs. To install laminate flooring on stairs how to convert carpeted stairs hardwood how to install carpet laminate floor installing carpet against hardwood Flooring Transition From The StairsHow To Lay Carpet On Stairs And The Landing Builddirectlearning CenterInstalling Laminate On Top Stair To CarpetStairway Makeover Swing Carpet For Laminate The Lilypad CoteTransition Wood Floor To Carpet … Remove any remaining material at the ends of the treads with a chisel. Laminate flooring installation requires a perfectly flat surface. How To Calculate Carpet Area For Stairs. Professionals use these simple tools to find the length of each piece, as well as any out-of-square ends. For 10 to 12 steps this costs $1,080 to $2,700, including carpet … Which would you choose?, House, 16 replies Replacing carpet stairs with Hardwoods, House, 8 replies Stairs--Carpet or Hardwood, House, 17 replies Hardwood floor install on stairs?, House, 6 replies Here was my situation: the previous owner had installed tile near the doorway entry (bottom of the stairs) and 3/4″ thick hardwood in the passageway at the top of the stairs. No messy demolition. Step 6 Davie smith Member. Drive 3 to 4 finish nails into each nosing piece. Matt Brown has been writing professionally for more than 15 years. Same carpet, railings. My husband and I recently tore the carpet from our stairs and painted the wood underneath creating a fresh, clean, and modern look! Extremely high spots can be cut down with a chisel. Measure the overhang of the each tread’s nosing at each end. Hi got a job to do laminate on the riser and tartan carpet on the tread what gets fitted first? This is our stairs before. Measure the width of the riser from end to end and scribe any out-of-square ends. Also do u use felt for tread and how to finish it at riser? So I peeled a corner of one of the steps away to see what was there… and tucked it back in before he got home. However, installing laminate flooring on your stairs is a completely different matter. The carpet was old and dirty giving the entry a very dark and dated feel. A carpenter might not tackle this part of the job but you can hire a handyman for $60 to $65 an hour. Laminate is typically less expensive than hardwood and durable enough to be installed in high traffic areas such as stairs. Make sure your finished stairs will conform to local building code requirements. Just beautiful hardwood stairs. by Harry Tishler | Oct 27, 2014 | Carpet, ... You can always jazz up your hardwood stairs with a carpet runner. Converting carpeted stairs to wood The vertical and horizontal parts of each step are called the "riser" and the "run." Dry-fit each tread, riser and nosing piece to make sure they fit properly. To avoid multiple flooring and awkward transitions (and to get rid of the nasty old carpet! Convert Your Carpeted Steps to Hardwood. And carpet on stairs gets so many stains and wears out so quickly! Determining the exact measurements for both the stair tread (the horizontal part) and the stair riser (the vertical part) can be confusing. Solution: Carpet the stairs to match. Pull the carpet padding up with your hands and remove any remaining staples with pliers. Carpet and laminate on a stair. The first step was obviously removing all the gross carpet, and 30 million staples later… we were ready to go. 292 This is the most common stair treatment when the upstairs floor is carpeted — the cushy carpeted stairway is a visual link to the next floor and gives a hint that the upstairs space is for bedrooms. Alternatively, you can make the cut with a jigsaw. You have to ensure that there are no gaps and spaces in the flooring and it is complete and perfect in every way. He shares his experience in home remodeling and do-it-yourself projects with his readers. Fill the holes with wood putty that matches the laminate color. Secure them further with finish nails along the top where the holes will be covered by the nosing. contributed by Cleverly Inspired. Carefully insert a flat pry bar under the carpet in a corner of the room. Measure each tread separately, as stairs are often slightly out of square and even very small gaps will be visible in the finished product. Laminate Flooring Installation On Stairs. 2 quotes. This means that where you would normally put beading (scotia) around the outside of the room to cover the expansion gap, in the case of the bottom step of carpet the carpet is trucked into this gap. Installing laminate on top stair to carpet can work both ways. Pry up the tack strips with a pry bar. To start, removing carpet costs $75 to $300. Just beautiful hardwood stairs. By converting carpeted stairs to hardwood, you can markedly improve your home's interior design. Sure, new carpet would be great, but, wow!, it’s not cheap. Converting Carpeted Stairs to Hardwood Stairs Question, House, 9 replies Stairs-Hardwood or Engineered Hardwood. If adding solid lumber to the riser makes the tread depth too small, cover the riser the laminate flooring or other thin finish material. After the carpet has been removed, you have the opportunity to reduce any squeaks that the stairs make. Make a plunge cut into the tread at the line and continue cutting towards each side until you can not move the saw blade any closer to the skirtboard or side wall. Most often the top stair will involve installing a stair nose. There is no wear showing on the steps and they are not slick enough to be a danger. Under $100 Carpeted Stair To Wooden Tread Makeover DIY. Apply a 3-inch-wide snake-like bead of construction adhesive on the back of the laminate stair nose molding. I absolutely love the look and low maintenance of hardwood flooring, so I got this “great” idea to have the stairway completely re-done, ditching the carpet and going with hardwood treads. Installing laminate on top stair to carpet may be something you need to do. The patented tread and riser overlays fit over your existing staircase like a glove. Glue the riser pieces in place. Then of course I told him about it, and showed him what I did… I’m not that sneaky! In a matter of hours, you can convert carpeted stairs to hardwood without the cost or hassle of total reconstruction. In the middle of the tread, make a cut with a handsaw perpendicular to the circular saw cut. Press the stair nosing in place on the step. Starting near the top of the stairs, use pliers to pull up the carpet from a corner, freeing it from the tack strip or staples that hold it in place. Click here to see our overview video. Once it dries, apply two coats of clear coat. Stain and clear coat your stairs to give them long-lasting appeal. We did this project over a full weekend and two additional weeks nights following. Lay a piece of scrap flooring flush against the stringer. Stairs so beautiful, you can’t take your eyes off them. Nail a section of tack strip 1/8 inch … I explain here how to do this if you have laminate that meets carpet at the top of your stairs. There are different ways to attach laminate flooring to stairs depending on what type of laminate flooring you are using. Pull the carpet with your hands down the stairway. It always seems the steps are the first place to show wear. Cut the nosing along the line using a circular saw. The floor of the study is laminate, cheap Costco laminate at that. An easy way to transition carpeted stairs into laminate or hardwood flooring. Stair-Treads.com makes the processes of converting your carpeted stairs as easy as possible. Hey there! I can certainly do some of the stuff DIY,but rather not. Measure each tread separately, as stairs are often slightly out of square and even very small gaps will be visible in the finished product. If it is out of square, scribe the angle onto the scrap with a pencil. Pull the carpet and foam back with your hand from the doorway. There are many great reasons to replace household carpet with hardwood flooring including adding value and style, ease of maintenance, durability and sustainability (read more about the benefits of hardwood flooring here), though there are also a handful of items that must be taken into consideration before tearing out your beat up shag. ), I've also torn the carpet off of the stairs and purchased pine treads and risers which I will stain to match the Allure plank. Hi The carpet is fitted into the expansion gap of the wood floor round so I always fit the laminate first. Glue the treads into place flush against the back of step with construction adhesive. If the adjacent surfaces will be carpeted, you will need metal nosing at the top and tack strip at the bottom. You may have carpet on the stairs and need to install the laminate up to the top stair where the carpet ends. BuildDirect was awesome enough to partner with us on this project and provided all the materials. StareCasing. The laminate on the steps and the nosing pieces were power nailed in place and the nails are hardly visible. Set your miter saw to that angle to make the end cuts. How to Transform Carpeted Stairs Into Hardwood. Here is DIY how to prepare stair bullnose for hardwood or laminate floor installation: what you should do after carpet removal. No guesswork.