How to Install Carpet on an Angled Stair Tread

Place a large sheet of paper on one step. Ensure that the paper covers the tread and the riser completely. The tread is the flat surface on top of the step and the riser is the flat surface in front of the step. Tape the paper to the step to keep it in place.

Mark the outlines of the step on the paper. Trace along the back, front and side edges of the tread, and the top, bottom and side edges of the riser.

Place a mark on the paper to mark the top of the template. Remove the paper and cut out the template.

Lay the carpeting, face down, on a flat surface. Place the template on the back of the carpeting. Ensure that the marked side of the template is face down on the carpet.

Trace around the edges of the template. Remove the template and cut along the lines on the carpet with a utility knife. Apply carpet glue to the edges of the carpet to prevent fraying. Let the glue dry.

Repeat Steps 4 and 5 to cut carpet pieces for the remaining steps.

Lay a sheet of carpet padding on a flat surface. Place the template face down on the padding and trace around the edges. Cut along the lines. Repeat this process for the remaining steps in the stairway.

Cut two tackless strips for each step. Make each strip 1 inch smaller than the width of the step.

Nail a tackless strip to the tread on each step, at a point approximately 1 inch from the back edge of the step. Nail a second strip to the riser, at a point 1-inch higher than the bottom of the riser.

Place a piece of carpet padding on each step. Ensure that it matches the shape of the angled stair. Abut the back edge of the padding against the front edge of the tackless strip and staple it down. Place the staple pins about 3 inches apart.

Place a piece of cut carpeting on one step. Tuck the lower edge of the carpet into the joint at the bottom of the step’s riser with a carpet tool. Secure the carpet to the bottom edge of the riser with staples spaced 3 inches apart.

Smooth the carpeting up to the tread at the top of the step. Pull it onto the pins on the tackless strip. Use the carpet tool to push the edge of the carpet into the joint at the back of the tread, behind the tackless strip. Staple the carpet to the tread behind the strip.

Repeat Steps 11 and 12 for the remaining steps.