How to Install a Strip of Carpet Down Hardwood Stairs

Cut two strips of tackless stripping for each stair. One is for the front of each stair and one for the back. The strips should be around 1 1/2 inches shorter than the width of the runner.

Mark the center location where the treads of each stair -- the flat part of the stair -- meet the riser of each stair -- the vertical piece connecting one tread to the next stair.

Place one tackless strip on the back of the first tread on the staircase. Place another tackless strip toward the back of the top stair below the first riser between one and two inches from the riser running across the center mark made in Step 2.

Repeat Steps 2 and 3 for each stair.

Cut a section of the carpet pad for every tread. Each piece should be long enough to run from the piece of tackless strip on the back of each tread, overlap the lip of the tread and stop just before the tackless strip on the next riser down. The width of each piece should be one to two inches shorter than the carpet runner you will install. Staple down the carpet pad with the staples running parallel to the tackless strips about every six inches. Repeat this for every stair.

Inspect the carpet runner to determine the direction of the "pile," which is the way the carpet material flows flatly when rubbed with your hand. Unroll the runner beginning at the top of the stairs with the "pile" facing downward. Test for this by laying the carpet on the stairs and running your hand down the carpet. If the carpet surface material flattens, this is the correct direction.

Center the carpet beginning at the top of the stairs. Push the carpet snug against the top stair so it hugs the "nose" between the top stair tread and the next riser down. Make sure the carpet is tight between where the bottom of one riser meets the tread of the stair below it. Hammer tacks into the corners at the top of each riser to hold the carpet in place.

Hammer the tip of the chisel into the carpet where each riser bottom meets the next tread so it is firmly in place.

Smooth out the carpet as you move down the stairs, tacking the corners under the "nose" between each tread and riser. Let the carpet cover the tackless strips completely and staple a staple every four inches parallel to the tackless strips.

Repeat Steps 7 through 9 for every stair. Add staples to the edges of each landing and the top and bottom of the stairs for added security.