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Would a carpeted or hardwood staircase be more preferable?
Question by lastcaress21: Would a carpeted or hardwood staircase be more preferable?
Currently my stairs are carpeted, but the cat has ruined the carpet, not to mention someone managed to have spilt bleach on the top landing of the hall. I’ve lifted the carpet in a few spots and it appears that the stairs are hardwood (the house is an old victorian). Would wooden refinished stairs be better than fully carpeted stairs or a combination of wood with a carpet runner be better?
The problem I see with hardwood is that it would be more slippery and the carpet would be much quieter, but hardwood stairs are elegant looking.
Best answer:
Answer by Kimberly R
We have hardwood stairs and while they look nice, they are slippery. We have small children so the slippery part is a downside. The kids have fallen a few times and we’re always reminding them to be careful. (And I’ve fallen a few times too!)
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Hardwood looks great, easy to clean etc etc but the noise!! Especially if you have kids.
I think the hardwood would look beautiful if elegant and refined is the look you are going for.
If you want a more cozy, homey look, you should stick with carpet but I would get yours replaced.
Wood and carpet would not look good, I don’t think you should try it.
Do you have kids? I think carpet is better for kids…not as slippery , much quieter, and softer if they fall.
Run a piece of carpet down the centre of the stairs. It will add traction for those needing it and the hardwood will still be seen. I’ve seen it done before it and it looked beautiful.
since you have cats and clumsy family members, i would do a combo of hardwood with a carpet runner. that way, in the future you may want to sell the house, and protecting that hardwood is a must. carpet runner is a lot cheaper than recarpeting the entire staircase.
they are more elegant if the stairs never show cat hair or dust
they also are clunky
I like carpeted stairs
With the new finishes for hardwood they don’t have to be slippery. They are also easier to clean, I have hardwood and love it.
I have hardwood stairs with a runner installed. It’s so nice and easy to clean. Don’t forget to choose carpet that is low and dense in construction. Get a cut pile carpet (without loops) so that your cat doesn’t have a field day tearing it apart. We have 3 cats. Don’t forget to install pad on the treads, not the risers. It will make the carpet last longer. You can get a piece of carpet or remnant cut and bound into a runner it is less expensive and more durable than the pre-made runners. There are really nice pre-made runners. Unfortunately the ones of decent quality are very expensive. If you can go for it. I chose a patterned carpet so that the cat hair is not obvious until I get a chance to vacuum it. It is worth the effort. The nice thing about hardwood stairs and an installed stair runner is that when it wears out it is easy to replace. We installed ours ourselves. Staple up under the nose of the step and in the crotch where the riser meets the tread. Good luck with your project.
Take care.
I like your idea of the combination wood/runner.
Your home, as you’ve described it, is elegant. And if you want it restored to its former glory, you have to be respectful to the period in which it was built. So my answer would be hardwood…no carpet, no runner. I just wouldn’t put a high gloss lacquer on it…reducing the ‘slip’. And they will be much easier to clean than carpet or runners.
By the way, the house sounds lovely…
Well your question is a very good one. One that is asked of me almost daily. My first question is to you is about your decorating. What is your type of furniture (traditional ,contemporary, Victorian , etc…). Secondly are the steps in decent condition. If the steps are in good condition, here are a couple of suggestions. You can purchase vinyl stair treads that are serrated on the top (this is what was used during the early 20th century for Victorian type homes with steps). If you would rather use carpet you can have a bound runner made on 36″ wide steps a 24″ runner is used that gives it a nice 6″ re veil on either side of the steps, if they are open sided with balusters that would be the cats meow, a nice dark oak with a patterned carpet runner (it has to match what you have already done in your home maybe a patterned sofa or chair would give some inspiration from an adjoining room. That helps in caring the theme in your home.
wood with a runner.
Our front stair case is a beautiful cherry but with a carpeted center. I like the idea of the laid carpet rather than the runner with the bars. It just looks a little less busy but with a victorian you could get away with the runner and bars. It would definitely fit the period.