How a staircase gets carpeted
- Gripper fitted to the back of each tread and base of each riser
- Underlay pads cut per tread, sometimes doubled at the nosing
- Carpet cut into one continuous piece where the staircase allows
- Each tread stretched down and tucked at the back
- Winders cut and fitted individually working from the bottom up
- Nosing gripper or metal bars fitted where the carpet meets flooring
What goes wrong when stairs are rushed
A tread stretched loosely rather than pulled tight will slip fractionally every time it's walked on, and within a few months you get a visible dip or bulge at the nosing. Winders cut without allowing for the natural taper of the staircase end up crooked, which is very obvious on a well-lit stairwell even if it's only a few millimetres out.
What we need from you
Keep the stairs clear of shoes, bags and toys on fitting day, and if you have a stairgate fitted for children or pets it's worth taking it down beforehand so we're not working around it. A working light on the landing helps too, as internal staircases are often the darkest part of the house.
Tenement common stairs in Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy
Flats above shops in Dunfermline town centre and in the Victorian tenements around Kirkcaldy's Nicol Street often have private stairs that turn tightly with deep winders and low headroom under the half-landing. These need to be measured tread by tread on site — a standard runner width bought online rarely sits right on that kind of stair.
Runners versus full stair carpet
- Runner leaves painted or stained stringers visible either side
- Full width carpet covers the whole tread and riser
- Runners need edge binding to stop fraying
- Full carpet is generally the quicker and more forgiving fit