Staircase Runners: What to Decide Before You Measure

A staircase runner adds color, texture and traction to your stairs, and it's one of the quickest ways to change how a hall or entry feels. It can also go wrong in quiet ways. The pattern doesn't line up at a turn, the strip is too narrow, or the pad is too thick to wrap the step cleanly. Most of these problems are avoided by making a few decisions before anyone picks up a tape measure.

Look at the shape of your stairs

Straight stairs are the simplest. Stairs with a turn, a wedge-shaped step or a wide landing take more planning, because the runner has to change direction without twisting the pattern. M & M's runners can be customized to fit any staircase, from narrow steps to wide landings, so describe what you have. A photo of the whole staircase helps more than words, and a photo from the bottom and the top helps even more.

Open stairs, where you can see the end of each tread from the side, behave differently from stairs closed in by walls. Open ends show the edge of the carpet, so the finish on that edge is part of the look. Check which kind you have, and whether the steps are the same size from top to bottom. Older houses have stairs that vary, and a runner has to follow what's really there.

Decide how much wood stays showing

A runner covers the middle of the stair and leaves a border of bare wood on each side. That border is a design decision. A narrow border looks tailored and nearly wall to wall. A wider one frames the runner like a rug and shows off the wood. Whichever you choose, keep the margin even from one side to the other, because the eye catches a crooked runner right away.

Think about the wood itself. If the treads are worn, stained unevenly or painted, a wide border will highlight that, and you may want a wider runner or a different plan. Look at the stairs in daylight with the lamps off, and note anything you'd rather not frame.

Pick the carpet for the pattern and the traffic

Stairs are the hardest-working carpet in the house. Every foot lands on the same spot of every step, so the front edge of each tread wears first. Choose a durable construction and a color or pattern that forgives scuffs. M & M carries carpet from names such as Shaw, Mohawk, Stainmaster and Anso, with over 300 rolls in stock, and runners come in a wide variety of patterns, materials and durable finishes.

A strongly patterned runner needs thought. The pattern has to repeat across steps of a fixed depth, so a stripe that looks right on a sample can look off across the nose of each stair. Hold the sample against a step before you commit, and ask how the repeat will fall. A plain texture or a small, busy pattern is the easiest to get right.

Ask how it will be installed

There's more than one way to fit a runner. The carpet can flow over the nose of each step in one piece, or be cut into separate tread and riser pieces. Each has a different look and a different amount of wear at the edge. A professional installer decides based on the carpet and the stairs, and M & M's team offers professional runner installation for a secure fit and lasting performance.

Traction is the point of a runner, so grip matters. A good pad under the carpet gives cushion and keeps the carpet from shifting. M & M distributes carpet pads, tack strip and seam tape, and all the tools, so the installation and the materials can come from the same counter.

Your pre-measure checklist

• Count the steps, and note any turns, landings or wedge-shaped treads.
• Decide how much bare wood should show on each side.
• Check whether the stair ends are open or closed in by walls.
• Choose a pattern or texture, and test the sample on a real step.
• Think about pets, kids and shoes, and how the carpet will be cleaned.
• Take photos of the whole staircase from the top and from the bottom.

With those answers in hand, the measuring visit goes quickly, because the installer isn't guessing about what you want. Without them, you tend to end up making the choices on the spot, and the stairs are not the place for that.

Walk the racks on Highway 412 West in Tontitown and hold runner samples against your own photos, or call 479-361-2551 for a free estimate.