Are you ready to transform your staircase into a stunning focal point of your home? I’ll take you through the step-by-step process of how I revamped our stairs by removing the old tired carpet, adding fresh paint and a new runner!
Unlike most, I chose to start this project just days before we had family come into town. I was fed up with the outdated carpet on the stairs, and I knew it had to be removed. This project was relatively straightforward and only took a couple of days to complete!
I’m sure you or someone you know has a staircase that has some outdated and dirty carpet that needs to go. Get ready to breathe new life into your home with this easy and rewarding DIY staircase makeover!
**This post contains affiliate links to products that I used or recommend. If you purchase something through an affiliate link, I may receive a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you. I really appreciate your support!**
How To Makeover A Staircase With Old Carpet
Remove The Old Carpet
First step into making over our staircase, I had to remove the old carpet. While taking off the carpet itself is a straightforward task, tackling the staples is a different challenge altogether. Once, I had ripped up the carpet I had to go back and rip up all the old padding they had on each stair. It’s crucial to wear gloves during this step for added protection.
I employed a trim puller to lift the tack strips and extract stubborn staples during the removal process. For particularly resilient staples and tacks, needle nose pliers came in handy, with occasionally supplemented by a flathead screwdriver.
A useful technique for removing staples involves sliding a flathead screwdriver beneath the staple and leveraging it upward to cleanly dislodge it from the wood surface.
Paint The Stair Treads
After all the carpet, tack strips and staples were removed I went straight into prepping the stairs for paint. First, I gave the stairs a good light sanding with my palm sander. I wanted to clean them up from any grim or glue that could have been present.
Once, I wiped them down with a damp cloth and vacuumed up any leftover sawdust I started painting. I chose to go with a black color in an enamel paint. I wanted to make sure that my paint produced a hard and durable finish. These stairs have a lot of foot traffic and with little boys running up and down them all day I knew I wasn’t going to play around with durability.
I ended up putting two coats of paint on the stairs for a full coverage!
Install Stair Runner
To install the stair runner, I chose to use some leftover runners I had from our previous house. Starting at the top of the stairs I put the start of the runner under the lip of the first step. Working my way down I would use my stapler to staple the runner to the top and bottom side of the stair riser.
As I descended the stairs, I realized it was time to trim the runner. I used my battery powered cutting tool and aimed for the cut edge to neatly tuck under one of the risers.
Beginning at the bottom of the stairs for the second runner, I carefully worked my way up. This strategic approach ensured that the second runner concluded precisely where the first one ended, aligning the cut edges seamlessly under a single riser for a polished finish.
I’m thrilled with the outcome of this spontaneous DIY project! Despite its impromptu nature, it has significantly enhanced the visual appeal of our home, making a notable difference in its overall aesthetic.
**Note: I am not a professional and do not claim to be an expert. Please be sure to always read instructions for all tools and products. Safety is very important and should be your top priority. Wear necessary protection when using tools (eye wear, hearing protection, gloves, etc.) and dust masks when sanding or cutting. Simply Aligned Home is not responsible for any injury or damage. All of my designs are not professionally designed and are for private use only.**
Materials Used
- Runner Rug
- Staples
- Paint
- Sandpaper
Tools Used
- Battery Powered Cutting Tool
- Stapler
- Gloves
- Paint Pail
- Paint brush
- Paint Roller & Frame
- Trim Puller
- Hammer
- Flat Head Screwdriver
- Needle Nose Pliers
- Palm Sander
