How to Lay Carpet on Stair Treads

Place the measuring tape at the bottom edge of the riser at the bottom of the stairs (the corner between the floor and the riser). Pull the tape up the riser, over the nosing of the step and to the back edge of the tread (the corner between the tread and the riser of the second step). Multiply the measurement by the number of steps in your stairway to determine the length of the carpet you need. Measure the distance across the tread of the step to obtain the width.

Cut the carpet according to the measurements. Use a utility knife with a straight blade.

Nail a tackless strip to each tread and to each riser. Place the tackless strips on the treads ¾ inch away from the riser for the next step and place the strips on the risers 1 inch above the tread. Nail the tackless strip at the bottom of the stairs ¾ inch away from the riser of the first step.

Cut padding for each tread. They should be the width of a step and long enough to cover the nosing. Staple the padding to each tread with a staple gun.

Place the carpet on the stairs with the pile pointing down. This position reduces the possibility of dirt becoming trapped in the carpet.

Tuck the edge of the carpet between the floor and the tackless strip at the bottom of the stairs. Use a bolster chisel, which is also called a stair tool.

Stretch the carpet up over the nosing and across the tread of the step. Place the knee kicker at the center of the tread and hit it with your knee to push the carpet onto the tackless strip. Repeat this process on both sides of the starting position. Use the bolster chisel to push the carpet into the corner between the tack strip and the riser.

Repeat Step 7 to install the carpet on the remaining steps. When you arrive at the last riser at the top of the stairs, nail the edge of the carpet to the area just under the nosing.