How To Carpet Stairs - Padding & Tack Strip Install for Steps

[@juanbueno6686]

I specialize in Stair Runner Installation and Steve just had me reconsidering my entire profession. Based on the comments. Steve is indeed a great guy but he’s giving us true pros a bad rep with his installation methods. He’s been doing it for 49.5 years too long to be generous

[@JohannnesBrahms]

Experts like Steve are extremely rare in today's flooring world. Doing it for 50 years has to be because he enjoys performing his skill and getting satisfaction from the perfection coming from his mind and hands. People like Steve should be honored and appreciated for their dedication and ability. Unfortunately, today's culture reserves such praise for those who can manipulate a ball or puck according to rules. Steve's skill is much more valuable and practical and no less than an art form.

[@tyoung9012]

Yes, it's really good, but, let's not forget that this work is not outside of any DIY'er abilities to get excellent results on a first try. It's not rocket science

[@nunya9010]

Is he an expert? Because tack strip on the stairs is wrong.

[@JohannnesBrahms]

@@nunya9010 You are correct. But otherwise, he is skilled.

[@salvadorsepulveda6415]

Steve is a craftsman with pride and the quality shows. The pro tips were an extra ! 50yrs of being in the trade deserves a standing ovation and a big Congratulations 👏. Thank you.

[@bigrichgu]

Steve is a true craftsman. Great quality work.

[@LM-qn2ve]

Thanks for the great demonstration. The carpet layer will appreciate how I will now trim out the stairs before bringing one in.

[@pamelajames5767]

Boy, do I wish Steve lived in San Antonio!!! Thanks very much!

[@rockymarse-zt1th]

Good job you did much better then me my first carpet stair job. I didn't even use tacks i just stapled everything like crazy

[@roberthoffmann9757]

I enjoyed the 2 carpet videos. Steve did a very nice job!! Thats a first for me seeing receptacles on a stairwell

[@naomisahlstrom]

It’s for the vacuum! 😂 Ben did it… may have been a bit overkill with that many! 😉 The one on the landing is by the railing side so we can string Christmas lights on the railing. It’s a lovely custom house with things like that!

[@evilspoons]

Great video, I appreciate how he explains WHY he's doing things, not just the procedure.

[@andylowry8439]

Hi, here in England 99% of carperts are installed the waterfall way on stairs. The carpet can be stretched very tightly and quickly when working from the top down if done correctly. Ufortunately and sorry to say Steve even with his 50 years experience and maybe because most of the fitting of carpets to stairs in the U.S. are pinned under the nose didn't really bolster it correctly which produced little stretch and will most likely result in sagging and bagging in a short time. The underlay pad should also cover the whole tread and riser as this will help eliminate damage to the carpet on the riser where the underlay pad doesn't meet the gripper strip causing damage and premature wear. The person taking up an old carpet to install a new one must hate having to remove all those staples from under the nose of the stairs when a carpet is fitted the traditional American way.. All the best and let us know how the carpet is fairing in 6-12 months time.

[@Ezcrownme2]

Great work very inspiring!! I’m going to do this on my stairs !!

[@steverone7623]

Awesome Steve is a natural

[@rodgerbaseman107]

Damn good job! I wish he lived closer to me.

[@garrysekelli6776]

Steve is hero.

[@moniquemclean5919]

I learn a lot because I have my bedroom and stairs to do and it’s really helps me get great ideas

[@tomsaefke2901]

Good job, Steve! Thanks for posting, Benjamin.

[@elementoestrella]

I agree with DeluX. Those stairs are done wrong. Not a single step was stretched to the sides. The staples keeps the carpet from untucking but not from wrinkles. Sorry.

[@kevinjarrett5178]

It’s here. It’s here. Let’s watch and see what she picked.

[@kevinjarrett5178]

Waterfall was a good choice. Looks good

[@mauroaparicio1855]

congratulations Steve

[@arthendrickson4860]

Looks great! Thanks

[@elad1367]

Underlay from tack strip to tack strip come on steve. Stair wedge is a new one 😂

[@BrianSmyth]

Nice job looks great great

[@jbelliveau75]

Great demonstration, Steve. But the electrician in me has got to know.....what is up with all the receptacles on the stairs?

[@jamespatrick5930]

The vertical is the rise & the horizontal is the run. These must be uniform +- 1/8” I layed out my own triple 2” x 12” Douglas Fir stringers, took all day to get it right. I used 1/4 sawn White Oak treads and a repurposed 1/4 sawn sawn antique White Oak table top, real tung oil very pretty!

[@Joe_From_IT]

The “loose pocket” of waterfall style would bug me every time I climbed the stairs, I think- but you did well by letting her make the choice! Steve has the experience to make anything look its best and somehow he reminds me of George Carlin…

[@leandrolopez3446]

That “loose pocket” could have been stretched tighter so it wasn’t as bad. To start off that pad should have gone from tack strip of the riser all the way to the one on top of the step. Second that carpet should have been installed from bottom up so it could have been stretched tighter with the knee kicker

[@DeansofNomadica]

WE TO GO, STEVE! BEAUTIFUL WORK! Question for you Benjamin. What is the make/model information for this carpet? My wife and I were watching the video and she says that this is exactly what she had in mind for the carpet she wants installed in our place. And one other thing.... thanks for what you do and sharing your expertise. I've learned a lot from you!

[@robertdudley1652]

Look very nice 👌

[@rodgerhatfield3068]

Waterfall is popular because installers lead you in that direction because it’s easy for them. Waterfall looks cheap to me.

[@Boadhion2wheels]

Exactly. I was also going to say that Waterfall is more prevalent in newer houses because it’s a quicker job to get done. I also prefer Hollywood. The contour just looks better, especially when the tread has a bullnose.

[@tedlahm5740]

AKA sculptured.

[@stevehamman4465]

@@Boadhion2wheels yes waterfall is quicker and easier. New home construction does not pay extra for Hollywood. Stairs are an extra charge. Lots of installers don't know they should get paid for them. Its been lost over the years.

[@Boadhion2wheels]

@@stevehamman4465 right. When I was an installation manager for a flooring company, I routinely fought the higher ups for better pay for the installers on different stairs. Of course I lost those arguments.

[@rickyfrench3873]

'Hollywood' stairs? Try taking them back off when you want a new carpet.

[@SamRamirez-i9h]

Good job steve

[@markk5295]

Great video

[@gordonwells4320]

Thank you for sharing your expertise. I tried to follow your instructions, but had a problem that you did not address. I was using a hammer stapler and a hand stapler, I don’t own an electric one. All of my staples bent without penetrating the old dry wood. What can I do?

[@kathleenfreeman1696]

May I ask what can be done about tack strips on the steps that stab our toes? Every step has many places that stab our feet. Thank you for the wonderful video.

[@profloors147]

Take a hammer and lightly tap the areas you feel tackstrip underneath. This is usually because the carpet is a little thinner than some, and tends to happen more frequently on actionbac carpets like this one.

[@peterdrew2044]

Get a thicker carpet ​@@profloors147

[@peterdrew2044]

Some strange ways of fitting a stair carpet. If it looks good and customer is happy with job you're on to a winner😂

[@publicmail2]

what is Ounce rating of carpet? Looks like 30-40oz, sorry to say 10 yrs max vs 30+.

[@lizwargel357]

Learned a lot. Thx!

[@keyonnahaggins7919]

awesome job!

[@TonyStagge]

I didn't see Steve do anything to bend the tacks back to avoid sticking in your toes when walking up. I'm interested to know if that's a thing.

[@Save-A-DogAps]

Haha. That stapler he has. Is not even sold in stores and cost over 200 bucks. Best 1

[@jesslorenzana7193]

So my question is,why don’t you put tackstrip on the side of the steps?The most carpet repair’s I do is wrinkles in center of steps cause there was no tackstrip on each side just up front.I have to pull-up all that work you just did trim up the padding and add tackstrip to each side pain in the ass.

[@profloors147]

100%.. whether it’s a waterfall or cap and band style, the entire stair should be boxed out with tackstrip. Secured on the bottom of face, stretched over the riser, then side to side both directions. Sounds like you know your stuff and I couldn’t agree with you more.

[@ZL1Rocket]

Absolutely 👍

[@RobertKohut]

You had me "staring"... 🙂

[@NewMobEra]

What was labor cost?

[@MensEasyMenus]

How can I hire Steve?

[@DWIGHTSMITH]

Is this Steve from north San Diego

[@patrickgarrett3814]

grrrr you start at the bottom and go up. you will get a way better stretch, Im sorry but yes Tackstrip needs to go on the side, ( Looks good, but for how long).

[@soniam2396]

Anyone else notice that Steve looked and sounded like a well known American actor🤔😉

[@robertmcintosh7772]

50 years my ass once a month maybe dude staples everything we installers hate taking up old carpet with staples 33 years here every day

[@jonathancowdin3775]

Poor steve, he did more than half of that wrong, after his speech he laid the pad upside down, used cheap tack strip and didn't strip the sides, didn't bring the pad down far enough and didn't use a stair stretcher, if you're gonna go backwards then the best advantage is a stair stretcher as a weapon

[@paul_yt2254]

My eyes are hurting 😣🤠🤠🤠

[@mariocavallo331]

If a client wanted to film/interrogate me while remodeling their home, i gotta charge at least triple for it

[@AliAhmadi-hq9pj]

❤

[@Brianbeesandbikes]

leather knee pads!

[@leefitchett6224]

50 years doing like that.Jesus

[@executiveflooring]

Not at all how stairs are done. He didn’t actually “stretch” the carpet at all. Never once seen stairs done from the top with waterfall. Yikes! Face of those stairs must be loose as heck.

[@WillS-pl8wg]

Agree,this hack steve,has been doing it wrong for 50 years.

[@waltbee6333]

Wow. 50 years? That’s a long dang time!! 😮

[@attick2ewh964]

When you’re a professional doing it for 50 years, I think he knows what he’s doing

[@justinlaw2670]

I wouldnt call this guy an expert. No kicker, going from top down are no no's.

[@genericuser8157]

That is not how to fit a stair carpet !!! it’s done in one piece over time the carpet will stretch and eventually those individual stairs will pull away from the stair and tear the ends when it’s in one piece you don’t compromise the strength and integrity of the carpet

[@publicmail2]

Carpet installers seam their mistakes...And if you cut yourself, get the hell out of the house.

[@stevehamman4465]

1st rule of carpet installation,,,, never , ever bleed on the rug!! Eventually you are going to cut yourself, theres nothing you can do about it so DON'T BLEED ON THE RUG!

[@mauroaparicio1855]

exelet video not and easy job

[@daleflaherty]

I bet he is well annoyed with you hovering

[@tedlahm5740]

Absolutely No. Do not want waterfall style. Definitely want FELT PADDING. AKA theater padding DOUBLE THICK on the stairs. AKA Jute padding

[@stevehamman4465]

What are you speaking of? Felt padding? Jute padding? Are you talking about horsehair pad? 1/4 and 1/2 inch?

[@tedlahm5740]

@@stevehamman4465 All of the above. Sculptured steps if you are the owner of the property. RENTAL property a different answer.

[@aaronhohler4066]

Anyone who see this google steve almlie

[@ericsanoe3206]

Great video

[@chaz4471]

How much would be a fair price for stairs?