Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Questions About How To Install Laminate Flooring On Stairs

Carol asks…

How do you install stair runners over steps finished with laminate flooring without ruining the...?

...laminate?
We bought Turkish carpet runners from overseas and plan to install them on our stairs ourselves. We're not sure what the best way is to secure the carpeting to the stairs without marring the flooring. Any suggestions?

admin answers:

If the runner is not secure, there will definitely be an accident.

See the following Q & A:
Question
Is there a double sided tape I can use to secure the self padded stair runner to the part of the stair where you walk? The laminate is too hard for nails or staples. We screwed the carpet to the underneath edge of the stair where the bare wood was exposed. But, we did not install those brass bars where the rise and run meets, due to expense. Now the carpet sticks out beyond the edge of the stair. Any solutions cheaper than the brass bars, but still safe?

Answer
Hi Denise
Double face tape will not hold safely on your stairs. I'm assuming your not worried about the finish of the laminate since you tried to staple and nail through it. That being said, I would recommend a glue called Durabond D-815. It is a carpet seam sealer and multi-purpose adhesive and will hold very well on your steps. It costs about $12-$13 dollars a quart and one quart will be plenty for your steps.
I would take the carpet off the steps and re-do them using the glue. I would do 1 or 2 steps at a time. Run 2-3 1/8 inch beads of the glue at the top and bottom of each riser and 2-3 1/8 inch beads at the front and back of each step. Rub the carpet into the glue until it starts to tack up. D-815 sets up very quickly, usually within 3-5 minutes. Just keep rubbing it down until it grabs and holds securely. Repeat with the rest of the steps.
You will need an applicator bottle to apply the glue with. The store you buy it from should have them. As far as I know, only flooring supply companies carry the glue. But, a call or two to local flooring stores should help you find someone who carries it.
I hope this helps you out. If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to ask. Good luck!

James asks…

Install the laminate on stairs?

I was preparing to install laminate floor on our previously carpeted stairs. After removing the carpet, I have found that the stairs underneath have a rounded nose on the tread that extends out about 1 inch and is about 1 inch thick. The stair nose does not completley cover this. I am trying to figure out how to make this work. I can't figure out any way to cut this off without having to do major renovations. Anyone have any ideas?

admin answers:

I don t advise a laminate on the stairs because of the tripping hazard of the stair nose and the possible slipperiness of the laminate if shoes are damp or you have stocking feet. But when I have had to do it, I rip a pc laminate down to 1 1/2" ( the depth of most stair treads ) and glue and carefully tack the pc in place.I try to use colored finishing nails as to match the coloring in laminate in use.Set the stair nosing over as usual.
Any questions you can e mail me through my avatar. GL

David asks…

Any ideas on how to install laminate flooring on steps when the stair nose isn't thick enough?

We just installed laminate flooring in our family room and want to continue it up a few steps. We bought the matching stair nose but when we lay it out the steps, it isn't thick enough to cover the whole lip. So if you are looking at the steps from the bottom of the stair case, the stair nose doesn't extend far enough vertically to cover the whole lip of the step, so you can see part of the wood that is the stair base. The wood on the step base is just unfinished wood from when they built the house.

Any suggestions for how to make the stair nose work or other solutions for putting laminate on steps?

admin answers:

You must rip a piece of laminate 1 1/2 " and tack on the facing of the tread. I use glue also and a few less nails .. Then put the stair nosing over it all as normal. Any questions you can e mail me through my avatar.. GL

Mark asks…

Laminate flooring question- How to place around rail posts and on ledges?

I've changed plans for my upstairs flooring. I've decided to do laminate wood flooring in the upstairs living room, dining room and kitchen, and carpet on the stairs and the three bedrooms. In the living room, there is a ledge (it's a bi-level) that has a hand rail going around it that leads down the stairs. How would I install the laminate flooring around the rail posts and how would I finish off the ledges so that they look clean? Thanks in advance!

admin answers:

Make paper patterns, once you get the pattern looking good transfer the shape to the flooring to cut out. And use a mould like this http://www.fastfloors.com/article.asp?a=1

Jenny asks…

Does anyone have tips on how to install laminate floor on an open-ended stair (e.g. not closed on one side)?

admin answers:

Laminate flooring may be used on stairs in some circumstances. I personally don't recommend it. It's labor intensive to install laminate on stairs. The boards must be glued down to the stair, not floated. You will also need a flush or overmount stairnose. This will prevent the tripping hazard. Wilsonart also makes full size stair treads.

The labor to install laminate on stairs is high because it's difficult. Hire a professional, independent family owned flooring store to do this install for you. Highly experienced flooring installers find these jobs to be a challenge. A careful, loving, patient homeowner/carpenter or equivilant could install these products on a staircase if absolutely necessary. Please contact the manufacturer for glue specifications and installation instructions. They are available free of charge. Some manufacturers will have them available on their websites.

Take care.

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