How to replace part of carpet on steps?

   / How to replace part of carpet on steps? #1  

Richard

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I live in the boonies. The wife chose WHITE carpet to go up the stairs from the entry foyer (enter downstairs & must use steps to go into house, after walking through outside elements)

We then got some dogs....

Long story short, the bottom step was once used by one of the dogs as a chew toy and now she wants to fix the carpet.

We have a remenant in the attic which should cover 3-5 steps which would replace the worst ones.

I've seen carpet pulled/tightened before.... however, I do not have one of those knee kickers or anything else you might use when installing in a stairwell.

Any tips on how to cut 3-5 steps worth of carpet off, refit new carpet over those with household tools?
 
   / How to replace part of carpet on steps? #2  
You might be best off going to some place like Taylor Rental and renting the tools from them. I am pretty sure they would have all the tools you need for the job.
 
   / How to replace part of carpet on steps? #3  
You can make you own "kicker" with some nails and a 2x4.

Tack down one side of the step ( you should already have a tack strip there ) after you hook one side use your 2x4 with some nails in it and kick/nudge the other side tight.

Nails need only protrude by a less than a 1/2" to grab.

Thant's the cheap way, other way is you can rent the stuff you need.

Now might be a good time to at least change the color of the carpet on teh steps any way to a darker color. Otherwise a plastic runner over the white carpet will save some head aches in the future.
 
   / How to replace part of carpet on steps? #4  
Depending on the temperment of the dog, I might recommend a nice dogskin patch...
 
   / How to replace part of carpet on steps? #5  
Richard
Hope this doesn't come to late, just saw your post. I installed carpet for a number of years.
You can replace one step or multiple steps, just remember to add a couple of inches in length for each step. The extra length will be needed when you tuck the carpet into the area where the rise meets the run.
You should have a strip of wood with nails in it (tack strip) about an inch up on the riser and tack strip on the run about an inch back from the riser. If the installer was good you will have tack strip along the sides of the steps also, about a 1/2 from the edge of the steps. If you don't have any tack strips on the steps you can use tacks. Secure the carpet at the bottom of the step first then wrap the carpet over the step. If your steps have tack strip on them that should be enough to hold the carpet in place. Once you've wraped the step stretch the carpet so that it will hook to the tack strip on the top of the step (the run of the step) then use a wide, dull, chisel (maybe a small piece of 1/4 plywood?) to drive the carpet between the pieces of tack strip on the run and rise of the step. If you can't rent a carpet kicker the 2x4 with several nails might work (never tried that one. I'd pad the end of the 2x4). After you've got the carpet stretched top to bottom you can bump the sides in. You won't need to stretch it from side to side much, just enough to get it to sit flat. If your carpet is a burber or has a pattern watch that. With a shag it won't matter. After you get it all streched use a utility knife with a sharp blade to trim off the excess. If you have multiple steps you'll only need to trim the last step. On multiple steps just use a hammer to rub the carpet against the tack strip on the riser (after using your chisel to drive the carpet into the corner made by the run and rise of the step) and stretch to the next step.
 
 
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