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Without doubt, new carpeting can be expensive, which is why carpet runners are so beneficial. Even low priced carpet takes hard-earned money to buy so you obviously want to do everything you can to protect it from damage. For carpet in areas of high traffic, such as stairs, hallways, or near outside exits, carpet runners can keep the carpets looking beautiful and new.
One of the most common places to see carpet runners is on stairs. In addition to providing needed protection, carpet runners are also beautiful and practical. In fact, some people will add runners to the stairs simply to create more interest while dressing up the appearance of otherwise boring stairs. Carpet runners have a number of benefits, which is why they are so popular. For instance, they can provide additional traction, create a safer walking surface for small children and pets, and reduce loud footsteps, especially when used on hardwood floors. Because carpet runners are used in high traffic areas, they get plenty of use. Therefore, you always want to purchase the best quality you can afford. Many styles can be installed by the homeowner while other types of carpet runners need to be professionally installed. To show you how easy the installation process can be, we have provided you with some guidelines. For starters, you need to lay out and fasten the tackless strips, which can be done by subtracting the width of the carpet runners from the staircase width. Mark the distance from the skirt board and balusters on each tread at the place where it meets the riser. Then for the treads, snip sheet metal to create a tackless strip that is two inches shorter than the runner width. Now place a scrap of strip flush against the riser, centering the cut strip-pins angled toward the riser in between your layout marks. Next, the carpet pad would be fitted, cutting it the same width as the tackless strip but three inches longer than the tread depth. The edge of the pad would be fastened to the tread, spacing about every three inches. Now, the carpet runners would be secured to the first riser. Cutting the carpet to the appropriate size, dab the edges with a little latex glue so the edges do not fray. When dry, unroll the runner about four treads, going between your layout marks. The carpet runners would then be pushed against the floor at the first riser’s bottom and stapled to the bottom about every three inches. The carpet runners are then attached to the treads, making sure the runner engages to the tackless strip, becoming taut. The runner is fastened to the riser, stapling each edge two inches above the bottom riser. To complete the installation of the carpet runners, the rods would be installed by screwing the brackets into the tread and riser and then pressing the rod into the crease so both ends are secured into the brackets.
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Carpet and Coverings