Stairs are the hardest surface in the house. Every step is a pivot point, a drag point, and usually the first place a carpet shows wear. Here's how we pick carpet for stairs, and why stair labor costs what it does.
Fiber choice matters most
The single biggest factor in whether stair carpet looks good in five years: fiber.
- Nylon — our default for stairs. Resilient, bounces back from compression, takes solution-dyed color that doesn't fade. The DreamWeaver Montauk and similar nylon lines we stock are what we put on our own stairs.
- Polyester (PET) — fine for bedrooms and low-traffic. Not fine for stairs. It mats down, and once polyester mats it doesn't come back.
- Wool — beautiful, expensive, and great for stairs if the budget allows. We don't stock a lot of it but can special-order.
If a big-box quote comes in at $2.50/sq ft for "stair carpet," it's almost certainly polyester. It'll look tired in 18 months.
Face weight and twist
Two spec numbers worth understanding:
- Face weight (oz/sq yd of fiber): for stairs, aim for 40+ oz. Under that and you're compromising.
- Twist level: how tightly each fiber is twisted. Higher twist = better crush resistance. On stairs, you want 5.0+.
We'll spec this out for you when you're picking — nobody should have to memorize these numbers. But if you're comparing quotes, ask what the face weight and twist are. If the salesperson doesn't know, that's a signal.
How we install — three methods
- Waterfall — carpet flows over the nose of each tread without being tucked under. Fastest, cheapest, looks fine, but wears faster at the nose.
- Hollywood / French cap (upholstered) — carpet is tucked and wrapped tight to the riser under each nose. Cleaner look, lasts longer, slightly more labor.
- Stair rods — decorative metal rods at each step. Old-school, very custom, rare request.
We default to Hollywood for most stairs. It's what we'd put in our own houses.
Why stair labor costs what it does
$10-30 per tread on top of the carpet price isn't a gouge — it's what stairs actually take. Each tread is a separate cut, a separate tack strip placement, and a separate tuck. A straight 14-step staircase is maybe 90 minutes of skilled work for one of our installers. A U-shape with winders — the pie-slice turning steps — can take 3-4 hours. Winders are brutal; every one is a custom pattern cut.
Expect $15-20/tread on a straight run, $25-30/tread with winders. That's labor on top of the carpet itself.
Why we usually say no to LVP on stairs
Even when a house is going full LVP downstairs, we almost always push for carpet on the stairs. Reasons:
- Safety. LVP treads are slippery, especially in socks. We've seen real injuries.
- Noise. LVP stairs are loud. Echoes up through the whole house.
- Cost. LVP stair nosings and the labor to fit each tread cleanly can run $60-100/tread. Carpet is usually cheaper and warmer.
If you really want the LVP look on stairs, we'll quote it — but we'll tell you what we just told you first.
Ready to pick
Stair jobs are quick — usually one day for carpet-only, same-day if the old carpet is easy to pull. Book an in-home visit and we'll bring stair-rated samples. Or browse our carpet lines first.
