Berber carpet on stairs.

[iluvorlando]

DH and I are getting new carpet for our upstairs. We picked out a nice berber. Well, we were told that most companies don't guarantee it because it "smiles" and frays. Do you have berber on your stairs? If yes, are you happy with it?

 

[lisajl]

We moved into our house nine years ago. It came with nice, grey berber carpeting.

I love it. Easy to take care of...no problems with it at all.

Smiles and frays? We don't have any of those problems.
Well...no...ours has frayed a bit from a stray cat we had in the house. It wanted out and tried to tear up the carpeting.
So, we have a little problem from that incident.

Lisajl

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

I'm a sales rep for a carpet manufacturer and I've been in the industry since 1995. My advice -- don't go for the berber on the stairs.

If you can get a big enough sample or swatch of berber, try putting it on the stairs to see how it would look coming over the stair edge. "Smiles" are formed when the rows of loops separate over a bend like that.

Also, make sure you read up on the warranties and what is or isn't covered. Due to the traffic on stairs, most companies won't warranty the wear or texture retention on stairs.

I would go with a high-density plush or a frieze on the stairs before a berber.

 

[iluvorlando]

Matthew,

Thank you. We did have a large piece and it didn't smile no breaking in the pattern at all. Plus, they say they will guarantee it. What is frieze?

 

[mickeyfan1]

Here's what he says -

First buy 100% Nylon.
Second Get the densest loop available so that when it wraps on the step, the backing doesn't show.

All manufacturers warranty their product. There is no resrtiction on berber on stairs. Anyone who tells you different must not want to do the job.

GO to this website for more info;
http://www.flooringfashions.com/flooringguide/default.asp?topic=5&p=4

 

[iluvorlando]

Wow that was a great site Marsha. Thanks!!

 

[mickeyfan1]

You are welcome, Michelle.

If there is anything DH likes, it's talking about, selling and especially installing carpet.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

On the site Marsha linked to, check out the link for construction types. It explains what a frieze is pretty well there. I like the friezes as a nice alternative to berbers.

If it didn't smile, then it sounds like you have a really dense berber. It will probably perform pretty well on stairs, as long as you aren't getting smiles (which detract from the appearance more than anything). Definitely read the warranty brochures about stairs, though. I did a search to varify and found more than one mention that carpet installed on stairs is excluded in many instances. That doesn't mean that the installer or the retailer won't offer a warranty, though.

One thing I don't like about the site, though, is it doesn't go into PET Polyester on the page about fiber. PET Poly is made of recycled soda bottles and is much more durable than virgin polyester, second to nylon in memory and texture retention.

 

[MinnieGi]

We've had berber carpeting installed in our whole house when it was built three years ago. We get loads of compliments. It looks and wears great on our stairs. In our old house we had a plush carpet covering the stairs and it wore out fast and looked shabby just a few days after vaccuming. The berber looks great the whole time from vaccuum to vaccuum!

 

[Otimon]

We used a commercial grade carpet on stairs in our home back in Chicago and just loved it. Looked as good the day we moved out as it did when it was installed several years earlier.

Good luck.

 

[iluvorlando]

Thanks everyone. We are waiting for the warranty info, so I will definitely read that. Sounds like the retailer will guarantee it, so we will see. I definitely didn't see any breakage or backing and dh did it pretty hard. I think it is 100% olefin. Mohawk kids wear or something. We love berber, had it in our old house. Can't wait to get it!!

 

[Towncrier]

We installed industrial grade berber in our basement over 10 years ago. Needless to say, we used the same carpet on the basement stairs. Other than the fact that the guy who installed the carpet was a moron, we haven't had any problems like you described.

The "normal" carpet that came with the house (now over 17 years old) is really starting to show signs of wear, especially in the family room and on the stairs to the second floor. DW Sue says that, when we replace the rest of our carpets in the house, she wants to go with some more of the industrial berber.

Lots of great advice on this thread.