Stairs - Wood or Carpet?

[Tink33]

We are in the midst of remodeling the entire downstairs and the flooring consultant suggested wood on the stairs yesterday. I have always had carpet on stairs and wanted to get some reviews.

I have 2 teens and a jack russell terrier. The price seems high too - $2600 for 14 stairs and a small landing.

Any advice?

 

[sassyangel]

wood is easier to clean

 

[ChrizJen]

I've always had carpet too, but I like the look of wood stairs.
And it does seem like it would be easier to keep clean!

 

[Michelle67]

I agree that wood is nicer looking and easier to keep clean, but when we stripped the carpet off our stairs during a restoring process, the kids and I all fell down them several times before we got carpet back on them. We used a very low loop runner, so you still saw the wood edges, and it looked very sharp and stopped us from tumbling down them.

Also had wood stairs in high school and just about killed myself on them a zillion times. My dad finally mixed clean sand in some paint and repainted them for some traction.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Plus and minuses to wood.

Plus -- hardwood adds more to the resale value of your home. Hardwood won't trap dirt and allergens the way carpet will.

Minus -- Initial cost. Hardwood install on stairs is expensive. In my 3 years selling flooring at a major home improvement warehouse, I have never sold a wood install on stairs. There are a lot of cuts involved and more intricate labor, especially to position the nailer right. Glue down might be easier, but install on stairs is rarely easy. Does that $2600 include the hardwood and other materials? If so, that doesn't sound too out of line.

Carpet, like I said, may trap allergens, but does have advantages. For one, the material and installation is less expensive. Also, carpet will provide more traction and help prevent slips and falls.

If it were me, I'd get carpet with a fairly short pile and a high density that will hold up against traffic. Best way to tell a high density is try to dig your fingers in. You want something where the fibers are nice and close together and you can barely get to or see the backing. I wouldn't recommend a loop berber because you will get smiles at the edge of the stair. A frieze would be good to hold up to traffic but usually aren't high density.

Hope this helps.