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Taking carpet off stairs, elderly folks

Posted on 11/12/23 at 11:03 am
Posted by Mushroom1968
Member since Jun 2023
5299 posts
Posted on 11/12/23 at 11:03 am
My mom is wanting carpet taken off their stairs, house built in mid 70s. I have no idea what it looks like underneath. I’m known as a decent mechanic but not for home renovations. I’m worried about the stairs now being slippery. Is there a slip proof way to do wooden stairs that still looks good? Is there much work to do to make stairs underneath look good?

They don’t have much money so I’ve been tasked with it

Eta: Inside stairs
This post was edited on 11/12/23 at 11:04 am
Posted by keakar
Member since Jan 2017
30152 posts
Posted on 11/12/23 at 11:09 am to
quote:

Taking carpet off stairs, elderly folks


make sure they fully understand this first before you begin.

1 - there is no going back once you start

2 - whats under the carpet may just be plain rough plywood so they may have to spend thousands to have the stairs rebuilt again.

3 - nothing about this will be cheap or easy to do
Posted by Don Quixote
Member since May 2023
4199 posts
Posted on 11/12/23 at 11:23 am to
We refloored a home recently replacing full carpet with a lot of EVP and tile; really thought long, hard about changing the stairs from carpet to solid surface but multiple flooring guys strongly suggested against it due to slippery and cost - if I recall the cost just for the stairs was going to be about 3X the cost to re-carpet it

we went back with carpet
Posted by Mushroom1968
Member since Jun 2023
5299 posts
Posted on 11/12/23 at 11:38 am to
Well I appreciate the replies. Gonna have another talk with mom and tell her all what y’all have said. I’d hate this to be a disaster and I’m not the person who would know how to fix it if it was.
Posted by HighlyFavoredTiger
TexLaArk
Member since Jun 2018
934 posts
Posted on 11/12/23 at 2:14 pm to
My MIL did this, she’s 69 but in good physical condition and never had trouble climbing her stairs before, the stairs looked beautiful after it was done with dark oak stained wood but the change from soft and padded to hard and slick hasn’t been good for her, she’s slipped and fell twice in the first 8 months with the new stair treads. But it was expensive to change the first time and expensive to go back so she’s living with it for now.
Posted by 9rocket
Member since Sep 2020
1647 posts
Posted on 11/12/23 at 2:51 pm to
If slipping is a concern, you’re better off leaving the carpet.
Underneath it is probably very rough plywood, with gaps in the corners. You would either have to overlay that, thereby throwing off the riser height, creating a trip hazard, or removing it and installing some oak treads.
Posted by ItzMe1972
Member since Dec 2013
12205 posts
Posted on 11/12/23 at 5:28 pm to
How about just replacing the carpet?
Posted by tigerfoot
Alexandria
Member since Sep 2006
60727 posts
Posted on 11/12/23 at 6:38 pm to
quote:

My MIL did this, she’s 69 but in good physical condition and never had trouble climbing her stairs before, the stairs looked beautiful after it was done with dark oak stained wood but the change from soft and padded to hard and slick hasn’t been good for her, she’s slipped and fell twice in the first 8 months with the new stair treads. But it was expensive to change the first time and expensive to go back so she’s living with it for now.


Couldnt you do one of those strips of carpet up the middle for pretty cheap and still get the good looks and a place to step?
Posted by Mushroom1968
Member since Jun 2023
5299 posts
Posted on 11/12/23 at 7:59 pm to
Appreciate all the replies
Posted by Unobtanium
Baton Rouge
Member since Nov 2009
1854 posts
Posted on 11/12/23 at 8:40 pm to
Here's a Bing Search Page.

Amazon offering

Wal-Marks

Lots of options if the bare wood doesn't pan out.
Posted by Weekend Warrior79
Member since Aug 2014
20793 posts
Posted on 11/12/23 at 10:23 pm to
I did this several years ago myself. Ripped up the carpet, went to HD and bought a bunch of stair treads and risers and just replaced them myself pretty easily. Don’t recall what color I stained the treads, but painted the risers white. Believe I knocked it out in a weekend for under $300

Posted by Yewkindewit
Near Birmingham, Alabama
Member since Apr 2012
21624 posts
Posted on 11/14/23 at 9:57 am to
If you removed the carpet and worry about slipping you can still get the press on, non-slip tread covers. I had some doggie paw marks scratched on my wooden stairs and the tread covers/pads serve to help with the slipping and they look decent. And, they are thin….
Posted by CatfishJohn
Member since Jun 2020
19047 posts
Posted on 11/14/23 at 11:57 am to
You'll likely have to rebuild them with wood matching the flooring ($$), then put a runner on them so people don't die ($).

I would just clean the current carpet or replace it.

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