Here at runrug.com, carpet runners are our bread and butter. Our expertise in all things flooring dates back to 1945, and as such have gathered, through innovation, a range of tips and tricks to help your new runner settle into your home seamlessly.
Below, you will find our one-stop shop on fitting a carpet runner, in the three most popular locations!
1. Carpet Grippers
2. Tape Measure
3. Bolster
4. Rubber Mallet
5. Nails
6. Safety/Stanley Knife
7. Hammer
8. Staple Gun
If you’re like most people, your stairs won’t be prepared for a stair runner right away, there are a few things you’ll have to take care of first:
Step 1: Install your grippers & underlay
Grippers are an integral part of any carpet installation process, runners included. You’ll want to cut your gripper strips slightly thinner than the width of your runner (4-5cm on either side), to ensure no gripper is visible in the finished product.
Once you’ve cut your grippers down, you’ll need to install them on each and every tread and riser.
Starting with the risers, install your gripper central, and roughly 25mm up from the tread, with the pins facing down to grip the runner. Once your riser grippers are in place, repeat the process at the back of the treads with the pins facing the riser, 25-50mm away from the riser, depending on the thickness of your runner.
With the grippers in place, it’s time to install your underlay – which we have made fantastically simple in our underlay & gripper pack! Simply place the pre cut rectangles of underlay on each tread, and secure with your staple gun.
Step 2: Place the runner into position
Starting from the top step, roll your stair runner out. Make sure the runner is central on your stairs, with even spacing at either side and move on to step 3.
Step 3: Securing the Runner
Now, this is where the magic starts to happen. You’ll secure the runner into position using your bolster and rubber mallet during this crucial step.
Position your bolster where the riser meets the tread, and use your mallet to tuck the runner into the grippers you installed earlier. Work through this process on each and every step from top to bottom, ensuring you continue to check that even spacing has been maintained on either side, and the runner is still central and pulled tight.
Once you’ve secured the final and bottom step, simply use your safety knife to trim away any excess – and your work here is done!
Step 4: Finishing Touches
Now is the time to finish off your project, and add any accessories to your preference, including beading to finish the bottom step on a laminate floor, or stair rods to add a splash of luxury to your brand-new runner.
Installing a hallway or kitchen runner really couldn’t be more simple. Simple remove the packaging and unroll your runner in its new home… and you’re done!
We recommend using our anti-slip under your runner to minimize the risk of any accidents, with kids and pets around – which is just as easy to install as your runner, simply roll it out under your runner and place your runner back on top of the anti-slip.
