Help with ideas on what to do about this carpet without replacing it...

SChitmehard
SChitmehard Posts: 122 Forumite
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Hi,

The carpet on the stairs is worn out so much so that you can see the wood underneath as can be seen in the pic below. This is the case for the whole of the stairs and is in the centre of the carpet all the way to the top of the stairs.



My first thought was of putting some type of floor covering (like vinyl in the pic below) on the top of this central area of worn out carpet but I can only seem to find clear one which would be no good as you'd be able to see the worn out carpet through it.

Has anyone come across anything else or where I could get non-see through vinyl type material?  

Or are there any other options (I can't replace the carpet at the moment) that would be a stop gap measure?



 
thanks


Comments

  • Bookworm105
    Bookworm105 Posts: 2,016 Forumite
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    it's an idea,  but personally I would never stick carpet to carpet on stairs. Recipe for disaster.
    Looks like they are designed to be stuck to the wood of the stairs
  • TELLIT01
    TELLIT01 Posts: 17,866 Forumite
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    It might be possible to lift the carpet and move it up or down so the holes are at the junction of the tread and riser, rather than at the front of the step.  Depends on the shape of the stairs and if it would be practical to patch in with the 'spare' piece after relaying it.
  • BarelySentientAI
    BarelySentientAI Posts: 2,448 Forumite
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    it's an idea,  but personally I would never stick carpet to carpet on stairs. Recipe for disaster.
    Looks like they are designed to be stuck to the wood of the stairs
    You're right, they are - I've got no idea if they'd stick or not.  I assume if enough of the damaged carpet was cut away then it would work fine anyway.
  • GDB2222
    GDB2222 Posts: 26,037 Forumite
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    I'd lift the carpet, and paint the stairs. Varnish is better still, but requires a lot more prep.
    No reliance should be placed on the above! Absolutely none, do you hear?
  • ThisIsWeird
    ThisIsWeird Posts: 7,935 Forumite
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    What's with the username, SChit?! :blush:
    I'd go with GDB. Surely less overall effort to rip up the carpet, do some prep, and paint the stairs? 
    Choose a suitable colour and transform them stairs. Cost - sandpaper and a tin of paint. 
    To try and fasten down anything on top of that carpet is going to be fraught; far more hassle, likely more costly, and will still look terrible. 


  • Bigphil1474
    Bigphil1474 Posts: 3,429 Forumite
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    Have you spoken to a carpet company? We got our stairs done really cheaply as the local carpet fitter had an end roll that was just enough and was fitted for under £100 including the carpet. Worth asking.

    You can get rubber nosing that they use in commercial premises, but I expect they'd cost more than a new carpet. I agree with the others, take the old carpet off, and clean up the stairs. I would just paint the sides though, not the bit you walk on, otherwise it could be slippery.
  • EssexExile
    EssexExile Posts: 6,424 Forumite
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    Is the stair lift making it awkward to change the carpet? Most good carpet fitters are used to working around things like that. Otherwise I'd go with the aforementioned remove as much as you can & paint the stairs.
    Tall, dark & handsome. Well two out of three ain't bad.
  • Mistral001
    Mistral001 Posts: 5,403 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    edited 3 June 2024 at 4:18PM
    TELLIT01 said:
    It might be possible to lift the carpet and move it up or down so the holes are at the junction of the tread and riser, rather than at the front of the step.  Depends on the shape of the stairs and if it would be practical to patch in with the 'spare' piece after relaying it.

    I did this with my staircase carpet about 10 years ago.  It made a 40 year old carpet look almost like it was new!  There was a little bit of careful cutting and glueing needed where the carpet met the newel post at the bottom of the staicase, but still well within the capabilities of a DIY'er
    BTW my carpet has a similar pattern to yours, though a different colour.   At joints I could not get a perfect continuity of the pattern, but surprisingly said joints are hardly noticeable.

    PS.  Renewing the underfelt made a big big improvement.
  • twopenny
    twopenny Posts: 7,280 Forumite
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    I've been known to get some permenant markers the same colour as a rug and colour in the pattern :D

    An old heirloom rug of quite some size. It made all the difference to the appearance.
    Depends on how patient you are. I did it while watching TV.

    I've also patched stair carpet by using a bit of spare, trimming the wool off and glueing it to the worn bit but granted, it wasn't as much as yours.

    I certainly wouldn't use that plastic runner! That stuff would be leathal for slipping

    I can rise and shine - just not at the same time!

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