That one stair tread that just would not stretch right

Had a job in a 1920s house with a curved staircase, and the final tread needed a 2-inch bias cut to fit the bullnose. The carpet kept bunching on the curve no matter how I tacked it. What should have been a 20-minute fix turned into a 3-hour wrestling match with a knee kicker and a heat gun. Anyone have a better method for a tight radius on an old stair?

3 comments

3 Comments

gonzalez.anna2mo ago

Spray adhesive is the only way to go on those old curved stairs. I had a 1920s colonial with a spiral section that was a nightmare until I started using that trick. Hit the backing and the subfloor both with a light coat, let it tack up for about thirty seconds, then lay the carpet down. It holds the fabric in place long enough to get your staples in without it sliding around on you. The heat gun helps too, but you gotta be careful not to melt the backing or the adhesive. That bias cut on the bullnose is still a pain, but at least the carpet stays put while you work it into place.

amygonzalez3mo ago

Ever try a spray adhesive on the backing before you tack it down? I had a similar curve on a 1915 bungalow and a light mist of spray adhesive held the carpet in place just enough to get my staples in without the bunching. Still took a while, but it stopped the fight.

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sean_murray3mo ago

My buddy Mark tried that on his old staircase landing. He said the spray made it stick just long enough to get the staples in without the fabric crawling away.