How To Install Flooring On Stairs

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Laminate flooring is a versatile alternative to other floor types since it can mimic their look while also offering significant strength. Just like all floors, laminate has its own installation quirks. Despite this, laminate flooring is relatively easy to install yourself, provided you've got the right tools and some time on your hands. Here are some easy-to-follow steps for installing laminate on stairs.

1. 1

   Order your laminate flooring. Laminate floor tin can be installed on stairs, or anywhere else that you would install hardwood flooring. The major issue with installing laminate flooring on stairs is durability - stairs tend to get more wearable-and-tear than most other surfaces in your habitation. For this reason, information technology is advisable to ask the supplier or manufacturer for the about hard-wearing laminate they have.^[1]

   • In addition, laminate flooring can be high-gloss and very slippery - which may be a concern if you lot accept immature children in the house. To minimize the risk of slipperiness, go for laminate flooring with a textured, matte finish.
   • You should also specify that you want matching nose stripping when choosing your laminate, as many manufacturers do not have matching nose stripping for all of their flooring.
   • In terms of quantity, you should order about ten% more than flooring than you actually need in order to cover the square footage of stairs. This is necessary every bit y'all may need to cut a number of boards to fill in actress spaces. It volition also allow you a comfortable margin for potential errors.

2. 2

   Allow the flooring to acclimate. Laminate flooring needs time to adjust to the temperature and humidity of the business firm before information technology is installed. This prevents the boards from warping, expanding or contracting later. To acclimatize your flooring, remove the boards from their packaging and stack them in an open up infinite, where air can circulate, for 48 hours.^[two]

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3. 3

   Remove any carpeting and tackstrip. The next thing you volition need to practice is fix your staircase for laying downwardly the laminate. If you need to remove carpet from the stairs, you can pull it upwardly using a pair of pliers. Carpet is commonly attached using adhesive tack strip, staples or both. The tack strip tin can be removed using a pry bar, while the staples can either be hammered back in identify, or removed using a scraper.^[3]

   • Make sure to wear gloves while yous are removing carpet, the staples can be very sharp and may crusade injuries.
   • Even if the stairs were not covered in carpet, you tin can fix them by removing any old paint or agglutinative and repairing any loose or creaking steps past nailing them securely in identify.
   • You volition also demand to make sure each of the steps is level, so the laminate boards will sit properly. If they are uneven, you can utilize a belt sander to level them out, or simply use a scraper to become rid of any debris or loftier spots.

4. 4

   Remove any overhang. Many stairs will have a pre-existing overhang: this is when the underside of the nosing on the upper steps is visible from the bottom of the staircase. You will need to address this before you can lay the laminate flooring. Y'all can do this in one of 2 ways:^[4]

   • You tin can either cut off the overhang using a reciprocating or jigsaw, so use a chisel to ensure the surface is affluent with the riser.
   • Alternatively, you can use a slice of plywood to pad the riser, filling out the space underneath the overhang. Just be sure to nail the plywood in place before installing the laminate.

5. five

   Cutting the laminate to shape. The next affair you volition need to do is cut the laminate tread pieces, riser pieces and stair nosing to length. For the tread pieces, lay the the plank across the footstep, making sure that it fits snugly from left to right. You lot may need to trim the edges slightly so they are aligned with the step. Nearly thread pieces will not be wide plenty to cover the entire pace. If this is the case, you volition need to cut a second plank to fill in the rest of the space:^[5]

   • To do this, you can either cutting 2 planks into even pieces, so that their combined width covers the thread, or you can employ a total plank and cut a smaller strip to fill in the extra space. When cutting thread pieces, make sure to cutting on the groove side of the plank, and mucilage them together tongue-to-groove. The tread slice should not extend all the manner to the edge of the footstep, as you volition need to get out room for the top nosing.
   • Next you lot will need to cut the riser pieces to length. You need to make sure that they volition sit snugly on top of the tread piece, and are level with the height of the riser. If the edges of the plank are not perfectly aligned with the edges of the riser, yous can trim them to fit.
   • To cutting the nose stripping, you should mensurate the length of the exposed thread, equally well every bit the length of the riser and cutting laminate pieces to fit, trimming the edges to fit the angle of the stairs, if necessary.
   • A good tip is to mark each piece with a number every bit presently as yous cutting it to size, this way you will know which piece corresponds with each stair.

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1. one

   Start at the elevation of the stairs. The easiest way to install your laminate flooring is to start at the top of the stairs and piece of work your style down. Past doing this, you avoid standing on the freshly installed flooring (and you lot won't trap yourself upstairs when the chore is done!)^[6]

2. ii

   Install the tread pieces. The thread piece is the function of the stair that you really stride on to. To install the tread pieces, apply three beads of practiced quality wood glue to the subfloor, making sure not to put whatsoever on the space at the border which volition be covered by the nosing later. Take the glued-together tread pieces which you lot assembled before and place them firmly onto the tread, with the tongue border of the plank facing outwards.If any glue squeezes onto the laminate planks, wipe it off quickly with a damp cloth.^[vii]

3. 3

   Put the risers into place. The next pace is to embrace the risers, which are the vertical parts of the stairs. Use iii beads of wood glue to the dorsum of the riser plank (which you cut to fit before), and press information technology into place, holding firmly for a minute or 2 while the glue sets. It should sit down snugly between the tread piece underneath and the tread edging in a higher place.^[eight]

   • If you want to secure the riser slice further, you can employ a nail gun to nail the very tiptop of the plank in place, every bit the nails will be concealed past the thread edge.

4. iv

   Install the stair nosing. In one case the thread and riser pieces are in place, you will need to employ the stair nosing (this is the piece that sits on height of the riser and overhangs the edge of the step slightly). To install the nosing, employ a bead of construction mucilage to the subfloor (rather that the nosing itself) and printing it firmly into place, with the tapered end overlapping the thread piece.^[ix]

   • You will also need to spiral the elevation nosing into identify, in order to properly secure information technology. To do this, cover the nosing with a strip of clear plastic tape, to protect the laminate. Mark out where each of the screws should be placed with a pencil - they should be spaced about 9 inches (22.9 cm) apart, and should be centered in the center of the nosing.
   • Drill a countersink pigsty for each of the screws, using a combination flake. Insert the wood screws, leaving the plastic tape in identify until after you've covered the screws with putty.

5. 5

   Complete the stairs. It is upward to you whether you lot wish to put all of the riser pieces and tread pieces in identify first, before installing the nosing, or if you desire to complete each step fully earlier moving on to the adjacent one. Whichever method yous utilize, brand sure yous take your time and install your laminate flooring advisedly. Yous desire this flooring to last many years, so it is worth doing the chore properly.

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1. ane

   Fill in the screw holes. Once all of the laminate flooring is in identify, you volition need to make full in the exposed spiral holes in the stair nosing with putty. Prepare the putty co-ordinate to the instructions, making sure to mix it well. Apply a plastic putty knife to smoothly and carefully fill in the screw holes. One time you've filled in every hole on the nosing strip, remove the plastic record roofing the nosing.^[10]

   • Proceed to work your mode down the stairs filling in the holes and removing the tape on each piece of nosing.
   • After 20-30 minutes, use a clammy cloth to even out the putty roofing each screw, before it is fully dry. You may use water or acetone for this.

2. 2

   Clean the stairs . It is very important to clean the stairs immediately to remove any fallen bits of putty, as putty can be almost impossible to remove in one case it sets. Y'all should likewise sweep away any sawdust and peel off whatsoever remaining tape from the stair nosing. Once the stairs are clean, you lot can take a pace dorsum and adore your handiwork!

3. 3

   Leave overnight. You should avert using the stairs (as far every bit possible) for 12-24 hours afterward you lot finish the flooring. This will give the glue acceptable time to prepare and let the new flooring to settle.

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Add together New Question

• Question

  How much does laminate floor toll per foursquare foot?

  

  Mitchell Newman is the Principal at Habitar Design and its sister company Stratagem Structure in Chicago, Illinois. He has 20 years of experience in construction, interior blueprint and real estate development.

  

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  It depends on a diversity of factors, like how much flooring yous're putting in, where you're installing it, and who your contractor is. The most inexpensive laminate flooring can exist as little every bit 80-xc cents per square human foot, or it can toll upwardly to $two-3 per square human foot.

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• One gluing tip is to apply the agglutinative, put the board in place, and then pry it upward immediately. If it appears as though in that location is sufficient coverage of adhesive on both the laminate plank and the step, you know you've glued it correctly.

• If y'all don't call up agglutinative is acceptable for the task, you might consider nailing the laminate floor to the step (subfloor). Just bear in mind: Nailing may damage the face of the laminate. Information technology may as well void your warranty. Check the manufacturer'due south recommendations or call an installer for their thoughts. If yous do decide to go with nailing, apply a pneumatic (automatic) nailer. This volition reduce the likelihood of splitting the laminate boards.

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• You lot should always article of clothing the proper protective clothing when working with power tools.

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Article Summary X

To install laminate floor on stairs, kickoff by removing the overhang, or the underside of the stairs, with a jigsaw. Alternatively, yous could cover the overhang with plywood to make it level. One time this is done, measure out and cut out your pieces of laminate to make tread pieces, riser pieces and stair nosing. Then, start laying your laminate by applying iii beads of good quality woods glue to the subfloor and and so installing the tread pieces. After those are on, install your riser pieces and so cease with the nosing. To learn how to cull the right laminate flooring for your stairs, read on!

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