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Many people love the thought of having carpet put in on their hardwood stairs in order to impart this section of the house a comfortable look. Furthermore, steps that are carpeted are safer and less given to cause a slip and fall where someone could become hurt.

If you have ever thought about carpeting your steps on your own, you may be amazed to know that installing carpeting on steps is a very simple process that most people can do. And although installing carpet on the stairs may not be as energizing as shopping for tropical wall hangings or wall decor art, doing so can save you a ton of money over hiring a professional carpet installer.

The key to appropriately putting in carpeting on the stairs is to take the precise measurements. In fact, this is the first step. Starting with the right measurements will allow you to start your carpeting installation on the right foot. The following is a simple step by step set of instructions for the “waterfall” method of installation. This method of installation is better suited for steps that are uniformly designed in both height and width. Let's look at how to take correct measurements when using this technique of carpeting installation.

Measure the width of the whole staircase

Your initial measurement will be of the width of the entire staircase. If your stairway is a ordinary one with uniformly sized stairs, all you need to do is to measure the breadth at the widest part of the stairs. Set one tip of a general measuring tape at one end, and then measure across the width of the step to the other end. Write down the width and consider that you may add two to four inches of extra breadth as a margin.

Measuring the breadth of each riser

The area of the stairs that you step on when ascending or going down a stairwell is referred to the riser. In the waterfall technique, you will basically need a single long piece of carpet that will encompass the total stairway.  Thus it is important to measure how wide every riser is. Measure from the peak of the riser up to the joint (or where the riser stops and the fall begins). Jot down this measurement.

Take measurements of the "fall" of every step

The fall pertains to the height or length between one riser and the next one. To measure this, start from the end of one riser and then extend the tape measure up to the beginning of the following riser. If your steps have nosing, the fall ends under this jutted out portion of each step. Take note of this measurement.

Combine the dimensions for the fall and the riser

This is  a simple operation; just tally the two measurements together and throw in a few inches for a margin. This will allow you to neatly disguise the edges and the corners with enough carpet during the installation. Once you have discovered the length of each step, including the allowance, you will simply want to multiply this number by the amount of steps that you plan to cover. This will give you the total length of carpeting you need for the stairs.

Take the measurements of the entire length and width to the carpeting store, and have a sales associate aid you in choosing the right amount of carpeting for your project.

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