Best carpet for stairs and landings
Choose a dense, tightly constructed twist pile with a firm underlay. Stairs take more concentrated wear than any other part of a house, so this is the one place where buying the cheapest option costs you money.
Why stairs wear out first
Every person going up or down lands on the same narrow strip at the front of each tread. That nosing takes many times the wear of a bedroom floor, and it takes it in a place where the carpet is bent around an edge. Deep piles crush there, loose constructions open up there, and cheap carpet goes shiny there within a year.
What to look for
Judge the roll in your hands, not the label.
- Density: bend it back, and look for as little visible backing as possible
- A tight twist rather than a long, soft pile
- A firm underlay rather than the thickest one on the shelf
- A mid tone or patterned colour, which hides wear far better than pale plain
Practical points
Try to buy the stairs and landing as one continuous length, so the carpet runs without an awkward join at the top. If the flight has winders, tell us at the quoting stage, because it changes both the material and the labour.
Safety matters here too. Carpet gives grip that a hard floor does not, which is worth remembering in a house with children or older residents.
Common questions
- Should the stairs match the bedrooms?
- They do not need to. Many people spend more on the stairs and hall and use clearance roll ends in the bedrooms.
- Is patterned carpet good on stairs?
- It hides wear and marks well, but it must be fitted carefully so the pattern runs true.
- How much carpet does a staircase need?
- A standard straight flight usually needs around five to six metres of length. Winders need more.
- What if the range I want is not in stock?
- Stock changes weekly, so call Maidstone on 01622 828445 or Gillingham on 01634 481102 and the team will tell you what is in today and what is close to it.
- Do you sell underlay and accessories too?
- Yes, underlay, trims, adhesives, gripper and accessories are all stocked, so the whole job comes from one place.