If you’ve been following our stair makeover, you’ve read how I ripped up the builder-basic carpet in a fit of madness then painted the stairs for less than $50. The final step was installing a runner from Sisal Rugs Direct. Here’s everything you need to know about choosing the best material, measuring your stairs and installing the runner yourself:

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I received a discount on my runner in exchange for my review of its durability, design and ease of installation. All opinions are my own. For your convenience, I have also included affiliate links to the materials I’ve used for installing the runner.

What is a Stair Runner?

A stair runner is one continuous, narrow length of carpet or rug material installed down the center of a staircase, covering the treads and risers while leaving part of the stairs exposed on both sides. Unlike individual carpet stair treads, a stair runner extends continuously from the top of the staircase to the bottom.

Choosing the Best Material

I have always loved the look of sisal or natural fiber stair runners but worried about the practicality of one in a house with small kids. Having had a natural fiber rug that ended up damaged from leaky sippy cups and rogue applesauce packets, I worried that a runner by the front door that leads upstairs to the kids’ bedrooms and art room wouldn’t stand a chance. Plus, I had read that sisal could be a little slippery on stairs. When I reached out to Sisal Rugs Direct, I asked them to suggest a material that would hold up in a busy house and they shared their All Weather selection with me.

These all weather rugs look like natural fiber but are made of 100% polypropylene. They will not fade, mold or mildew when exposed to the elements, and by elements, I mean these two.

We chose the Canas Straw with Adobe Canvas Binding. While this exact option is no longer available, Sisal Rugs Direct offers many similar custom stair-runner materials and binding choices.

Tip: If you are working within a tight budget, make sure you check out the remnant offerings, which are sometimes up to 50% off. You may have to be more flexible with your color choices but it’s worth checking out.

Measuring the Stairs

Math is not, I repeat, NOT my thing. There are, however, several ways to measure for your runner if math isn’t your jam. You can find everything you need about measuring here.

Our runner was custom-sized specifically for our staircase. After we submitted our measurements, Sisal Rugs Direct cut it as one continuous piece long enough to cover the stairs from top to bottom, with finished binding along both sides. Although the exact runner we chose is no longer available, Sisal Rugs Direct still offers many similar custom options, free samples and free shipping within the continental United States.

Tip: Order samples before choosing your runner so you can see the color and texture in your home—and ask the company to help you select a material suitable for stair installation and your household’s needs.

Installing the Runner

To install the runner, we used these tools and materials (affiliate links included for your convenience):

• Non-slip rug pad, cut into strips about the size of your stair treads ETA: This is not the exact rug pad used in the tutorial. It is not currently available, but this is comparable and has outstanding reviews.
• Staple gun
• 18 gauge staples
• Painter’s tape
• Tape measure

The Process

If your stairs are straight, as ours are, installing the runner is a fairly simple job. We had never installed a runner before and this took only an hour or so. The most important thing is to measure and create guidelines with the painter’s tape down the center of your stairs. This will help you keep the runner straight.

We installed our runner using the Hollywood method, which means the material is pulled tightly over the nose of each tread and fitted closely against each riser for a tailored, upholstered appearance.

We started at the top of the stairs so that gravity would work on our side. I held the runner until Travis had secured the first few steps and after that, everything was pretty easy and repetitive. The key was pulling the runner tight for the clean, upholstered look. To keep the staples discreet, we went with the direction of the material. As you can see from this photo, the staples are almost impossible to spot.

We stapled through the woven portion of the runner, following the direction of the weave so the staples would blend into the material.

Installing the runner was one of our easiest projects but has a huge impact. So far, we’re loving it. It’s soft under foot, easy to clean and makes the stairs feel a little cozier than the bare wood.

What do you think? Ready to tackle your builder-basic stairs?

Stairway Sources:

The treads are painted in Sherwin Williams Halcyon Green.
The risers and trim are painted in Sherwin Williams Pure White.
The railings are painted in Annie Sloan French Linen with Old Ochre details and finished in clear wax.