Choosing the flooring for your stairs is a crucial decision. You want your new flooring to blend with your other floors and enhance your home’s interior design. There are many stair flooring ideas out there because of the numerous styles and options to choose from, so it’s wise to start your project by weighing different factors and narrowing your options based on their importance to you.
When choosing flooring for your stairs, there are a few factors to consider:
Before you fall in love with a flooring option that’s out of your budget, you should establish your price range. Flooring costs are per square foot, so make sure you know the square footage of your stairs to get an idea of what you might spend.
You also need to budget for installation. Nothing beats the sleek beauty of professional installation — you won’t have to worry about gaps in the flooring or uneven planks. Best of all, you don’t have to do the labor yourself.
Style is all about what you like and find aesthetically pleasing. Many homeowners want a grand staircase that integrates with their home’s design. For example, you might want hardwood stairs in a historic home.
While considering style, also consider the materials and decide what you find most attractive — whether that’s a soft, plush carpet or a hard, glossy wood.
Your household’s safety is paramount. If you have any children or someone with limited mobility living in your home, you may want flooring materials with extra traction or cushion to prevent slips and soften falls.
You want to choose the flooring that will withstand your household’s daily wear and tear. If your stairs are in a high-traffic area, you’ll want a more durable material. Also, consider how often you want to clean your stairs, as some materials are preferable because they show less dirt and debris.
Luxury vinyl plank, hardwood and carpet are all popular options for stairways. Consider their characteristics when choosing the best flooring for your stairs.
Luxury vinyl plank is a high-quality engineered flooring that can resemble stone, wood or tile. This type of flooring works well on stairs because it’s attractive, durable and easy to maintain. It comes in a variety of color and style options and is stain- and water-resistant.
The pros of luxury vinyl plank flooring include:
The cons of luxury vinyl plank flooring include:
Hardwood is a classic, majestic flooring option known for its beauty and durability. There are two types of hardwood floors — engineered and solid. Engineered hardwood floors have a top hardwood layer and a bottom plywood layer. Solid hardwood only consists of wood harvested from trees.
The advantages of hardwood flooring include:
The disadvantages of hardwood flooring include:
Carpet is one of the best materials for stairs and landings thanks to its cushion and traction. It comes in various colors, plushness levels and patterns.
The pros of carpet include:
The cons of carpet include:
When considering different stairway flooring ideas, you want to look at as many options as possible. Metro Flooring Contractors provides countless high-quality, brand-name flooring options for less. We have decades of experience selling and installing floors in Delaware, northern Virginia, parts of West Virginia and Pennsylvania, Maryland and Washington, D.C. Whether you want rich hardwood floors, plush carpet or elegant vinyl plank flooring, we can help you find what you need among our vast product selection.
Our professional team will help you choose the best flooring for your stairs and complete your project in no time. Take the first step toward beautiful stairs by scheduling your free in-home estimate.