What Is the Best Carpet for Stairs?
Which carpets last longest on stairs, and why stairs need a different choice from the rest of the house.
The short answer
- Choose a dense, hard-wearing carpet. The nose of each step takes the most wear.
- Twists, wool blends and tight loops perform best on stairs.
- Avoid deep saxonies on stairs, as they flatten and show wear quickly.
- Use a good underlay, which protects the carpet on every step.
Stairs take more wear than any other part of the house. Every step concentrates foot traffic on the edge of the tread, so a carpet that looks fine in a bedroom can wear through on stairs.
Look for a dense pile you can't easily push your fingers through. Twists and wool blends spring back well, tight loops are very tough, and herringbone and patterned weaves hide everyday wear.
Deep, soft saxonies feel lovely but flatten on the nose of each step. Save them for bedrooms.
Underlay matters more on stairs than anywhere else. A quality underlay cushions every step and slows down wear on the carpet itself.
Fitted stair carpet or a runner?
A fitted carpet covers each step wall to wall. A runner leaves a painted or wooden border either side. Both are hard-wearing when fitted properly, so it comes down to the look you want.