Step into a new staircase era by taking the carpet off your stairs
Carpeted stairs can make homes look dated, but the cost of carpet removal can make homeowners reluctant to refinish staircases. Fortunately, taking carpet off the stairs is a DIY-friendly task you can do on your own. All it takes is the right tools, upper-body strength, and a little know-how. Follow this step-by-step guide to learn how to remove carpet from stairs and give your steps new life.
Always wear safety gear when removing carpet. This includes safety goggles or glasses, work gloves, a mask, long sleeves and pants, knee pads, and work shoes with good traction. You’ll be working on an uneven surface and removing carpet that has tough backing, sharp staples, rough wood underlayment, and possibly a lot of dust. Prioritize your safety and the safety of other people and pets in your home while you work.
Before you start removing carpet off stairs, it’s smart to look over the entire job, mentally running through the steps you’ll take, and practicing the movements you’ll be making. Start at the top and work your way downward, backing down one step at a time as you remove carpet from the step above. You’ll move your tools with you, keeping them within reach on the stair above the one you’re working on. It’s also a good idea to keep a wet-dry vacuum or hand vacuum nearby so you can clean as you go.
Knowing stair and flooring terminology will make following the directions easier. Here are terms you’ll want to be familiar with:
Stairstep: Each individual step on a staircase, often referred to as a step
Tread: The flat, horizontal part of a stairstep where you place your feet
Riser: The vertical part of a step that forms a 90-degree angle with the tread of the step below it
Nosing or nose: The rounded edge at the front of each step that hangs over the riser below it
Padding: The soft foam pad under the carpeting
Tack strip: Narrow wood strips with tiny tack nails that are attached to the back of the stair treads and hold carpeting in place on the stairs
If you’re going to recarpet the stairs once you've removed the old carpeting, the job will be easier. You’ll likely be able to reuse the tack strips instead of removing them, and you may be able to reuse the padding if it’s in good condition and not flattened or dirty. You also won’t need to worry about the appearance of the stairs underneath.
On the other hand, if you’re planning to invest in the cost of refinishing hardwood steps or painting and transforming your staircase, what lies beneath will be more important to you. You’ll want to find hardwood risers under the carpet if you want to refinish the wood. To repaint, the type of wood doesn’t matter as much; it simply needs to be in good condition.
To determine what’s underneath, use a pair of pliers to grip the corner of a piece of carpeting. Many builders save money by using plywood instead of hardwood, simply bordering the carpeted areas with hardwood and covering the cheaper materials with carpeting. If that’s the case with your stairs and you were hoping to refinish the wood underneath, you may need to replace the risers with hardwood, paint instead of refinish, or install new carpeting.
And remember, it’s okay if your goals change based on what you find when you pull back the carpet. If what you find changes the scope of the project and the budget, pivoting may be a smart move.
Start by vacuuming the stairs. Place your tools—including your wet-dry vacuum or hand vacuum—at the top of the staircase (working down is much easier than working upward). You’ll move these tools down a step every time you move down so they’re in easy reach. Then, starting at the top of the staircase, use the utility knife and a screwdriver or scraper to pry up a corner of the carpeting from the first riser.
With the pliers, hold the exposed corner of the carpet and pull toward you, separating the carpet from the wood and tack strip. When you’ve separated a large enough corner of the carpet to grab ahold of it, use your gloved hands to continue pulling the piece of carpeting until it’s free from the riser. As you remove the carpet, be wary of staples and fasteners embedded in the loose carpeting. These can scratch your arms and puncture gloves, so look before you grab.
Next, move down to the stair tread that forms a 90-degree angle at the bottom of the riser from which you just removed the carpet. Use the pliers to free a corner of the carpeting that covers the tread, just as you did with the riser. When you’ve freed enough of the carpet to grab it with your gloved hands, pull it completely free.
As you work, roll the carpeting (with the carpet pile in and the backing out) down the steps in the direction you’re working. This will keep the loose carpet from flopping around and help you control your workspace.
After removing the carpet from the tread, the padding should remain. If you’re going to recarpet and the padding looks like new, you may leave it in place. However, if it’s flattened or dirty, or if you’re refinishing your stairs, you’ll need to remove the carpet padding stuck to the floor.
Use a pry bar or scraper to tear into the padding, and then pull it up. Unlike the carpet, it probably won’t come off in one solid sheet, so you’ll likely need to scrape or tear it off in pieces. Collect the pieces in a trash bag, or drop them off the side of the stairs and collect them all at once during the clean-up phase. Use the wet-dry vacuum or hand vacuum to remove dust and debris that collects under the padding.
When you’ve pulled up the carpeting and pad, place the rolls of carpet and the padding into sturdy boxes or trash bags. If you’re disposing of a lot of carpeting and have limited trash service, you may need to take the rolls and the pad to a disposal site, rent a dumpster, or hire a junk hauling service. Otherwise, set it out with your waste pickup.
If you’re installing new carpeting and your tack strips are in good shape, skip this step. Tack strips can be hard to remove, so leave them in place if you can.
Note: Some DIYers prefer to pry up tack strips and remove staples and fasteners as they move down each riser and tread; others leave these steps until after removing the carpeting and pad. Doing it as you go can be safer so that you don’t leave sharp items exposed, but you’ll need to decide which method works best for you.
When you’ve pulled up the carpet and pad, be sure you’re wearing eye, hand, and hearing protection, and then use a pry bar or chisel and hammer to pry the tack strips free from the stairs. You can place a wide putty knife or scraper under the pry bar to protect the wood stairs from denting and damage. As you work, remember that most tack strips will splinter into smaller pieces rather than come off in one large strip. Place the tack strips into a large trash bag as you remove them.
Most staples come up with the carpeting; however, some will remain embedded in the steps. Grab the staples and pull them out of the wood using pliers or a heavy-duty carpet staple remover. Place the staples directly into a trash bag or container for safe disposal. If needed, use a flathead screwdriver to gently pry the staples up to give you enough room to get ahold of them with your pliers or staple remover.
If you’re recarpeting or installing new stair treads, you may hammer down staples so they’re flush with the surface rather than removing them.
Repeat this pattern down the entire staircase: Pull the carpet free from the riser, remove the carpet from the tread, remove the padding (if necessary), and then pull up tack strips and the remaining staples. Working on one riser and tread at a time keeps the job manageable and cleaner.
Most people can go about three risers and treads before the roll of carpeting gets heavy and unwieldy. When it’s as big as you want it to get, pause and use the utility knife to cut the roll free. Cut the carpet from the back in a straight line across the mesh or backing. This way, you can see the line you’re cutting. Be careful not to cut into the staircase or the wood.
Use duct tape to secure the carpet rolls. Then, set the rolls together and out of the way until you’ve finished removing the carpeting and padding.
If you’re recarpeting, skip this step. But if you’re staining or painting the stairs, go over each tread and riser and look carefully for holes, gaps, rough spots, stuck-on pad glue, adhesive from tack strips, and other trouble spots and imperfections that will keep your new stairs from looking their best.
Using a wax wood-filler stick or colored wood putty, fill holes left by nails, staples, and fasteners. When the filler has had time to dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions, smooth the filled areas and any rough spots with a fine-grit sandpaper.
This is your chance to give each step one last lookover for missed nails, tacks, adhesive, damage, holes, or issues you want to address. Carefully look over each stair, fixing what you can now and making a note of what you want to tackle before you move on to refinishing. For example, you may find baseboards need repainting or some steps have squeaks you want to address.
Use your wet-dry vacuum or hand vacuum to carefully clean each step, paying special attention to corners and other areas where dirt and dust may have collected. You may also want to spot clean stains and dirty areas or damp mop the entire staircase, depending on how dirty or discolored the wood is. However, remember that unsealed wood can permanently stain and discolor if exposed to water or certain cleansers, so use caution, especially if you’re planning to stain or seal hardwood steps.
Depending on your goals, now is the time to get ready to recarpet, paint, stain, or refinish your staircase. Think about the task ahead and what you’ll need to do to get your current staircase ready for the work. This can look like preparing the wood, buying materials, calling contractors, and making a plan.
While carpet removal is a beginner-friendly DIY project that most people can handle, removing carpeting from stairs isn’t as easy as it might first appear. Carpeting is heavy and can be dirty, dusty, and hard to pull up and maneuver. It takes upper-body strength, perseverance, and the right tools to get the job done. And, once you’ve started, it’s hard to stop until the job is complete.
Perhaps you’d rather let someone else pull out and lift heavy rolls of carpet while you focus on other home improvement goals. If you prefer not to take on a dirty and dusty job or you’d like to save time, hiring a local carpet removal company can make the job easier. Carpet removal costs average between $1 and $5 per square foot.
Taking carpet off stairs is an easy but multi-step process you can usually do yourself. If you have the right tools, time, and oomph to finish the job, removing carpet from stairs can be an easy-to-medium difficulty task, depending on your stairs, the type of carpet installed, and how willing you are to get your hands dirty. It’s important to review the process, gather the right tools before you begin, and follow a tutorial or directions while you work.
There are several ways you can finish stairs. If you like the carpeted look, you may choose to install new carpeting for an update. This is often the easiest way to proceed since the stairs' condition and appearance won’t matter as much if the staircase is in good structural shape.
The condition of the stairs under the carpet can dictate your next move. You can sand, stain, and apply a clear coat if the stairs are hardwood. You can also paint the stairs, try epoxy floor ideas, or install new hardwood treads if the stairs are made with plywood.