Rugs, Carpets and Carpeting - Installing an oriental stair runner

I am installing an oriental rug on a rounded-nose wood staircase with a corner landing. I will be doing a waterfall installation. This is my first carpeting project, I have been reading installation tips on the net, and I have several questions.
1. Are tack strips preferred to using a power stretcher/crab stretcher with just staples?
2. Some instruction show the pad draped over the stair nose and some have it just on the top. Does it matter?
3. To join the miter for the landing, is it ok to use the self sticking carpet tape sold at Lowes, or do I need to rent a carpet Iron?
4. How do I attach the edge of the carpet on the landing?
5. Finally, how do I "dress down" the pins, so you cannot feel them through the carpet?
Thanks in advance for this help.
Steve

1.) I don't see anyone using a power stretcher on steps! Staples or tackstrips are acceptable. With cushion, tackstrips are use. Without cushion, staple it.

2.) Padding always over the nose with a strip of duct tape on the curve where the most foot traffic will hit on the nose, to keep from eventually cutting through the cushion.

3.) This is a woven carpet. No sticky tape, and no seam tape. Good `ol needle and thread! It is hand sewn, and latexed. Don't even try to double tape it or hot melt seam it. You will have a raveling mess.

4.) It's stapled through the binding rdge to hide the staples.

5.) Use the right tackstrip for woven carpets. "D" or "J" pin, not the regular "C" pin tackstrip. Or you can add layers of duct tape, roofing felt, sheet vinyl, or anything to shim to the top of the tackstrip to shorten

Thanks for the great Info! It looks like I will be avoiding several gotchas thanks to you!

It sounds like you recommend using regular padding and appropriate tack strips compared to a thin pad and staples. Any recomendations on which type and size of padding I should use?

Thanks,
Steve

Greetings! Because you've posted, hopefully my question will be answered here.

My oak floors are irreplaceable today. The old growth for these clean, clear floors no longer exists. I have been the only person to re-finish the floors since the house was built in 1948. They are spectacular.

That said, I have fine, hand-woven area rugs throughout the house with horsehair or felt padding. I would like to add stair runners. These, too, are hand-woven persian kilims, but I would like to do the installation with the least amount of damage to the treads (same oak as the rest of the house).

I think tackless strips will ruin the rugs and I'm not thrilled about staple holes all over the treads. I understand there are ways to install runners without tackless strips which also take into account the preservation of fine rugs, but have not been able to find the installation procedures with a Google search.

Is there a kinder, gentler, old-fashioned/historic way to install stair runners without punching holes in every re-finished surface? My house has very light traffic and no children, so wear and tear are not an issue. Furthermore, we do not ever wear shoes in the house.

Thanks muchly....

I'm also not thrilled about staple holes on my stair treads. ARE there ways to install runners without tackless strips?

Yes, there is another method. It was used a lot in days gone by and should serve here. It uses a bar across the face of the carpet at each juncture where the riser meets the tread. It requires a couple screw holes on each end of the bar in order to fasten the bar to the step, but that's it for holes. It also requires the runner to be one continuous piece.

Even with stair rods, your going to be stapling or fastening in someway, the carpet to the wood, or it will slip, here and there. Stair rods made today are for decorative purposes.

In the old days, they used tacks, instead of staples. I can pull upholestery staples out, and you would never know they were there(very tiny holes), unless they started rusting, or left mineral streaking.