Rugs, Carpets and Carpeting - What is the best way to carpet” waterfall” stairs?

I have 11- 36 in. wide waterfall steps between walls and a landing at the bottom.
The carpet is loop pile and I have 2 -42’’ X 142’’ pieces for the steps and some left over scrap for the 48’’ X48’’ landing. For tools I have a loop pile cutter, carpet knife, seam iron, knee kicker, (plastic) stair tool and a power stretcher. I would like to put padding on the tread if possible. I have installed carpet on the entire basement floor but the stairs look to be a bit more complicated.

Tackstrip the back of the tread, and the bottom of the riser, leaving just enough room for carpet to be cramed in there folded. Tackstrip the sides of the treads near the wall leaving the ½" gully to tuck.

Pad the stairs to the tack strip, allowing the padding to fall over the nosing, and staple it to the riser, but not over the bottom tackstrip.

Cut the carpet to your width of the widest step and unroll it up the staircase, getting it straight along the walls.

Start at the bottom, and hook it on the riser tackstrip a little full/long.

Fold the carpet over the step and using the knee kicker, kick the carpet starting in the middle to the tackstrip on the back of the tread. Go to the right stretching, then back in the middle go to the left stretching. Rub it down on the tackstrip with something. A hammer head works good.

Now take the stair tool, and a rubber mallot and beat the carpet into the crotch, of the tackstrip on the back of the tread and the bottom of the riser. Rub the carpet in the tackstrip on the riser, and then fold the carpet over the next step and repeat.


I need to make this a sticky!!!

Thanks for the help.
Do I need to stretch, tuck or cut the on the sides of the tread?

Yes. Follow the previous instructions and then kick sideways on the tread to hang the carpet on the side pieces of strip. It won't feel as if you're accomplishing much, but this helps keep the material tight over the years. After kicking in the sides, stuff the side edges and move to the next step.

Makes sense. Our basement turned out pretty nice for a couple of rookies ( my wife and I). Thanks for sharing your expertise with us.

No problem. We do this because we enjoy helping. Glad it did.

Ya, I forgot the side stretch, step.

I usually do them all and then come back down stretching the sides.