Pile direction on stairs

[highup]

I is confuzzzed. Carpet pile runs up the stairs???
I have never done that before............ but today, I eat my words. I cut the two upstairs bedrooms so the carpet pile will end up running............ "up the stairs" as Beaulieu recommends.

My teachings and my logic says this is way wrong. Gimme some "logic" Why run the pile direction up the stairs?

From Beaulieu:
Carpet direction on stair installations should be positioned so
that the pile (nap) direction runs up the stairs.
The only exception here would be
where pattern match requirements must be considered in order to be consistent with
on the floor and landing. Carpets with small patterns may allow the installer to
circumvent pattern match requirements.

 

[DarisMulkin]

In a sense I think the insurance companies are responsible for that. They say in makes the stairway slippery when the pile go down the steps. There are a lot of stairway accidents per year. We heard that probably about 10-15 years ago when I was doing trainings. But really there is no set standard, it can go any which way, even sideways to match the direction of patterns on the floor.
The old "down the stairs out the door" was a saying that goes way back for when there weren't any vacuums. They used whisk brooms to sweep the steps. If the nap direction went up the steps it just threw the dirt back into the gully.

Daris

 

[Floorist]

I have always run it up the stairs. The way I was taught.

 

[Ernesto]

In a sense I think the insurance companies are responsible for that. They say in makes the stairway slippery when the pile go down the steps. There are a lot of stairway accidents per year. We heard that probably about 10-15 years ago when I was doing trainings. But really there is no set standard, it can go any which way, even sideways to match the direction of patterns on the floor.
The old "down the stairs out the door" was a saying that goes way back for when there weren't any vacuums. They used whisk brooms to sweep the steps. If the nap direction went up the steps it just threw the dirt back into the gully.

Daris

And carpet rakes for shag.

 

[highup]

Thanks for the input. Here I had a roll with two rooms and some stairs. I needed to make a cut off each end, to leave the most material in the center portion for stairs and a side fill............... I just started cutting out the room shapes I needed from my notes, paying no attention to the pile direction. Once I had the first room cut, I went.
Glad to know that I am doing it correctly for the first time in 40 years.
I was taught to install stairs from the top, downward, and I was taught to lay the pile downwards also. O well, they say it's never too late to learn, right?

 

[Nick]

I always start from the bottom up , with the pile laying down over the nose .
Less chance of the kicker head slipping if you are kicking into the pile .

To each their own.

 

[DarisMulkin]

I was also taught from the top down when installing. But changed over when I moved to Michigan in 1968.

Daris

 

[Floorist]

And carpet rakes for shag.

I think I still have one, somewhere.

 

[Kyure]

This is interesting. I always made sure to run the nap down the stairs. But it does make sense what Daris said. So yesterday I ran nap up the stairs.
Edit- It was by accident I ran it up, it was roll crush at end of roll and I didn't care to turn it around. Then I read this thread and decided it might not be a bad idea

 

[highup]

I'm still confused because both ways make sense.

 

[Ernesto]

I always start from the bottom up , with the pile laying down over the nose .
Less chance of the kicker head slipping if you are kicking into the pile .

To each their own.

I always stair tooled down unless doing upholstered.

 

[Floorist]

I always felt starting at the bottom and kicking them on, I could get them a lot tighter than anyone stair tooling down from the top.

 

[Kyure]

I always felt starting at the bottom and kicking them on, I could get them a lot tighter than anyone stair tooling down from the top.

Agree with this. Strip on the riser and tread, start at the bottom and everything is fine, for me anyways. I've never seen a problem on the riser. Side wrinkles yes, so I usually put on the sides too. I always start at the bottom, I hate getting poked by the pins, so starting there saves me the pin pricks.

 

[Nick]

I always felt starting at the bottom and kicking them on, I could get them a lot tighter than anyone stair tooling down from the top.

And you are correct .

 

[rugaddict]

i dont think i would know how to carpet stairs from the top---also its gotta be at least 5 years since i waterfalled

 

[Floorist]

i dont think i would know how to carpet stairs from the top---also its gotta be at least 5 years since i waterfalled

I have restretched a bunch of steps that were stair tooled from the top.

 

[highup]

I have restretched a bunch of steps that were stair tooled from the top.

Not mine. 215lbs leaning down onto a 3 inch stair tool stretches the carpet the same direction as a persons foot does going down the stairs. I also use a stair stretcher, because I can't kick carpet in. My knees don't like kickers. Besides that, kicking in stairs is an awkward ballet that's probably one reason layers get bad knees.
On the stairway that I'm working on now, the steps are installed one at a time. On these, I set the carpet on the riser strip, align the pattern, add a few stay nails, then heat the carpet back and pad surface with a hair dryer for about a minuter and a half. While the carpet is nice and warm, I lean against the kicker with my thigh and add more tension with the stair tool by rocking the carpet onto the strip on the tread. By adding the heat, it stretches like a rubber band. I talked the shop owner into buying synthetic hair pad. There's no chance of this set of stairs ever getting a wrinkle.

 

[DarisMulkin]

Not mine. 215lbs leaning down onto a 3 inch stair tool stretches the carpet the same direction as a persons foot does going down the stairs. I also use a stair stretcher, because I can't kick carpet in. My knees don't like kickers. Besides that, kicking in stairs is an awkward ballet that's probably one reason layers get bad knees.
On the stairway that I'm working on now, the steps are installed one at a time. On these, I set the carpet on the riser strip, align the pattern, add a few stay nails, then heat the carpet back and pad surface with a hair dryer for about a minuter and a half. While the carpet is nice and warm, I lean against the kicker with my thigh and add more tension with the stair tool by rocking the carpet onto the strip on the tread. By adding the heat, it stretches like a rubber band. I talked the shop owner into buying synthetic hair pad. There's no chance of this set of stairs ever getting a wrinkle.

You never heard of Murphy's Law?
Sounds like you got it covered. Are we going to see PICTURES?

Daris

 

[highup]

I've heard of it, but I don't allow it into my life.
I'll see if I can get a few photos for you tomorrow. I have a few ends left to cap and then a thorough cleanup as I vacuum my way out the door. Customers are impressed........ He said they look really nice. She said they look awsum. I like her better.
I'll see if I can take a couple of decent photos for ya.

 

[Ernesto]

I always felt starting at the bottom and kicking them on, I could get them a lot tighter than anyone stair tooling down from the top.

Like High said, kicking ifin you dont have to is a waste of energy. A big mallet and a stair tool has always worked great for me. In fact that method got me hired on in SF cuz thats the way the boss did it. When he came in and saw me tooling those waterfal steps he said I was his stair man. That was good and bad.
All it takes is a slip and your knap is jacked with a crummy kicker. Although I do bump the sides tight. When I measure a stair case I cut it slightly less than net.