That $200 stair runner kit at the supply house was a complete waste

I grabbed one of those pre-cut stair runner kits from the supply house off Harris Street last week thinking it would save me time on a townhouse job. The pattern didn't line up on the third stair, and I had to rip it all out and do it custom like I should have in the first place. Has anyone else had luck with those kits, or are they just meant for straight runs with no pattern?

3 comments

3 Comments

kim.zara14d ago

Used to think they were a decent shortcut but after dealing with the same pattern shifting problem I'm totally with you on this. They're really only built for plain carpet with zero design on it.

sarah_mason14d ago

The real killer is when you try to do a pattern that has any kind of repeat to it. The seams just never line up right and then you're stuck staring at this weird shifting line every time you walk by.

taylor_miller1014d agoMost Upvoted

Oh man, those kits are just asking for trouble. @kim.zara nailed it - they're fine for plain carpet but anything with a repeat and you're fighting it all day. I tried one on a split-level with a simple pattern and it shifted on the fourth stair, totally wrecked the flow. Ended up pulling nails and doing it custom too, wasted a whole Saturday. Not worth the headache for anything but the most basic straight run.