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| Stairs, Stairwells, Carpet,
Tiles and Timber Flooring |
By Greg Vanden Berge
Rule number one, any flooring materials that surround
your staircase should be durable. All flooring areas leading towards the
stairway and even the stairway itself will be high traffic area. These
areas will be used often as people walk to and from the stairway, up the
stairway and into the hallways upstairs.
Carpet
This is only my personal opinion and it might not be shared by
everybody, but I like carpeted staircases. Carpeting reduces noise and
controls dust. If you currently have a wood staircase, you could always
install a carpet runner or stair
tread carpet pads.
Carpeting could also provide you with additional traction. Other types
of flooring can create safety problems for your family and others. Don't
be fooled, four of my family members slipped down a stairway that I
built in our home and it was carpeted.
Tiles
If this is the look you want, you're not going to have much of a choice.
Tile is definitely durable, long-lasting and works great in high-traffic
areas. However, even though it lasts a long time, we need to look at a
few of the problems we could encounter in the future.
Tile is slippery when wet and if you're walking down a tiled stairway
with a little moisture on your shoes, socks or bare feet, you could find
yourself in a slippery situation. Ceramic tile can create safety
hazards, it used as a stair tread or step covering.
Timber Flooring
Like carpeting and tile, timber flooring comes in a variety of shapes,
sizes, colors and patterns. If you're really looking for a rich and
elegant look, wood flooring is the way to go.
Your stairway is usually a decorative centerpiece in your home. It's
like an elegant piece of furniture and if you could imagine, what an
elegant piece of furniture would look like, covered with carpeting or
tile, you probably have a pretty good idea what I'm talking about.
Woods looks nice, but can be slippery when wet and doesn't wear well in
high-traffic areas.
Don't forget to ask your local flooring representatives for additional
information. If you're planning on installing tile in your stairway, new
carpeting, wood or even tile, try to find a knowledgeable flooring
representative and start hammering them with questions.
I'm not suggesting that these people are going to have the best advice
of the worlds, but between this article and a few other opinions, you
should be able to figure something out.
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