Hello! I hope everyone is having a great Spring Break! Our’s is over and it was pretty uneventful. We worked outside a bit and got the boat back from the shop WAHOO!!! It still hasn’t been nice enough to take it out, but soon, very soon.
I’ve been agonizing over some of the final decisions regarding our remodel. I currently have ugly, dirty carpet on my stairs and I’m waiting for the glorious moment that I get to rip it all off! The problem is that I want to leave it off, as in have beautiful wood stairs like these:
via Pinterest
And these:
And here’s a super fun set of stairs dressed for Halloween:
via Thrifty Decor Chick
I just can’t stand carpet on stairs. It always looks dirty and worn out, also, who want’s to lug the vacuum onto stairs anyway?
I’ve read some fabulous blog posts about ripping off the carpet and refinishing the stairs DIY style for next to nothing, but when I pulled back my carpet I didn’t find nice wood underneath, but rather ugly plywood that can’t be refinished. It would have to be replaced with new treads and risers. Boo. I priced out replacing it and it would be approximately $30.00 a stair for unfinished wood. That translates to $450 for the whole set, not to mention what it would take for refinishing supplies. So I’m trying to decide if I should carpet them for around $250, or go the extra mile and refinish them, which I know I will eventually want to do anyway. Hmmmm.
Another option would be to carpet the stairs in a different pattern than the rest of the house. Something like this:
via Pinterest
Or this:
via Pinterest
Only mine wouldn’t look that fabulous because even in this picture you still see beautiful wood stairs.
Sorry the pictures are so small. That seemed to be the only size I could make them. So what do you think? Spend the extra and refinish them now, or carpet for now with plans to finish them later? So many choices! I need your help! Thanks for coming by!
I think your house would look fantastic with wood. Its so you. I like the stairs with the small patch of carpet but still you’d have to vacuum. You are such a decorator I could see you decorating your stairs as you do for every holiday.
Wouldn’t the mice just be so much fun? I think I’m gonna do it!
I would definitely go with the beautiful wood floors. I have carpeted stairs and I hate them. As you mentioned they are difficult to maintain and they never really look clean and beautiful like the ones on the pics you posted. Yes!…definitely wood floors. By the way, the remodel is looking great. Good luck.
Thanks so much! I think I’m gonna have to go with refinishing
I want to do mine too! There is hardwood on the edges with carpet in the middle. Carpet doesn’t look bad, but I want to be able to do mice on Halloween too! I’m wondering how I would match the stain that also matches the hardwood thought the bottom floor.
Sarah If I refinish mine I’ll give tips for matching the finish. I’ve read a lot about it. I got your pic about your mantel wall and I’m working on some solutions. I’ll be in touch with you!
I would go with the refinish because you are actually saving money if you do. If you re-carpet for $250 and then later rip it up and refinish you have just wasted $250.00 and the material to re-finish might go up in price so there is an added amount that you could actually save. Yes, refinish is the best option. Just my opinion. (And you’ll be much happier that you did because then you wouldn’t be thinking how much you don’t like th carpet on the stairs for all that additional time it would be there.)