DIY Steps & Runner

Before we begin our DIY step-by-step process for this project, it is always beneficial to watch my reel first.
Watch it here!
For this project, we used LL Flooring Lantern Glow Chestnut retrofit risers and threads. These are custom fitted & designed to my specific stairs, & this can be done for your home with any of their flooring options on their website.
Step 1: rip up the existing carpet & staples.
Step 2: start from the bottom & lay the first riser using the tread tool. Measure to size, & use a chop saw to cut.
Find tread tool here.


Step 3: add adhesive glue & a brad nail gun to put it into place. Do this same process with the riser. I have a saved highlight under “DIY Steps” that shows more detail on this. This how-to YouTube video on installing retreads helped us with understanding the full process as well. Watch it here.
Find adhesive glue here.

Step 4: use caulk on the sides to get a seamless look, & wood filler for the holes where nails were placed.
Step 5: choose a runner & add this to your stairs. Click here to see the runner we chose.
Our runner size was 12ft. We ordered two of these to complete our project. Everyone’s sizing will depend on their individual stair dimensions.
Now, we add the runner…
Step 1: start from the top of your stairs & work down. Use double-sided carpet tape & a stapler to work your way down the stairs. Please note – this is a two person job.
Find carpet tape here.
Find stapler here.

Step 2: use a sharp tool to get the desirable tight line look at the fold. Once you get to end of runner, cut off the border at the end so it is seamless to the next runner. Again, watching my saved highlight on my Instagram profile will help with visualizing this.

Step 3: now, start from the bottom & go up to have the border complete at the end so the runner eventually meets in the middle. Once you meet the first runner, cut the border & staple in place. This should finish the project!

We added a new railing that pulled this space together even better. We wanted the wall to have a unique look to it, so we chose a gallery wall to blend the whole vision together.

Let’s show some before & after photos! Here is what we were working with for our “before” look:




I hope this may inspire you to refresh your stairwell area if you have been on the fence about doing it yourself!