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    Shell_Lee's Avatar
    Shell_Lee Posts: 83, Reputation: 10
    Junior Member
    		  
    #1

    Jan 8, 2008, 12:09 PM
    Putting laminate on stairs
    My fiancé and I want to put laminate flooring in our condo. We have an upstairs unit. Right now there is carpet on the stairs, landing, and it runs into the living room. We would like to put laminate flooring in the kitchen (which has vinyl flooring right now), living room, landing, and stairs.

    What would be the best way to do the stairs? How do you secure them?

    Or does anyone else have any ideas about what to do with the stairs? I do NOT want carpet anymore.

    Thanks

    Michelle
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
    Home Repair & Remodeling Expert
    		  
    #2

    Jan 8, 2008, 04:48 PM
    Check in the aisle where you buy your laminate. There is a special bull nose board made for stair installation. Beware, many laminate flooring materials sound pretty clacky on stairs, I'd glue them down.
    glavine's Avatar
    glavine Posts: 895, Reputation: 87
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    #3

    Jan 10, 2008, 07:50 PM
    Id advise to not use laminate for stairs, its not what they were designed for,
    If you want wood steps, then just pull the carpet off the steps, the steps are most likely pine treads you may be able to paint or stain them, if not just go buy new step treads in oak or pine, another reason to not use laminate is because they are slick and you can slip down those stairs. Good luck
    ac101's Avatar
    ac101 Posts: 463, Reputation: 57
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    #4

    Jan 10, 2008, 08:20 PM
    I agree with glavine on this one I don't like laminate for stairs and I don't care how many manufacturers say it is great. If you want a longer lasting set of steps replace the treads with oak or pine I prefer oak but it can be a little pricey pine works too but tends to wear faster. If you do decide to use laminate you definitely need to glue it. Either way good luck
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
    Home Repair & Remodeling Expert
    		  
    #5

    Jan 10, 2008, 08:45 PM
    The laminate would probably give you the longest wear, way longer than pine but it still is not my choice for stairs. I do not like the noise and laminates can be very slippery with the slightest amount of moisture on your shoes. I don't want to buy one of those "I have fallen and can't get up" things for around my neck.
    KISS's Avatar
    KISS Posts: 12,510, Reputation: 839
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    #6

    Jan 10, 2008, 08:56 PM
    Hand trucks will probably do a number on the steps with the recommended laminate moulding. It's OK for one or two, but I would not do a whole flight of stairs.

    Metal moulding is OK.
    Shell_Lee's Avatar
    Shell_Lee Posts: 83, Reputation: 10
    Junior Member
    		  
    #7

    Jan 11, 2008, 10:37 AM
    Thanks for all of the feedback from everyone.

    I was wondering about how slippery laminate would be on the stairs too.

    I'm not sure exactly what we are going to do yet. We were planning on putting ceramic tile in the entry way by the doors (front door and garage door). I figured that would be best since water and snow get tracked in. I'm not sure how well it would look though going from tile, to wood on the stairs, to laminate on the top landing (especially since we were thinking about using a lighter bamboo laminate). I don't think I would want to tile the entire stairs though either.

    I'll post some pictures of what I'm dealing with later tonight. Then you can get an idea of the layout.

    Thanks
    KISS's Avatar
    KISS Posts: 12,510, Reputation: 839
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    #8

    Jan 11, 2008, 01:38 PM
    A stone mud area looks really nice.
    Shell_Lee's Avatar
    Shell_Lee Posts: 83, Reputation: 10
    Junior Member
    		  
    #9

    Jan 11, 2008, 05:36 PM
    Ok - here are some pictures of the stairs.
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