One of the things I love about our new home is the hardwood floors. Our stairs are made of the same beautiful wood, and I love them. It wasn’t until one day that I opened the window by the stairs on a rainy day that I realized hardwood floor stairs are also dangerous- very slippery when wet. I was walking down the stairs and almost went flying headfirst down 13 stairs into a cement reinforced foundation wall, and the fact that I didn’t take the weight off my back foot yet was probably the only thing that prevented it.
So I installed these stair treads:
Before…dangerous stairs:
I had nightmares of my sons trying to walk up or down those steps after someone left the window open on another rainy day, and I knew I had to do something about them. Would it look weird to carpet stairs in a house with all hardwood floors? Is there something I could put on the stairs to add traction? I asked online for help (of course) and my friend Karen suggested I try stair treads. It was the first time I ever heard of them, and I’m so glad I did because it was exactly what I needed.
Stair treads are small stair carpets that are attached to each step to prevent accidental slips, by adding some traction and covering that slippery hardwood surface. I shopped around online (of course) for attractive stairs treads, and found some in a pretty pattern that I thought would add something to, and even enhance, the overall look. Based on reviews, I knew I should also pick up carpet adhesive to reinforce them so they don’t shift on the stairs, and glad I did that too, because they slid around quite a bit.
All I needed was the stair treads, carpet adhesive, measuring tape, scissors, and a DIY spirit, and I was able to easily install the stair treads myself, and make our home stairs safer for my family.
Great idea! We rented a vacation home earlier this year and I was so worried about the kids slipping on their wood stairs.
This is so neat, I wish we had heard about these at our old home would have saved many a fall!
That is a brilliant idea. We don’t have stairs, but I can only imagine how dangerous they can be with little ones.
I miss the hardwood floors we put in our old home. Someday we will be able to upgrade this one!
Hardwood floors are very beautiful if well taken care of, but I agree they can be dangerous when they get wet. Kudos to you for being proactive and keeping your family safe! You did a great job installing the stair treads.
Wow it looks great! I will admit I like the look of real wood, but I prefer a safer stair case too 🙂
I think it turned out beautifully. I like the idea of the stair treads as opposed to full on carpet covering the stairs.
That was one of the things that scared me about my daughter’s last house. She had a huge long flight of stairs up to the master bedroom and I would watch her come down them in sock feet and just cringe until she reached the bottom safely.
I love what you did with yours!
Me too! I’d walk with pantyhose on and feel so scared, so my sons walking in their socks terrified me (of course, I still guide them up and down because I’m so scared, but they wouldn’t have tolerated that forever, lol)
This is such a good idea to prevent slips and it also adds some character to the stairs!
What a great idea and they look beautiful much better than carpeting the whole stairs you still get to enjoy the wood.
What a great idea that is both safe and eye catching. Our stairs are carpeted (meh) and such a pain to vacuum.
I’ve never heard of those. Looks pretty neat. Will they leave gunk on the floor when you are ready to take them off?
I don’t think so, when I had to redo a part that wasn’t straight and I pulled it up there wasn’t anything there (it came off cleanly) and it doesn’t seem that sticky- mainly just for safety to make sure the tread doesn’t slip around. But over time it may leave gunk, sometimes it takes a while to really stick.
They didn’t take away from the all wood floor/stairs at all… in fact, they enhanced them, I think. Very practical and very pretty.
Oh how gorgeous!!! I love your stairs, and those mats are so pretty!
That’s a great idea! Your stairs still look beautiful and now it’s safer. I have carpeted stairs and still worry about falling…
We don’t currently have stairs but if we move into a home that has them these would be on the top of my to get list.
What a great idea. I have slipped on wooden stairs before and it hurt so bad.
I need to bookmark these – I’m dying to replace the berber we have on our stairs and 2nd floor. I was thinking of having a carpeted runner made if we did put in wood stairs, but this would probably be MUCH more affordable.
What a great idea! These look so good. Great job!