How to Remove Carpet from Stairs

Carpeted stairs consist of a carpet pad, nosing, tack strips, tread, riser and carpet. It’s important to understand the different parts that make up a carpet stair before getting to work.

• Step: A step is one unit of a staircase.
• Nosing: The nosing is the rounded edge on an individual step.
• Tread: A tread is a step's flat, horizontal part. It's where you place your foot when you walk up and down stairs.
• Riser: A riser is the vertical part of a step.

Wear proper safety gear — such as safety goggles or glasses, gloves and a face mask — to avoid cuts, flying debris and dust while removing the carpet.

• Start at the top of the stairs and remove the carpet with the vise-grips and utility knife.
• Cut the carpet with a utility knife under the nose of the landing.
• Use the vise-grips to pull the carpet free from the riser.
• Grip the carpet with both hands for easier removal and to maintain balance and safety.

Work from side to side. Cut the carpet into manageable sections. Then roll it, tape it and remove it from the work site.

Safety Tip: Although you can complete this project on your own, having a helper spot you could reduce the risk of falls. Your helper can also take the removed carpet down the stairs to keep your work area clear.

• Remove the carpet pad from the treads simply by pulling it away.
• Use a contractor-grade trash bag to dispose of the carpet pad.
• Before removing the tack strips, put on hearing protection.
• Remove all of the tack strips with a flat prybar and hammer. If needed, place a 3-inch putty knife under the prybar to protect the stairs.
• Carefully put tack strip pieces into a contractor-grade bag.

• Remove remaining fasteners. Have a container or magnet to collect the fasteners you remove.
• Fill in small holes with a wax wood filler stick. For larger holes, try colored wood putty. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to use the stick or putty properly.

• Stack up the removed carpet. Start at one end and slowly roll it up. Secure the carpet roll with duct tape. If the carpet is thick, you may need to create more than one roll.
• Remove the carpet from your work area.

Tip: If you're removing a lot of old carpet, contact your local waste pickup service ahead of time. There may be limits on how much you can throw away at once.

Once you have removed all visible hardware, vacuum the stairs from top to bottom with a shop vacuum. If the air is dusty, open a window.

Check the riser and tread of each step for signs of damage once more. Nails and tacks from carpet tack strips may cause small holes or flaws in the stairs. If all looks good, your carpet removal is complete.