Update: My big seam blowout made me rethink the 'glue only' method for stairs.

I followed the trend and skipped the staples, but the whole runner slid down after a family walked on it, so I'm back to using both glue and fasteners for safety.

3 comments

3 Comments

charlie_ellis2mo ago

Learned that lesson the hard way on my own staircase last year. Glue seemed fine until my dog's nails caught the edge and peeled a whole section back. Now I use a narrow crown stapler in the tread recess plus adhesive. The staples hold it in place while the glue cures, and you can't even see them. Makes a huge difference on the steeper steps especially.

mia_davis252mo ago

Wait, the whole runner just slid down all at once? That sounds like a nightmare waiting to happen, someone could have really gotten hurt. I'm sticking with staples for sure now.

sagemurphy2mo ago

My old house had fifteen stairs with a steep pitch. After a scary slide, I did exactly what @charlie_ellis described, using the narrow crown stapler trick in the tread recess with construction adhesive. That runner hasn't budged in three years, even with kids and a big dog running on it daily. The combo is the ONLY way to get real peace of mind. Just glue is asking for trouble.