Misting softback to install a runner

[highup]

Or should I just use heat? That expensive carpet I just posted about is going to get installed n a set of stairs as a runner. I sent it off to have the edges surged. It's ready to install, but as much of a bear as it was to stretch and install using my stretcher, I'm thinking this runner install is going to be really slow going by heating the back with my hair dryer. I. using my stair stretcher too.......... but this carpet is really thick and stiff.
Just heat, or will misting it a tiny bit help?
The stair treads are Pergo so I think I'm going to install the strip by drilling and using 1 inch drywall screws. That will do a lot less damage to the treads. Risers are wood painted white.

 

[Nick]

Good Luck, I just did a set with a Bullnose .
That stuff will make a priest kick in a stained glass window .

 

[DarisMulkin]

Why not use stair rods and do it like the old days and just drape the carpet step to step?

Daris

 

[highup]

Why not use stair rods and do it like the old days and just drape the carpet step to step?

Daris

"The Boys" don't want stair rods.

I think I'll double strip the risers since I'll be starting at the top and using the stair stretcher. I'm using 1/4 inch pad and the Pergo bullnose is pretty short. Any drawbacks or advantage to misting softback?

 

[DarisMulkin]

I really don't see it will do any good. I think a hair dryer will work better. I take it you are water falling the steps, but why double strip the risers. You are only really hooking on the front row of pins anyway. Why not contour the steps and wrap the nose?

Daris

 

[highup]

I really don't see it will do any good. I think a hair dryer will work better. I take it you are water falling the steps, but why double strip the risers. You are only really hooking on the front row of pins anyway. Why not contour the steps and wrap the nose?

Daris

Pergo nose is only around 1/2 inch over the riser and it's not very thick. It's so slight would look like a boo boo if it was contoured.
Heat works good but it's slow.............. ah, so am I.

 

[DarisMulkin]

When using a hair dryer on steps I am actually letting the hair dryer heat the step ahead of the one I'm working on. So it is nice and toasty when its time to do it. I did have one dryer that ran hot and it melted the carpet right next to it.

Daris

 

[Floorist]

And you can use it to reheat your lunch.

 

[Ernesto]

We just lay it out in the street for ten minutes here.

 

[rugaddict]

why not just strip off the softbac?

 

[highup]

why not just strip off the softbac?

WHATYOUTALKINABOUTWILLIS???

 

[highup]

We just lay it out in the street for ten minutes here.

62 degrees and raining today.

 

[highup]

When using a hair dryer on steps I am actually letting the hair dryer heat the step ahead of the one I'm working on. So it is nice and toasty when its time to do it. I did have one dryer that ran hot and it melted the carpet right next to it.

Daris

I didn't even end up using the hair dryer. Put the strip 1 1/4" up on the riser and 1" out from it............. any closer would have made this thick carpet a PITA to do. Between the stair stretcher and my weight on the stair tool, it went 10X easier than I expected it to go.
High humidity and the house was pretty warm, so I said the heck with more heat. With softback and using a dense rebond 1/4 inch pad it will be fine. Carpet is so heavy that you couldn't detect a 1/2 inch high wrinkle in it anyway.
I was really surprised how well it went once I got the strip and pad in place.
.............not fast, but well. Like you said Daris, one strip on the tread and one on the riser. I was careful experimenting on the ideal gap between them.
The double faced tape worked well on the Pergo tread and I stapled the riser. Worked out slick.

 

[DarisMulkin]

I didn't even end up using the hair dryer. Put the strip 1 1/4" up on the riser and 1" out from it............. any closer would have made this thick carpet a PITA to do. Between the stair stretcher and my weight on the stair tool, it went 10X easier than I expected it to go.
High humidity and the house was pretty warm, so I said the heck with more heat. With softback and using a dense rebond 1/4 inch pad it will be fine. Carpet is so heavy that you couldn't detect a 1/2 inch high wrinkle in it anyway.
I was really surprised how well it went once I got the strip and pad in place.
.............not fast, but well. Like you said Daris, one strip on the tread and one on the riser. I was careful experimenting on the ideal gap between them.
The double faced tape worked well on the Pergo tread and I stapled the riser. Worked out slick.

When I first started we worked steps from the top down. The pad was never stapled on the riser. We just let it drape and it kind of helped support the carpet, if tapped on it it didn't sound hollow. Really where is that pad going to go if anchored on the tread?

Daris

 

[Floorist]

When I first started we worked steps from the top down. The pad was never stapled on the riser. We just let it drape and it kind of helped support the carpet, if tapped on it it didn't sound hollow. Really where is that pad going to go if anchored on the tread?

Daris

Yep, but when we started kicking it on from the bottom, the pad had to be stapled. And when using a kicker it was much tighter than stair-tooling from the top.

 

[DarisMulkin]

Yep, but when we started kicking it on from the bottom, the pad had to be stapled. And when using a kicker it was much tighter than stair-tooling from the top.

Are you sure of that? I've done a lot of restretches on steps that were kicked on but never one on ones that were stair tooled that I know of.

Daris

 

[Floorist]

Maybe it was the installers here. I fixed a bunch that had been installed from the top. Of course, when I moved back to my hometown in '92, I worked for one store just fixing stuff from their previous installers. Repaired stuff every day for six months. Had several that couldn't be fixed. Most of the guys here were self taught. I worked with three different installers before I went completely on my own in Kansas City.

 

[Nick]

I always kick from the bottom up, and chisel them in to the crotch .

 

[highup]

Are you sure of that? I've done a lot of restretches on steps that were kicked on but never one on ones that were stair tooled that I know of.

Daris

Rusty only weighed 95 lbs at the time, so no wonder he couldn't get it tight.
I learned to down and tooling it top down is the same force that a persons foot will stretch the carpet when the stairs are used. It seemed logical to me. The stair stretcher saves wear and tear on the wrists, and I'm glad I bought one. I work from the center and go out each direction with my body weight on the stair tool. A heavy leather glove is a must. It's definitely technique that makes the process work correctly.

 

[Floorist]

I always kick from the bottom up, and chisel them in to the crotch .

Me too. And I can do a set of waterfall in about 30 minutes.