Hardwood Floor Solution (laminate, refinish, bedroom, molding)

[SmartMoney]

I recently bought a renovated home with the old hardwood (not veneer or laminate) floors refinished to a beautiful shine. We have a few rugs (still need more) and I want to get more, but not in a rush. My imminent problem is my phoo phoo dog (ornery and scruffy long haired Jack Russell with a wicked attitude). He's 11 and is having a terrible time sliding on the stairs. I'll take him in for a pedi-pedi (as opposed to mani-pedi) and it will help a little, however, something has to be done with the stairs.

I've looked at stair treads, both the bull nose and the steps only and can't bring myself to do it. I'm willing to rush to get the stair carpeting first, but am really kind of lost. I don't know that I want to go thru the expense of an Oriental when I am in the early stages of making decorating decisions. Dogs usually do better with a cut pile, as opposed to a loop, like Berber. I'm thinking I want a low to medium pile in the center of the stair, bound and exposing the wood. Has anyone see this done with a non Oriental carpet? What about with rods? But again, have never seen this with a non Oriental carpet. I have four sets of stairs that require this attention........looking for a pleasing to the eye solution, that's not going to have me make a financial commitment I'm not ready for (Oriental).

Thoughts & suggestions welcome......and just because this isn't in the pet forum doesn't mean he doesn't come first. I've just happened to nix some of the ugly fixes.

TYIA

[chet everett]

Four SETS of stair? How big a house is this? Can't you just do the least conspicuous stairway?

[timneh5]

Here's a link to some pics that have stairs covered with rods and carpet that aren't all oriental. Maybe this can give you some other thoughts to carpet ideas. link: Stair Rods Design Ideas, Pictures, Remodel, and Decor

Here's a link to make a stair runner out of wall-to-wall carpet or remnants: How to Make a Wall-to-Wall Carpet Into a Stair Runner | Home Guides | SF Gate

[SmartMoney]

Originally Posted by timneh5

Here's a link to some pics that have stairs covered with rods and carpet that aren't all oriental. Maybe this can give you some other thoughts to carpet ideas. link: Stair Rods Design Ideas, Pictures, Remodel, and Decor

Here's a link to make a stair runner out of wall-to-wall carpet or remnants: How to Make a Wall-to-Wall Carpet Into a Stair Runner | Home Guides | SF Gate

Thank you, thank you, thank you! You won't believe the garbage that kept coming up in my searches.....well maybe you would, it's amazing what floats to the top. These links have amazing ideas that just go forever and are exactly what I was looking for. I am going to be lost forever.

Chet, this is an older, Williamsburg style TH community with the 2-3 foot firewalls, 4 foot hallways, crown molding (original, but rehabbed) everywhere. I have 4 sets of 6 stairs each. It's only 3 levels, but the unlike most TH that have a steep set of 13 - 14 stairs to the bedroom level (and from basement to LR level), I have 2 sets of 6, with a 8 x 4 foot landing in between. The landing between the basement and the LR/DR level is the entry way.

[luv4horses]

At one time you could buy stacks of tread-shaped pieces of bound carpet that you would tack just to the tread of each stair. I used those when I had slippery hardwood treads (and an active little terrier!). They were fairly non-obvious, plus the risers and the side edges of the treads were still the lovely wood. Perhaps you could ask a carpet store about those?

[K'ledgeBldr]

Someone asked this question sometime back-

There is a product (I posted in my response), I can't remember/find the name but it was basically a clear polyurethane that had a grit in it for grip- made specifically for stairs.

You could retain the look of wood tread stairs without the "slip&slide" effect.


Check that- found it:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/22084751-post2.html

[blazerj]

The things we do for our pup…DIY Stair Treads | Bella Carina

They also make rubber backed stair runners that may work for you. Let me know how it turns out. If we ever have another kid, I would like a stair solution.

[Spazkat9696]

We put a baby gate on our stairs.

[blazerj]

The things we do for our pup…DIY Stair Treads | Bella Carina

They also make rubber backed stair runners that may work for you. Let me know how it turns out. If we ever have another kid, I would like a stair solution.

[cully]

Originally Posted by timneh5

Here's a link to some pics that have stairs covered with rods and carpet that aren't all oriental. Maybe this can give you some other thoughts to carpet ideas. link: Stair Rods Design Ideas, Pictures, Remodel, and Decor

Here's a link to make a stair runner out of wall-to-wall carpet or remnants: How to Make a Wall-to-Wall Carpet Into a Stair Runner | Home Guides | SF Gate

That first link gives excellent ideas on how a lovely historic house can look good with non-Oriental carpet.