Hey, I’m Keith Shannon with Direct Carpet, and today I’m going to show you how to put in this fabulous stair runner. This is Anderson Tuftex Always Natural Silver Polish—it’s a gray-blue herringbone stair runner that looks sharp and holds up.

I’m going to show you how to do a left-turn landing, how to finish off your stairs, and the basic tools you need to get it done. No edits, no fluff—just real installation.

The Setup & Basic Tools

We’ve already got the underpad on (I’ve got other videos showing you how to do that). Here’s what’s in my kit:

• Staple gun & staples

• Rubber mallet

• Stair tucker (stair tool)

• Knee kicker

1. Centering is Everything

We install from the bottom up. I roll the carpet out and line it up at the bottom. The underpad should be cut one inch shorter on each side than the runner.

Pro Tip: Measure to center from the spindles on the left to the stringer on the right. I put the kicker on top just to hold the carpet in place while I double-check those numbers.

2. The 5-Inch Spacer Trick

To keep the runner going dead-straight all the way up, I don’t guess. I cut a 5-inch spacer (or whatever your measurement is) out of a scrap piece of wood. I run that spacer along the stringer side as I move up. It keeps the installation consistent and easy.

3. Pre-bend the Backing

This Anderson Tuftex carpet is strong and durable, which means the backing is stiff. If you don’t "pre-fab" or break the backing under the nose of the stair, your staples are going to pop out.

• Bend it down, push it under, and score it with your stair tool to get a nice 90-degree line.

• I put a staple probably every inch or so under that nose, double-tapping the ends.

4. Why I Don't Staple the Sides

If you’re DIYing this, listen up: I don’t staple the sides. I see pictures all the time where people don't "disappear" their staples into the pile, and it leaves these horrible indentations on the binding. I’ve come up with a technique to eliminate those side staples entirely. It’s a bit harder because you have to keep more pressure on the kicker and break that backing perfectly, but the finished look is way cleaner.

5. The Left-Turn Landing (Quarter-Turn)

Most people ask about the landing. We don’t miter our landings. When you hit that landing, the herringbone is going to change direction—that’s a quarter-turn landing.

• I cut the landing to size (this one was 45 inches).

• Line it up so it looks like one continuous piece—no gaps.

• On the landing, you do staple, but you’ve got to be strategic. Split the pile between the binding and the carpet and hide the staple underneath. If you see an indent, use your hammer to bang it down or counter-sink it.

6. Finishing the Top

When you get to the upper hall or the last riser, you finish it off with a bound edge.

• Remember: if you have 12 stairs, you actually have 12.5 or 13.5 because of that final riser going up to the landing or the next floor.

• Cut it at the last riser, fit your finished edge into place, and you’re done.

Ready to do yours?

If you’re looking for this specific look, grab the Silver Polish Herringbone here. If you’re not sure about the pattern, check out our full Stair Runner Collection.

Need help? Hit me up in the site chat or send a photo of your stairs to support@directcarpet.com. We’ll figure out exactly what you need.

Every runner you buy also helps us support the street dogs and cats in Puerto Rico through our Runners for Rescues initiative. Appreciate you watching.