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If you’re looking to refresh your stairs with a matching floor style, or you’re finishing up a new laminate flooring installation, you may be wondering, can I put laminate flooring on stairs? Yes! Laminate and vinyl flooring can be installed on stairs and offer a great way to expand your beautiful floor throughout your levels, and easily refresh an outdated staircase.
Stairs can be a tricky installation. If you’re a DIY’er, make sure to follow all of the manufacturer instructions. If you’re not very handy, we’d recommend leaving this to a professional.
Installing laminate flooring on stairs is one time you won’t use it as a floating floor system. You will not need underlayment when it comes to installation on stairs. You will need to glue or nail the laminate down to the stairs themselves. Generally, you’ll need to cut two laminate planks to size to fit the depth of the stair treads.
The glue should be a Liquid Nails® or “construction-type” glue dispensed from a glue gun. To ensure a stronger grip by the adhesive to the back of the laminate-flooring plank, you can scratch the back surface of the plank with either a knife or screwdriver.
In addition to the laminate, you will need either a flush-mount stair nose or an overlap stair nose, depending on your project’s needs. Whichever molding you decide to use, you will still need to use an overlap stair nose on the top step of the staircase. This is so that the laminate that you have installed in your area at the top of your staircase isn’t pinned down, like a flush-mount stair nose will do, and will allow the laminate to float properly.
You may choose to keep your stair risers the original wood if your home is in good shape. Many people opt to use the laminate on the risers for a cohesive look. This will require you to cut the laminate to size and continue the adhesive application on the risers.
Looking to see other laminate flooring applications on stairs? Check out our customer gallery here.
Contact the Bestlaminate Flooring Experts today! Call us at 1-800-520-0961 or send us a quick message to get expert advice and answers.
We are here to help. Schedule a free consultation with our friendly experts or call us today at 1-800-520-0961.
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In addition to Liquid Nails adhesive, should I use a nailgun with nails or staples to secure the preformed stair treads to the wood stair stringers? What size nail/staple is recommended (gauge and length)
Thanks for your question, James. This will depend on what material your stair treads are, we would suggest reaching out to the manufacturer of your exact product to see what they recommend. Typically, we do not suggest using nails or staples as they will be visible on the tread. A strong construction adhesive should do the job without leaving any holes or marks behind.
What kind of flooring can I use on a plywood floor in the second floor of a detached garage subject to temperatures above 90 and below freezing?
Thanks for your question, William. We would suggest using a glue down vinyl flooring for this space as it can withstand the temperature changes.