Stair Tread Protectors

“Stair tread protectors” is a general term for anything that goes down on stairs to protect them.

It includes rubber stair treads, vinyl stair treads, stair tread rugs, wall to wall carpet used on stairs, narrower stair tread carpet (often called stair tread runners), and much more. It means just about anything put on the stairs other than the structural and weight bearing treads or simply for non slip purposes, for example some exterior rubber stair mats (although I suppose they also do protect the stairs somewhat).

In our context, we will particularly look at stair tread protectors that go down on and protect various types of rug or carpet on your staircase. There are a lot of reasons to use these!

One is when you have particularly high traffic and want to protect the underlying carpet. There is no doubt that there is higher traffic on the stairs than just about anywhere else. Another is when you temporarily have heavy traffic like a big party or construction.

For example, we have a high quality stair carpet runner on the main staircase that under normal household circumstances should have lasted decades. Three little kids and a dog are not normal circumstances and after less than a decade the bottom part of the carpet is severely worn and quite honestly looks like either crap, or it's in a house full of little kids and maybe a few goats thrown in for good measure. Had I known they were available, I might have put down stair tread protectors.

One example are these Vinyl Stair Carpet Protectors. They are designed to go over carpeting and are clear/transparent so they can be used with any pattern or color of carpeting without detracting from the appearance. They fit most stairs, measuring 24" by 8", have 143 grippers underneath to hold them firmly in place together with a contoured front edge that wraps around the front stair lip. When they get dirty you can simply lift them off and clean them. If they get worn, well they're cheaper and easier to replace than the underlying carpet! They are also ridged on top for safety, and quite economical.

Another example, this one a "runner style" contiguous 15 foot by 2 1/2 foot stair tread protector, is this soft and  absorbent cotton/polyester fabric Carpet & Floor Protector. It has a thin foam backing so it stays put on carpeted stairs (on bare stairs in can be attached with tacks). It's washable, comes in gray or beige, and can be easily cut to size if necessary. It's great for both temporary situations such as construction in the house and permanent use as well.

So stair tread protectors protect your stair treads from wear. There are many types, and the examples we've looked at are particularly useful for protecting stir tread rugs and carpets.