Can we talk about that house in Boulder with the curved staircase carpet?

I was at a job site in Boulder last Tuesday helping a buddy with a bedroom install. He pointed out this house down the street that had carpet going up a curved staircase, looked like it was done about 5 years ago. The seams were still tight and the pattern matched perfect, not a single wrinkle. How do you even tackle a curve like that without it bunching up? I've been in the trade for 8 years and never tried one, has anyone here done a curved stair install?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_paul1mo ago

Wait a curved staircase carpet install with no wrinkles after 5 years? That's straight up wizardry.

haydenbutler1mo ago

Oh boy, I've been there. I had a similar curved staircase in my last house and I fought with that carpet for weeks before I figured out a trick. What finally worked for me was not trying to stretch it all at once like a straight run. Instead, I worked it in small sections, stretching each one just a little bit and then moving on. Also, I used a ton of double-sided carpet tape on the curve itself before I even started the power stretcher work. It sounds like overkill, but it really helped keep everything locked down so nothing shifted over time. That carpet stayed smooth as glass for years after that.

alice_palmer201mo ago

That house is a real testament to whoever laid that carpet. A curved staircase is no joke with the transitions and the tack strip work. Used to think it was basically impossible to get it that smooth on a curve, but seeing that job changed my mind. They must have used a power stretcher and really knew how to work the grain of the carpet.