Stairs & trim

Carpeted stairs are quieter, softer and more forgiving underfoot, which many families with young children or older pets prefer. The main choice is the installation style. A cap-and-band or wrapped style follows the shape of each nosing for a tailored look. A waterfall style runs the carpet straight down over the nosing to the tread below, which is simpler but reads differently. We help you choose based on the stair shape and the look you want.

Hardwood stairs carry a hardwood floor all the way through the house, and they are often the centerpiece of an entry. Depending on the existing structure, this might mean new treads and risers, stair nosing matched to the flooring, or refinishing existing wood stairs alongside the floors. Painted risers with stained treads are a popular, classic combination that we can talk through with you.

A stair runner over hardwood treads gives you the look of wood with the comfort, grip and quiet of carpet down the center. It also protects the part of each tread that wears fastest. Because area rugs and carpet are core to what we do, runners are a natural fit, and we help choose the material, width and pattern so they suit the floors on either end.

When old flooring comes out, the trim often needs attention too. Baseboards may need to come off and go back, or new ones may suit the room better. Shoe molding or quarter round covers the expansion space many floors require, and transition pieces handle doorways, changes in height and the meeting point between different materials. Each one is small. Together they decide whether the job looks complete.

Laminate and vinyl stairs are done the same careful way: each tread and riser is cut to fit, with matching stair nosings so the staircase reads as a continuation of the new floor rather than an afterthought. Laminate stairs give a hardwood look at a lower price, and vinyl stairs carry the water resistance of luxury vinyl plank up from an entry or basement.