How to choose the best carpet for stairs – flooring specialists swear by these materials for longevity, ease of cleaning and flat-out beauty

Choosing the right carpet for your stairs is as much about aesthetics as it is about safety, durability, comfort underfoot, and ease of cleaning and maintenance.

To help you choose the best carpet for your stairs, I spoke to flooring specialists who've kept in mind everything from how easy it will be to use a carpet vacuum on, to whether or not the pile flattens over time.

This way there's no guesswork, just great advice for picking safe and gorgeous stair carpets to stand the test of time.

Why should you carpet your stairs?

Aside from the warm, pleasant feel of soft carpet underfoot when walking up and down the stairs, installing carpet here is a sensible safety feature.

'It serves as a visual focal point, enhances comfort underfoot, improves safety by reducing the risk of slips on hard surfaces, and provides valuable acoustic benefits by minimizing noise,' shares Everett Cinterior designer at Wasatch Peaks Design Studio.

'However, if you select the wrong type of carpet you may regret it and end up replacing it sooner than anticipated – kind of like that trendy wallpaper you swore you’d love forever.'

Choosing the best carpet for your stairs therefore needs attention not just on aesthetic, but its texture, cleanliness and stability.

1. Material

Stairs are responsible for around one million injuries in the US each year, according to a study published by the National Library of Medicine. Choosing a stable, non-slip material will ensure you're not dealing with any accidental falls due to your carpet choice.

Unlike other carpeted rooms that have plenty of space to roam around, stairs are usually narrow, with one path up and down see greater force and impact exerted on them. Overlooking durability is a classic carpet mistake that can lead to needing a replacement much sooner than you would like, or potentially can afford.

'Some of the top choices include wool, nylon, and polyester carpets,' shares Seymen Usta, interior design specialist and CEO of Modern Chandelier. 'Wool carpets are renowned for their natural strength and resilience, making them an excellent choice for high-traffic areas like stairs. They also offer a luxurious feel underfoot and are known for their natural stain resistance.'

'You could also opt for environmentally friendly or low-VOC choices which not only make for a more durable and comfortable flooring solution, but also help create a healthier indoor environment,' suggests Mark Lumpkin, construction pro from STR Cribs, highlighting the ever-growing importance of non-toxic home essentials on your wellbeing.

Environmentally friendly carpet materials include wool, cotton, jute and bamboo. Choosing synthetic fibers like nylon and polyester may not be the most eco-conscious decorating choice but will be more cost-effective.

Everett Chambers says, 'For optimal performance, I’d recommend woven carpets made from durable, stain-resistant fibers designed for high-traffic areas. Synthetic fibers like solution-dyed nylon and P.E.T. (polyethylene terephthalate) are your best choices.'

P.E.T. is made from recycled plastic, too, and can satisfy the sustainability element you may be searching for. 'For those who prefer natural fiber flooring, wool remains the gold standard – renowned for its longevity, resilience, and luxurious texture. However, it comes at a premium price point and will typically shed for the first few months,' he adds.

Knowing which exact carpet idea to go after will also depend on the thickness, soil resistance, style and cost, as we cover below.

2. Thickness and pile type

Kristopher Ayoub, flooring specialist and owner of Ayoub N&H, explains, 'Lower pile carpets tend to work best since the carpet will need to be "wrapped" around the front of each step. Thicker carpets can create the look of fibers spreading apart at the front of each step, if they're wrapped too tightly.'

Low-pile carpet can provide benefits outside of their suitability to stairs, too. They're easier to clean, reducing how often you need to vacuum carpet, while being better at keeping a room cool and reducing allergy symptoms. High-pile carpets trap heat, as well as a host of common household allergens, dust and pet hair within the fibers.

A thick carpet can also be a safety hazard on stairs, as the fibers that wrap around each step's front edge can essentially serve as a downwards ramp, providing no stable footing.

The decision then comes down to loop-pile or cut-pile. Loop-pile carpets are uncut, making them often denser and more durable. Cut-pile carpet is made of upright fibers that are essentially cut like a lawn, resulting in a plusher texture.

'We typically see "cut-pile" carpets as the most slippery, whereas loop-pile carpets and those with textured patterns can be less likely to make you slip,' shares Kristopher. The durability of loop-pile carpet will give you more time before you're deciding what's replacing your carpet, too.

It's worth remembering however that loop-pile carpets can be a nuisance for pet owners, as our furry friends can get their claws stuck in the fibers. It can also make it hard to vacuum pet hair, but investing in one of the best vacuums for pet hair like the Shark POWERDETECT Upright can prevent this from being an issue.

3. Soil and stain resistance

Alison Truelock, interior designer and founder of Interiors by Alice, explains, 'A wool or nylon carpet will offer the best stain resistance and longevity.'

'Wool is naturally stain resistant, and will offer a warm, cozy feel underfoot,' she adds, and in the absence of high-pile carpet, this can be a great way to make your home feel cozy when fall comes around.

On the other hand, nylon and synthetic fibers can be easier to clean, even if they're not as durable as wool. 'You want to avoid any type of carpeting with viscose which stains easily or a high pile which can get mashed and flattened over time,' Alice continues.

But regardless of material, if you want to keep the carpet on your stairs truly clean for years to come, it's a smart move to invest in one of the best carpet cleaners. Unlike vacuums that simply extract solid matter, carpet cleaners actually wash the fibers, leaving your floor genuinely clean and smelling fresher.

The best I've ever tested is the Bissell Revolution HydroSteam, with steam power that I used to remove two-year-old stubborn stains from a local pet shelter.

4. Style and aesthetic

Nailing the style of your stair carpet naturally depends on your home's interior. Our favorite staircase carpet ideas including subtle stripes, turning your carpet into a runner, or even making an impact with bold colors. It's down to your personal preference, but remember that lighter colors might show stains more easily.

'It is important to remember how influential stairs are to a space. Stairs so often tie the entire home together and form a central stage making the staircase the ideal area to make a statement,' shares Jodie Hatton, design manager at Brintons.

Should carpet be lighter or darker than the walls? The most pleasing schemes have some element of contrast; if your home has light walls, consider darker tones for the stairs – and vice versa.

And once again, the color, texture and shine of the carpet depends on the material. Seymen explains, 'Wool carpets give stairs a rich, luxurious look and feel, adding warmth and elegance to your home. Nylon carpets offer a more practical and versatile aesthetic and are available in a vast array of colors and patterns, allowing you to customize the look of your stairs.'

5. Installation, cost and warranty

As we've learned, wool is one of the best options for stair carpeting thanks to its durability, stain-resistance and luxurious feel, but it is unfortunately one of the most expensive options out there. Per square foot, you're looking at $8 to $25, compared to nylon which can cost as little as $2 to $5.

Though wool is more expensive up front, it will last longer and retain its beautiful, pristine texture for years more than almost all other carpet materials, reducing how often you need to replace the carpet. Even if it starts to flatten, you can make your carpet fluffy again using your vacuum and a few simple tools.

As it's more of a stair-installation challenge due to its thickness, contractors and fitters may charge a premium cost to install your new carpet.

'Sometimes the look of a sample isn't necessarily the way it'll look when considering the best installation method,' Kristopher shares, adding, 'For example, carpets that have lines or stripes may show as vertical on the sample, but would end up being horizontal on the steps if that allows for the best installation.'

Make sure to have an in-depth conversation with the salesperson to make sure you know exactly how your new carpet will look in your home.

Meet our experts

Seymen Usta

Seymen Usta is a practicing interior design dpecialist based in Florida with 13 years in the industry.

Alison Truelock

Alison Truelock founded Interiors by Alison in 2015 as a residential interior design firm specializing in creating beautiful and functional spaces, bringing a personal touch to all projects and making sure they function seamlessly for daily routines.

Kristopher Ayoub

Kristopher Ayoub is an owner at Ayoub N&H, a family company started in 1991 serving the Washington, DC area, providing the sales and service of carpet, rugs, and hardwood flooring.

Jodie Hatton

Jodie Hatton is a textile designer with over 10 years of experience in bespoke design with a focus on high-end interior projects. She is the design manager at Brintons, purveyors of designer carpets, and she is currently working towards completing a master's degree in design research focusing on sustainable and regenerative design solutions.

Next, learn more about carpet vs hardwood flooring for more at-home inspiration.