Union City, CA · Member since 2011 · 14 posts · 0 votes
From what I have been reading, it looks like vinyl plank flooring is good for a rental. The property I'm putting an offer on has hardwood and vinyl/linoleum on the bottom floor. On the stairs and bedrooms, it's carpet circa 1960.
I've read online that vinyl plank flooring doesn't work for stairs. What do you use? Should I just put commercial carpet (no pad) on the stairs and bedrooms?
Real Estate Investor · Milwaukee, WI · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 671 votes
14y
I dont like vinyl plank flooring for rentals. I do not think it wears that well unless you spend a lot of money. You are better off with cheap carpet for spending the money for hardwoods. We always paint our stairs with an industrial paint.
SFR Investor · WY · Member since 2011 · 115 posts · 15 votes
14y
As someone who is klutzy, I prefer having a low pile carpet runner, tacked to follow exactly all the curves of the step. Some installers won't 'return' the carpet under the front edge of the tread to the top of the riser, instead they let it angle back to the lower edge of the riser. That seems 'looser' to me.
My parents' house had hardwoods or vinyl everywhere, with beautiful wood stairs. Mom had a berber carpet installed as a runner on the stairs after one too many 'wipeouts' from all of us kids racing up and down the stairs. She was very glad she had that done, wished she had done it sooner. She never had carpet put any where else, because of cleaning issues.
Investor · Howell, MI · Member since 2011 · 202 posts · 52 votes
14y
On stair runs to a basement we use vinyl and have had good luck with wear. If you're using carpet, the tight fit that follows the contour under the bullnose is called a Hollywood style, the more loose fitting installation where the carpet rolls from bullnose to the next tread is called a Waterfall style. I always go with the Hollywood because I feel it wears better, not sure if it really does or not.
Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
14y
I just bought one that had 1960's vintage carpet pretty much all over, including stairs and bedrooms. Pulling up that carpet in just the corners in various places shows that very nice hardwoods are underneath that carpet - including the stairs and bedrooms. If you're replacing the carpets anyway, you might as well take a peek to say what's underneath. If it's just sub-floor, then you aren't as lucky as I was ...
Real Estate Investor · NW, IN · Member since 2009 · 45 posts · 15 votes
14y
If its a long stairway (more than 12 steps) i like to use commercial carpet on the stairs. If there are less than i use commercial floor paint. My reasoning is when there are many steps people tend to hurry down them faster and to me carpet adds better traction so I feel that I'm protecting them from themselves.
Investor · Member since 2009 · 132 posts · 30 votes
14y
Does anybody have a recommendation for quality, but reasonable priced rubber stair treads? I am painting wood floors in an apt building and want to add treads to improve wear/tear and look better.
I've read online that vinyl plank flooring doesn't work for stairs. What do you use? Should I just put commercial carpet (no pad) on the stairs and bedrooms?
Is this true? What's the reason why vinyl plank flooring wouldn't work for the stairs?
I've started thinking about getting vinyl plank flooring for the downstairs public spaces and I thought that I would stick with carpets for the upstairs.
But, since the stairs gets so much traffic, I was thinking about going with vinyl planks for the stairs too.