Everything You Need to Know About Custom Runners

Do you ever scroll Pinterest and see perfectly designed homes with eye-catching stair runners and think- wow that’s gorgeous?

Stair runners are fantastic opportunities to really highlight the design of your home and make a statement. Pre-made runners are available, but the options of layouts are severely limited without the help an experienced professional to customize it.

Custom runners on the other hand, can be affordable and give you the ultimate freedom to make it look exactly the way you picture in your mind.

Now, let’s discuss some of the most important things to consider when designing a custom runner:

Binding:

Binding is the colored edging that is sewn onto a runner. More than just picking out a color that you love, it's important to know what type of binding to choose from. Certain types of carpet need certain types of binding. Wool for example, needs cotton binding so that the fibers can breathe. Nylons on the other hand, use what’s called poly binding, which is a tighter and less breathable material.

Cotton bindings give a smoother, darker, and more uniform look to a runner and can be used on all types of carpet. It is more expensive than a poly binding, but for those that want it to be seen it is worth the slight price increase.

Poly bindings are often a lot less noticeable on runners, and there are even hybrid variations that are made to be virtually clear. These options for those that really want the binding to blend into the carpet color. Picking a lighter color with a darker carpet or picking a matching lighter color on a darker staircase is still going to make the binding show, but it will still be less intense than a cotton binding would be. Remember though, poly binding can be used on every carpet except for wool.

Padding:

This goes underneath a runner. Similar to binding, certain carpets need particular pad. Wool again, needs what's called hair pad which is thin and stiff so that it keeps the carpet in place. While it is possible to use regular, thicker pad for runners that aren't wool, we recommend that hair pad is used for all runners. This is especially true if you don't want to see the pad from the sides of the runner.

Disclaimer: There still needs to be a slight bounce to a runner in the form of a small gap between the pad and the carpet. This is absolutely essential for wear, because a carpet that is pulled too tightly over a step will wear out faster. Using a pad that is thinner minimizes the overall appearance of it while still allowing it to be installed properly.

Layout:

It is crucial to determine the layout and size before making the runner so as not to waste time and material. Additionally, with patterned runners figuring out the layout and how the pattern will connect before starting makes the entire process smoother.

This is also one of the most enjoyable parts. Do you want to see equal amounts of the step underneath on both sides? Maybe you only want to see the step underneath on one side? A mix of the two? Should the stair runner connect to a hall runner? It’s totally up to you- so have fun!

Lifestyle:

This is perhaps the most important part of any runner. Making sure the material you choose is a good fit for your lifestyle means that you can enjoy it for longer.

An experienced installer should be able to help you figure out all of these points so that you can have the runner of your dreams.