Stairways often experience some of the highest amounts of traffic in any home. Because of this, it’s tough to choose among the different flooring options for stairs that combines design, durability, and comfort.
Stairs are one of the most critical parts of your home. Your stairways serve not only a functional purpose but it equally adds sophistication and style to your home. The style, angle, floor surface, and lighting of your stairs play a key role in how you will view and enjoy your home.
Additionally, floor coverings for stairs not only add to the decorative feel of your home, but it’s equally a vital consideration when you think of the durability and general care you will need to undertake based on your flooring choice.
When choosing your new staircase floor coverings, the most important factors to consider are the style, structure, and the functional purpose of the stairs.
In this article, we’ll show you some of the best flooring options for stairs alongside the pros and cons of selecting each of the floor coverings for your home and stairs.
Excitingly, many of the flooring types mentioned here can be laid by any do-it-yourselfer (DIY). You just need a few tools and the time to have a fantastic set of stairs.
Below are the different flooring options for stairs you should consider.
Best Flooring Options for Stairs
Occupying the largest surface areas, the floor of your stairs set the overall look of your staircase. There are many style options depending on the level of maintenance you want, your décor preferences, and your budget.
That said, here are some stairway design ideas to make your boring stairs come back to life.
1. Laminate Flooring for Stairs

Laminate flooring is an affordable staircase flooring option if you want a wooden look. It’s a perfect choice for stairs as the installation is easy. Fixing it to the stairs is also easy with the use of a special adhesive, and it provides comfort on the foot.
Additionally, laminate flooring is scratch resistant, so if you have pets, their claws will not harm the flooring. And you need not worry yourself about cleaning laminate flooring as a simple mopping with a cleaning solution is enough to get it sparkly clean.
Laminate flooring is available in different forms – and it can be purchased in different types. For example, you can buy laminate that has the same look as hardwood, and you can purchase rolled laminate for your stairs.
Finally, laminate is the most affordable form of floor covering for stairs. And the cost of replacing the laminate floor is also cheaper than the cost of replacing other flooring options for your stairs.
2. Hardwood Flooring for Stairs

Hardwood flooring is one of the most versatile options for stairway floorings. It comes in many colors, designs, and types, and you can place it in different angles on the staircase.
You can also select anything from light hardwood to dark hardwood. Use oak wood, cherry wood, solid pine, or aesthetic teak, etc. that’s suitable your home décor.
One of the good things about hardwood flooring for stairs is that it’s easy to clean and incredibly durable. However, you want to avoid putting on socks while walking on hardwood covered stairway or you risk slipping and getting injured.
Additionally, it’s available in many options and you will certainly find something that perfectly fits your tastes and needs.
3. Stone Flooring for Stairs

Stones like granite or marble can give a staircase a luxurious, spectacular look. Unfortunately, stone is usually heavy, hard and can be costly to purchase.
That’s not all, most stone needs to be sealed every 2 years or thereabouts to protect it from stains and spills. It’s always better to use a stone staircase with a runner in a matching color.
Finally, a homeowner should not be scared of combining materials. For instance, a hardwood tread with a riser made of stone or ceramic tile can be extremely visually appealing.
4. Carpet Flooring for Stairs
According to some experts:
Carpet is the safest type of flooring options for stairs.
Carpet flooring comes in a bunch of patterns and colors – and it’s woven of materials like wool, nylon, polyester or wool blend.
As a homeowner, if you don’t wish to carpet the entire staircase because of budget, you can also install a carpet runner, which not only adds adhesive friction but can be color-coordinated with the material underneath it as well as other areas of the house.
Furthermore, carpeting gives the stairs an extra dose of coziness and warmth. It can equally help in minimizing noise when people are walking up and down the staircase.
If you have kids, carpet flooring acts as add an extra layer of protection in case of a fall. Now, you can basically choose from two main carpet ideas: stair runners or full carpeting.
Carpet Runners

This type of carpeting leaves the edges of the stairways visible. They’re the best choice when you don’t want to entirely cover your beautiful staircase. Runners will add some color, warmth, and beauty without hiding the flooring.
Aside from that, they’re also cheaper and easier to install. You can even install runners yourself if you’re experienced with home improvement projects. Most homeowners often choose a boldly patterned runners to add texture to an otherwise neutral space.
Full carpeting

Full carpeting covers every inch of the staircase floor. It’s usually more useful if the stair flooring is not too beautiful. For example, if your staircase is somewhat old and you don’t want to do a complete remodel, full carpeting will instantly cover the aging.
However, a full carpet is more expensive and difficult to install, which is why you should discuss the costs with your contractor before going for it.
If you’ve finally decided to use full carpeting for your stairs, it’s advisable to find a unique pattern that matches with the surrounding décor but is still appealing enough. You can equally choose neutral non-patterned carpeting if you prefer a plain minimalist style.
5. Tile Flooring for Stairs

Installing tiles on stairways is a brilliant way of creating a decluttered and modern look. Tile flooring comes in different colors, materials, styles and provides a smooth finish to the staircases.
Moreover, you can use tiles for both indoor and outdoor stairs as they are scratch resistant and durable. However, ensure that your stairs can withstand the weight as tiles are usually heavier than other stair flooring options. To prevent slipping and accident, use slip tape or install textured tiles.
Finally, try using a slate tile as it’s the perfect option if you’re covering exterior stairways or if you’re covering a small portion of stairs from the entryway. Anything under 4 inches squared would generally be the ideal type of tile to use for the stairs.
6. Cork Flooring for Stairs

Cork is the latest type of stair covering options. The good thing is that you can use it for both the risers and treads of the stairs. Similar to carpets, cork flooring prevents slipping and offers cushion and softness on the foot.
Aside from that, it also provides a natural appearance to the floors by offering a wood-like look. Precisely, it appears like wood but acts like a carpet. The low maintenance and long-lasting features of cork make it an ideal floor covering for stairs and landing.
7. Glass Flooring for Stairways

It might surprise you to hear that glass is an amazing material for stairs. Typically, the type of glass that makes up stairway treads is tempered, this means it’s designed to be shatterproof and tough.
Furthermore, glass stairways give a home a fresh sort of beauty, and glasses with open risers can seem to float. It’s equally reflective and adds illumination to the area.
Glass flooring for stairs comes in a bunch of colors and reflective capabilities, and you can arrange glass tiles in patterns to suit your style. You can equally lay glass tile to appear like a mosaic pattern.
8. Painted Surfaces Stairs

If you don’t wish to cover your staircase but also don’t want to leave it plain, then you might try illusions. With a touch of creativity and expert help, you can convert your plain stairs into anything of your choice.
One famous strategy is to create a runner illusion. The stairways are painted in such a way they appear like they have a carpet runner on them. Besides, you can equally go complete arts and create a nature scene on the stairs.
This can be most helpful for long stairways as the art offers a beautiful distraction from the long journey up.
Floor Covering For Stairs | Conclusion
In the olden days, carpets used to be the only available option for stair covering. Today, many flooring options for stairs have surfaced. You simply want to find the one that meets your expectations without compromising on a budget!
But before going for any stair flooring surface, consider the structure, style, maintenance, and who will be using the stairway.
There is absolutely no shortage of staircase design ideas to make your stairs an enchanting part of your home. From grand stairways and warm conventional styles to industrial and contemporary styles.
The most critical thing to have in mind is that stairs are not just conduits between different areas of the home. They equally play a significant role in setting the overall look and feel of your home. A well-designed staircase can take a contemporary living room back to the Victorian age or build a warm welcome at the entryway.
Therefore, as you focus on the functional parts of your home, don’t neglect the aesthetics and décor parts.