Lifetime of a stair carpet?

[annie0000]

How long would you expect a stair carpet to last?

Asking because we recently replaced our threadbare one (wool) which had been down for nearly 10 years and my OH has just said that he would expect to get more than 10 years out of this one!! We didn't put the last one down, but the house is nearly 10 years old and we've had it for nearly 8 of those - to be fair it was in a bit of state when we moved in. New one is a good quality 80/20 wool twist.

[Maydup]

It has to depend on the number of people in the house and how often you use the stairs. Our old family home had a downstairs toilet and bathroom and we really only used the stairs a few times a day and to go up to bed. The carpet was as old as me!

I think 10yrs is about right for a busy house, but if it were less busy and there with no shoes on indoors I'd expect twice that.

[ChuckFickens]

And also on the quality of the carpet, surely, some are a lot more hard wearing than others.

[tonyav]

AS maidup says, depends on how much traffic it gets.

[nannybooby]

10years for a wool carpet sounds about right ,you will be fed up with it by then !

[Zacs-Master]

Depends on the quality of the carpet. We've had an 80/20 one down for about 12 years with no sign of wear. It's a very dense pile.

[yogasun]

Ours has been down 20 years and not a sign of wear. Couldn't tell you what sort it is though, I'm hopeless with that sort of thing.

[annie0000]

thanks guys - the old one was a berber thing and the people who had the house weren't the best in taking care of stuff. We got a really good carpet and top notch underlay - we have a downstairs toilet etc but there are 4 of us and the boys can be up and down the stairs a fair bit. mainly socks but sometimes clean trainers which we are going to stop!!

[Valmave]

If you walk up using just the even steps, but come down using just the odd ones you will find it will last twice as long.

[Hopkirk]

Teach your family to walk up to one side, not up the middle.

That will spread the wear, and extend the life.

[JonnyBoy12]

You should buy the book "How to lay underlay" by Fred Bare.

[Brinjal]

Our original carpet lasted about 16 years however the replacement does not look as if it will last that long. Has been down three years and is looking a bit flat.

[douglas9401]

I remember my parents getting Tintawn (sp) stair carpet about 40 or so years ago. It was a bit like coarsely knitted raffia and removed skin from children bumping and sliding down the stairs. I seem to remember too that the advert featured a braying donkey. Not sure if it was a comment on those who bought it or reassurance that it would last for donkey's years.

[kiki22kiki]

I had a carpets that last 12 years. I just remove them recently.

[HowardKennitby]

If you all slide down the bannister it will save wear.

[Anngel123]

I was told that if you expect a lot of traffic on a carpet wool was not such a good choice. Not sure how true this is. The stair carpet at my Grannie's house lasted about 25 years!!.

[annie0000]

thanks guys for all the info - unfortunately stairs are pretty narrow so walking up and down either side is near impossible - apart from the fact i'm always telling the kids not to drag their hands down the walls!!

Howard - walls down both sides of the stairs so no bannister to slide down - maybe I could fit a fireman's pole down from a bedroom into the playroom......now there's a thought....