How to Remove Carpet from Stairs (Staples, Tack Strips, and What's Underneath)

The Short Answer

Cut the carpet into sections, pull it free, remove the pad, pry up the tack strips, and then pull every staple and nail. The carpet comes up fast. The staples are what take the time, and they are what you have to get right before any new flooring goes on.

A standard straight staircase is typically a half-day project for one person. Plan a bit longer if the carpet is glued down or you find a lot of staples.

Tools You Will Need

• Utility knife with fresh blades
• Pliers, locking pliers, or a staple remover
• Flat pry bar and hammer
• Flat-head screwdriver or a stiff putty knife
• Heavy work gloves, knee pads, and safety glasses
• A dust mask
• Heavy trash bags and tape
• Shop vacuum

Gloves are not optional. Tack strips are lined with sharp pins, and the staples are everywhere.

Step 1: Cut the Carpet into Sections

Start at a corner of the top or bottom step, whichever edge you can grip. Cut the carpet along the center of each step, and then across, so you work with pieces you can roll and carry rather than one heavy sheet. Pull each section free from the tread and riser.

Cutting slowly matters if the stairs underneath are finished wood and you want to keep them. Keep the blade angled up and away from the surface.

Step 2: Remove the Pad

The pad is usually stapled down. Pull it up in strips and roll it. Do not leave pad behind: any scrap left on the stairs will keep flooring from sitting flat.

Step 3: Pry Up the Tack Strips

Tack strips run along the edges where the carpet met the wall and the riser. Slide a flat pry bar under each one, tap it sideways, and lift. Work slowly so you do not split the wood underneath. The nails that held them often stay behind, and you will pull those separately.

Step 4: Pull Every Staple and Nail

This is the longest step. Installers use a lot of staples, and a single one left in a tread will show through new flooring or stop a plank from bonding.

• Use pliers or a flat-head screwdriver to pry up one side of each staple, then grip and pull
• Side cutters can cut stubborn staples at the crown so the legs can be tapped flush or pulled
• Run your hand lightly over each tread to find any you missed, wearing gloves
• Vacuum as you go so the debris does not hide the next staple

Step 5: Deal With Glue-Down Carpet

If the carpet is glued directly to the treads, you will see adhesive on the wood after it comes up. Scrape what you can with a stiff putty knife or floor scraper. Old adhesive is the one place to slow down: in homes built before about 1980, some flooring adhesives and underlayments contained asbestos. If you find black adhesive or old tiles, have a sample tested before you scrape, sand, or grind anything.

Homes built before 1978 may also have lead paint under the carpet. If you will be sanding, test first.

What You May Find Underneath

The treads under the carpet fall into a few groups, and each leads to a different next step.

Carpet-grade stairs are common. They are built with the expectation that carpet will hide the surface, so the wood is often rough or mismatched. Refinishing them is not always practical, and covering them is the usual route.

Repair Before You Cover

Before new flooring goes down, fasten any loose treads with screws into the stringers, fill gaps and holes, and sand or fill high and low spots. A surface that is flat, solid, and clean is the single biggest factor in whether a new stair installation lasts.

What to Put Down Instead

Once the carpet is gone you have a few options, which are compared in our guide to what to put on stairs instead of carpet. If you choose vinyl plank, the next steps are in how to install LVP on stairs. The installation guide covers custom LVP stair treads.

Whichever you choose, you will need a stair nose for each step. If your floor came from Home Depot, Lowe's, or Floor & Decor and you have five or more stairs, Find My Stair Match can review the match for you. You never need to send in flooring or samples.

Disposal

Roll carpet and pad into manageable bundles and tie or tape them. Many municipalities have rules for bulky waste, and some rental or recycling services take carpet. Check with your local waste service before you tear it out.