Sherry recently teased on Instagram Stories that we were up to our familiar stair-runner routine — meaning we were installing another runner. After installing one in our previous house seven years ago, it’s become one of our favorite DIY projects. A runner is something almost anyone can add, and the right choice instantly changes the look of a staircase while also providing a safer, grippier surface underfoot for both pets and people.
Why We Wanted A Stair Runner
We don’t automatically put runners on every staircase. At our beach house we left the original wood exposed because it was charming, and later used removable stick-on treads to help our chihuahua, Burger, navigate the stairs. In this new house, the main motivation was practical: Burger is 14 and, while still spry, the wood steps were slick enough that he hesitated to go up and down on his own. We hoped a runner would give him traction and confidence — and it turned out to improve grip for us too.
Beyond the functional benefit, a runner also helps visually bridge different wood tones between floors and stair treads. It can streamline a home’s palette while protecting high-traffic areas.
Why We Painted The Stair Treads
In addition to installing the runner, we painted the exposed wood treads. This was partly aesthetic: the stairs and the downstairs floors were different wood species and tones, so paint helped create a cohesive transition. There were also finish problems on the treads: a visible line of discoloration along several steps, likely caused by painter’s tape being applied before the floor sealer fully cured.
We considered sanding and resealing the entire staircase, but that would have been dusty, time-consuming, and still wouldn’t match the downstairs flooring. Since only a few inches of each tread would remain visible beside the runner, painting made more practical sense. We waited a couple of months to be sure of the decision, then went ahead — and are glad we did.
Prep & Paint
The risers were already painted white, so our focus was the wood treads. Although most of the painted surface would sit under the runner, we still wanted a durable finish. We used a porch-and-floor enamel recommended by a pro at the paint store and chose a neutral shade between gray and beige: Sherwin-Williams’ Requisite Gray. The paint covered well and required two coats for a solid, long-lasting finish.
Most of the work was careful cutting in along edges; no separate primer was necessary for this paint. The result is a neat, durable tread that pairs nicely with the runner and the surrounding woodwork.
Choosing The Runner
We loved the runner from our old house, but after seeing a sisal-look runner in person at friends’ home, we chose a similar indoor/outdoor material that looks like sisal. It has a classic, slightly beachy feel, doesn’t shed, and wears well around pets and children. The neutral Belize Dune tone with a narrow cotton border in Granola felt like the perfect balance: durable, low-maintenance, and visually compatible with both the light downstairs pine and the deeper heart pine upstairs.
To size the runner we aimed for a 3″ reveal on each side, so we ordered a 25″ wide runner. For length we measured one complete step (tread plus riser) with a string, multiplied by the number of steps, and added a few extra feet to ensure enough material at top and bottom. For under-tread cushioning, we ordered premium rug pads separately and cut them into small pieces to place only on the tread surfaces where the runner would sit.
Installing The Runner
The installation followed the same approach we used previously, with a few tweaks to hide staples and adapt to the stairs’ profile. Our treads have a wide lip under the bullnose, so we stapled just under that lip rather than into the bullnose itself. We used an electric stapler and colored the staple heads ahead of time to reduce shine — gold ink blended well with the sisal tones and helped disguise the metal.
We experimented on the first step to find the best staple placement for a tight hold and minimal visibility. Typically we placed five staples per tread — two near each edge, one in the middle — plus another row under the lip against the riser and a final row above the quarter round. When a staple didn’t land exactly where we wanted, needle-nose pliers made removal easy so we could re-staple in a better spot.
We used our free hand to press behind the stapler while pulling the trigger — that steadying motion helped the staples drive in straight and hold tightly. Periodically checking with a tape measure ensured the runner stayed centered as we worked. At the bottom we trimmed about 18″ of excess, folded under a clean hem, and stapled it in place to finish the installation.
The final stairs feel and look better: they’re cozier from the front door, they visually connect the different wood floors, and most importantly Burger is back to moving up and down with confidence — at his usual, inexplicably rapid pace. They’ve made the house feel more inviting and the runner’s natural tone complements the existing paneling and brass hardware.
Below is a before photo we shared in April, and above is the updated, brighter, more comfortable stairway we enjoy now. The runner ties together the lighter downstairs pine with the deeper heart pine upstairs and gives the entry a warmer, more finished welcome.
That’s our recent stair update. We have a few more interior and exterior projects to photograph and share soon. If you missed our earlier house posts, you can find them through our site to catch up quickly — we’ve made a lot of progress in five months of living here.
*This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.