Great Solution: Wood Look Vinyl Tile on a Stair

by Becky at Flipping the Flip

7 Materials

$45

1 Day

Easy

Have a highly utilized stair in your home that needs new flooring? Tight on cash? Why not try peel and stick wood look vinyl tiles for a clean look that’s easy to maintain.

great solution wood look vinyl tile on a stair

Our back stair is a disaster. In fact, I'm so embarrassed by it, please don't focus on the before shot. Well other than maybe Finn.

Point being, it's a mess. Originally it was carpeted by the flipper which I ripped out immediately due to its impracticality. Since then, I painted the stairs and threw down a utilitarian runner.

My goal for this way-to-tight-and-narrow space that leads directly into our muddy backyard? Minimize the mess, or at least make it easier to clean. Here I pulled up the runner and was ready to go. Complete with shadow.

Next step was adhesive primer. Always a good idea to prime and it is recommended. I put down two coats.

Be sure to come by my blog, Flipping the Flip, to read all the extra tips and details about this project and so many other fun ones!

Here's a great cutting tip: if you've got a shorty filler you need trimmed, butt a piece up against your finish line, lay a full piece over it and align that with the opposite edge. The edge closest to your piece in need of trimming is your exact cutting line.

For more details and information about this technique as well as a few other handy tips on cutting this material, please be sure to click the link below.

Cutting this stuff was much easier than I anticipated which is super great. Score a couple times, bend it back and it snaps apart. Nice!

Because of the nature of stairs, I couldn't get a weighted roller on there so I used a clean rag and myself. Figured hey, close enough, right?

It didn't take too long and for less than $45, we now have an easy to clean, easy to maintain floor that looks good, didn't break the bank, and helps keep the mess to a minimum.

Because we have Finn, and vinyl isn't truly slip-proof, the runner went back in. All in all I'm quite pleased!

Be sure to click the link below for lots more info and tons more projects!

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Frequently asked questions

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3 of 23 questions

Melissa on Sep 06, 2020

Is it still holding up today? I showed this to my husband and he was wondering if it still look great today.

1
Frieda on Dec 13, 2020

I am a little confused as to how you got it to bend for front part. Did you video the process?

Thanks

1
Nrs52413345 on Aug 29, 2021

Did you do anything special to finish the stair nose or just match the edges well? My stair nose is rounded, so I need to trim this down so it’s flush/ square

1

Comments

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4 of 221 comments

Cookie on Dec 19, 2018

I live this idea! We are renting a two story home with attached mechanics shop. The landlord put in cream colored carpet! It’s disgusting. I’ve been shopping for a runner long enough to cover stairs, pretty enough for me and cheap enough for our non existant budget. This will do! Practical, pretty and inexpensive! And I think I can do it myself! Thanks so much!!

2 Reply
- Becky at Flipping the Flip on Dec 20, 2018
  
  Excellent, I'm thrilled this could work for you! Ack, cream colored carpet, so practical, right?! This is totally doable, very easy. I hope this is a great option! Thanks so much!
  
  1
Vernesia Lawson on Oct 24, 2020

Would this work over concrete stairs? We live in a condo and the stairs are concrete. I want to pull the carpet thats over it and I'm not sure if vinyl over the stairs is best or a prefinished stair.

Like Reply
- Becky at Flipping the Flip on Oct 24, 2020
  
  Try a test first. The adhesives on these vinyl planks aren't particularly strong. You can glue these down with something stronger but then know removing them should you need to would likely be a mess. Good luck, I hope it works out for you!
  
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