How to fit Stair Carpet Clips

Stair carpet clips are an alternative to stair rods and make an attractive decorative feature on a staircase which is fitted with a stair runner.  Fitted on either side of a stair runner carpet, on each step, they add character and have a certain eye-catching appeal. The detailed embellishment for the Victorian Stair Clips make them particularly suited to narrower stairs, such as those typically found in a standard, residential house.

Popular questions and answers

5 reasons to choose stair carpet clips rather than stair rods

1. Available in just one universal size, ordering is simple. In comparison, calculating the correct length of stair rods to order can be tricky, especially if your stair runner has yet to be fitted.
2. Given the universal size of stair clips, this means you can move house in the knowledge they will fit your next stair runner too.
3. Stair carpet clips are particularly appealing as a decorative feature on narrow staircases, where space either side of the runner is at a premium and there is potentially insufficient room for fixing stair rods’ brackets and finials.
4. Fitting carpet clips is a relatively easy do-it-yourself job which involves screwing them into the staircase. Please see further information below.
5. The Victorian Stair Clips are attached to a hinged back plate, which means the decorative front section of the clip rotates 360 degrees to allow cleaning of the stair runner in situ. In contrast, stair rods typically need to be removed when cleaning a stair runner.

Reassuringly heavy and available in 10 different metal finishes

They may be Victorian in name but the choice of finishes is far from traditional. Whilst there are the standard polished brass and antique brass options, there are also more contemporary colours including pewter, black, satin and polished nickel and chrome. Manufactured in solid core metal, these stair carpet clips are reassuringly weighty and robust in structure. Meanwhile, the design is a stylised fleur-de-lys with attractive surface detailing and they are supplied in pairs.

Fitting advice

1. They fit where the step tread meets the riser – one clip on either side of a stair runner.
2. You can fit the Victorian stair clips retrospectively but it is easier to fit them before fitting the stair runner.
3. On each step mark up the width of the finished stair runner where the tread meets the riser. You can use these marks to work out where the fixing plate needs to be located so the carpet butts up against the hinge, leaving room for the front clip to swivel in front of the carpet.
4. Measure the combined thickness of your carpet and underlay and mark on the rise with a pencil, which will provide an indication as to how high up the rise your clips need to be located. You can then position the back plate accordingly and draw around it, making sure it is parallel with the step.
5. Rotate the front clip to reveal the back plate and mark the 2 holes where the screws go.
6. If all your steps are similar and your runner width the same, you can then create a template and repeat on each step.
7. Each Victorian Stair Clip comes with number 6 screws and to avoid these getting damaged, always drill a pilot hole first before screwing in. For softwood the manufacturer suggests a 2.5mm pilot hole and on hard wood 3mm.
8. And do remember to set your power drill torque at a low setting to ensure the screws are correctly fixed and avoid breaking them. It’s always best to take your time to achieve that satisfyingly, neat job.