I want to replace the carpet on my stairs with something else but not sure if there is anything else that will work. can vinyl flooring be used on stairs? or is there anything else I could use  that isn't carpet? I hate trying to hoover the dog hairs off the stairs so something that hair will not stick to would be ideal/
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My grandmother always had some sort of non slip lino type flooring on the stairs. I am sure there are suitable products around. I would try googling but will be interesting to see what people suggest. I suppose you could also sand down the treads and varnish

We have just taken the stair carpet off too and have decided to paint them. We're half way through the job but we're going to do something like this...
http://paintedtherapy.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/painting-your-stairs.html
should be easy to hoover and wipe over :-)

What about the noise from non carpeted stairs ?. I dont have neighbours stairs side of house but would think it noisey for those living in mine . Love the idea of just painting them as  have very hairy dogs & that picture looks great.

I've tried painting but found that even though I used the right paint for the job, it wore really badly and always looked tatty even with mainly only one person wearing slippers. :(
I think I might try non-slip vinyl if I wanted to do it again although both will make hearing anyone on the stairs very noisy.  I reluctantly went back to carpet.

> What about the noise from non carpeted stairs

We've had wooden stairs for the last 4 years due to building work - it isn't practical to carpet yet. I am desperate to get carpet on them (should be soon !!) The noise is terrible and my older dog has to be supervised up and down (we only let him up in the morning for a cuddle in bed) as he slips on them :( :( I'd never choose to have anything other than carpet :(

Before we had carpet the stairs were uncovered for quite a while and I didn't have a problem with the noise. We have 4 teenagers and me and OH, so quite a lot of traffic. The carpet was recommended as hard wearing and was quite expensive but only really looked "nice" for about 2 years :/
I only let 2 of my Dals upstairs and my little old rescue on a regular basis and they have no problem with the paint, the centre colour will be non slip paint.
Paula

I appreciate that hoovering stairs isnt easy, but having to sweep hair off non carpeted stairs will be just as awkward. As others havementioned the noise is a factor with no carpet too. If you are adamant you are going to get rid of the carpet I would speak to a flooring specialist and see what they recommend. However, if I were in your position I'd be investing in a decent hand held hoover that makes hoovering the stairs easier. This would probably be cheaper (and simpler) than removing the carpet too.

> I appreciate that hoovering stairs isnt easy, but having to sweep hair off non carpeted stairs will be just as awkward

I still vacuum the stairs - just use the brush adaptor on the hose. It really isn't very difficult hoovering stairs with/without carpet - that's the least of the problem with no carpet on the stairs :) :)

> I appreciate that hoovering stairs isnt easy, but having to sweep hair off non carpeted stairs will be just as awkward

I can't see why. hair sticks to carpet. it should brush off a hard surface much more easily.  can you recommend a carpet hoover? I have both an upright and cylinder and both require a lot of work to remove the hair.

I have been looking at something like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Solid-Oak-Stair-Cladding-Convert-your-staircase-12-step-/280715821212?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item415bf7809c&_uhb=1 (how do you do those links whick convert the link into just a word?)

But I do worry about noise and dogs slipping.

What is under the carpet?  Hardwood?  We have hardwood, very durable red oak.  Much easier to clean than carpet, which we have down to the basement.  You can literally blow all the hair down to the bottom then pick it up in your hand.  It is slippier for older dogs and puppies.  Ours is not noisy because we don't wear hard soled shoes in the house.  If you have hardwood you could re-finish it.  New surface polyurethane treatments are much sturdier than the old ones.

(how do you do those links whick convert the link into just a word?)

Yay, I know this.  And I learned it here, my turn to give back.  :)

[url=copy/paste the URL here]the word you want[/url]

Champdogs

Like this?

Oh wow it works. Thanks

:)  Yes, like that.  Ours is solid red oak and was here when we bought the house 32 years ago.  All our upstairs floors, except kitchen and bathroom, are red oak too.  The original owners bought the house new, before it was finished, and did put broadloom down.  But, they all had bad allergies to dusts and mites and things and her Doctor insisted she and the three kids would not be able to handle the build up of fibres and dust that would happen with carpet and strongly insisted they tear it up and use hardwood instead.  Dust bunnies blow around but they don't "go to ground" so to speak.  :)

Our staircase is solid oak - looks lovely, but still requires maintenance depending on what finish the oak has. Constant up and down will dull the wood in the centre of the treads and need attention probably at least every year, depending on how smart you want it to look :) :) My younger dog doesn't slip on the stairs as she has always been a cautious dog and goes up/down one paw at a time. My older dog has always leapt up (and down and round and round !) the stairs and now he is elderly, he is finding it difficult to master the cautious approach :) :) :)

It may brush off a harder surface easier but is still awkward. Only this week I fell halfway down the stairs whilst hoovering them. Tripped over the hose that I attach the brush attachment too. Cant afford a hand held hoover so make do with that.
I no longer let the dogs upstairs which eliminates the fur problem on the stairs and 50 % of the house :-)

> I no longer let the dogs upstairs which eliminates the fur problem on the stairs and 50 % of the house

Mine only go up once in the morning now - next dog will be banned from upstairs which younger dog was, but we lived in the bedroom for 2 years so had no choice :(

I've never had a problem hoovering the stairs - I always start at the top and work down and have the vacuum on the step in front of me (facing upthe stairs) so nothing to trip over :) :)

I have a dyson which I leave at the bottom then pull out the hose to start at the top and work down. Its too heavy and big to lug up or down every stair.

> I have a dyson

I have a Dyson Animal :) :)

I find the dyson original is brilliant for the small amount of fur I have. The dtson animal is no smaller than mine so still not practical for carrying upstairs whilst you hoover them imo

> Lucky you

Thank you :) :)

Yes I hoover my stairs like lucydogs> Sometimes I go over it with a stiff  brush which is just as effective> We are quite a hairy household one long haird gsd 1 flat coat a long haird pomxchi and two cats but find thats fine

I have an extention hose so the machine stays on the bottom and me and the hose/brush/nozzle work our way up to the top :-D

I have painted stairs, the riser is white and on the treads and risers are blocks of alternating colours ( beige, black and red ) done this way, the paint doesn't wear off as the bit that gets most traffic is plain sanded and varnished wood, we've had it for about ten years, it takes minuets to clean and isn't noisy. To help the dogs we later added stick on anti slip tape from Ikea at the edge of the tread

I've put lino on the stairs and stair carpet tiles. It looks great and is easy to clean.