Difference Between A Stair Runner and A Hallway Runner

There are two types of runner rugs that you will want to choose very carefully when heading out to get the rugs for your house. The stair runner and the hallway runner are both located in the entry section of the house so both of them are going to be part of the welcome into the house. For this reason you are going to want to create as positive an impression as you possibly can with them.

A hallway runner rug is designed to lead the visitor into the house to the rooms where the general living and entertaining is going to take place. On the other hand a stair runner is going to lead upstairs or downstairs and will be largely used to protect the treads of the stairs. However, they are going to be there as a decorative feature too and must provide both the functionality and the decorative qualities.

There are many different designs and colors that can be used when buying runner rugs and so you will have every opportunity to match the runner rug to the surrounding decor. In the part of the home where your runners are located you should be matching the runner rugs with the walls or, in the case of the stairs, with the stair banister.

There is a difference between a stair runner and a hallway runner. The difference has a lot to do with the way the rugs have been woven and how the edges have been finished. A hallway runner rug will have a bound edge on all four sides because the intention was always to place it out in the open space where foot traffic could walk on it from any angle. The stair runner rug will have come from a single roll and will have been cut to size from this roll. This means that either end is not going to be finished in the same way as a hallway runner.

When a stair runner rug is laid the ends are secured with a strip at either end. At the top of the stairs the end of the rug is secured to the strip that is fitted snugly against the riser. The rug is then fitted into the corner of each riser and tread all the way down until it reaches the bottom. At the bottom of the stairs the rug is again secured, this time to the bottom of the last riser so that it is up against the floor.

As you can see, it is not necessary to bind either end of a stair runner because they are not going to be walked on, ensuring that the ends will not become frayed or damaged.

If you were planning on using a stair runner as a standard hallway runner it would have to first be properly finished along all of the edges. Failing to do this could see the runner become damaged and ruined in short order.

To make the installation of your stair runner and your hallway runner as successful as possible, and so that they do not become traffic hazards, a rug pad should be laid underneath to prevent the rug from slipping and to provide a more durable and cushioned surface.