Homemade Doggie Steps: Adding Carpet

Okay, you've built some homemade doggie steps. Now you want to add carpet! Luckily it's quite easy and only takes about an hour.

Best of all, it doesn't have to cost you much. If you can find some pieces of used carpet that still look decent, the only thing you'll have to pay for are staples or carpet tacks.

If the carpet needs it, scrub it with detergent and water using a stiff brush and let dry. Or use your favorite method of cleaning carpet. You'll end up with some homemade doggie steps to be proud of!

Click here if you haven't seen our instructions for homemade doggie steps

The carpeting we found happened to have a fringe along the edges so we used that for one side.

Comet sure looks like a reluctant model for his stairs with the "fringe on top," doesn't he?

TOOLS AND MATERIALS NEEDED

• Carpet, about 26 by 38 inches (660x965mm), for the two sides
• Carpet, about 16 by 57 inches (405x1450mm), for the runner
• Optional: Carpet, 15 by 18 inches (380x460mm), for the back
• A dark colored marker or pen
• A carpet knife, strong scissors or razor blade
• #10 carpet tacks or 5/16 inch staples
• A cigarette lighter, stove lighter or matches
• A wet cloth

CUTTING THE SIDE PIECES

• Measure and mark the stair pattern on the carpet's underside
• This pattern should be a mirror image of the wooden side; the top (good) side of the carpet ought to match stair contours
• Turn the carpet over and make sure the area to be cut out does not have worn or discolored areas
• Cut along the lines of the lowest step with a carpet knife, scissors or razor blade

• Check this cut against the side of your steps
• If it matches, do the second step, and check again
• If not, make adjustments before proceeding
• Continue till all three steps are done
• Do the same with the other side of the steps
• When the two pieces you have cut out are put back to back, they should match fairly closely

CUTTING THE TOP RUNNER AND BACK

• If you don't have one long section, the piece for each step needs to be at least 18 by 20 inches (460x510mm)
• Mark the back piece if you have enough carpet
• Check to make sure your pieces will encompass good areas of carpet
• Cut out with any of the above mentioned tools

ATTACHING THE PIECES TO THE HOMEMADE DOGGIE STEPS

• Do the sides first
• Tack or staple at about 6 inch (150mm) intervals along the edges, closer if needed
• Tack on the back piece, if you have one
• Align the runner with the base of the bottom step
• Run it up the steps, leaving an equal amount of carpeting to overlap the sides
• Start tacking from the bottom step
• Tack or staple across the base and top of each step
• Use scissors to cut the extra carpet at the base and top of each step corner (per photo)
• If you can't use scissors, turn the steps upside down so you can slice the carpet with a blade from underneath
• Fold the side flaps in first and tack them
• Then fold the top flaps over the side flaps
• Cutting off a small angle of the top flap will make it look better when you tack it down

Well, how do your homemade doggie steps look now that you've added carpet? If you're as impressed with the results of yours as we are with ours, why not brag a little? Just add what you've made to our Share Your Dog Story page.