Paint or carpet stairs to sell?

[eleventy3isthemagicnumber]

I need to do something with the old, tired staircase.

Thinking of painting them white with a darker top - it's a look I really like and also cheaper than carpet. But I'm doing it with a view to sell sometime in the next year so that matters more than my taste.

Do people like painted stairs, generally? Any tips or advice would be much appreciated!

If you paint your stairs white now, in a year when you come to sell they'll look a bit grubby won't they? I wouldn't really mind either way if I was a buyer, but if I had to choose I would rather carpet some painted stairs than replace a year old carpet I didn't like.

carpet is safest imo.

This is the kind of thing I mean.

Oh how weird! I've done a post with pics and I can't see it at on my mobile, unless I set it to desktop view, then it appears!

@Karcheer

carpet is safest imo.

Why do you think it's safest? Do some people really not like painted stairs?

I’ve got carpeted stairs up to my first floor and painted stairs up to my loft conversion.
Painted stairs still look really nice. I purposely used floor paint and took my time making sure it was well done. It hasn’t flaked and if it does get a little grubby (which it hasn’t) I can just repaint. Fraction of the price too.

Also I have slipped down my carpeted stairs and never the painted ones so I’m not sure they are more dangerous.

Would folk really let an uncarpeted staircase put them off?
I'd paint unless it's a semi/terrace and the stairs run along the party wall

@eleventy3isthemagicnumber because most people have carpet on their stairs, so i think this is the safest option. People prefer what is the Norm (generally).

We were going to paint our stair (before we decided to move), but carpeted them. Mainly because ours would've needed a lot of filling and sanding to look nice, whereas carpet was quick and easy.
TBH if you want paint go with it, I have a wooden floor on my landing and im sure its not everyones cup of tea, but the house is under offer and if they want to change is they can do what they like when im gone...

The painted stairs look fantastic, I wish I'd done that instead of carpet!

I'm the other way on this. Stairs move and paint cracks. Carpet is quick and cheap, paint is expensive and require lots of prep if you want a good finish.

Paint, save yourself the cash. I laid a gorgeous sisal runner on my stairs before I sold, had to collect a parcel from the new owners and was gutted to see they'd ripped it up and put a peach carpet down!

Eleven, wow, I would buy a house with painted stairs. It's beautiful!

I think paint looks nice, initially anyway, but will be noisy people going up and down and that would annoy me!

The painting will take a days and days. Prepping and then painting all the coats, and it will never look that good. I also think just for sound proofing, carpet is best. Who wants to hear people thundering up and down the stairs? A carpet would actually be the cheapest option in terms of time.

Carpet. Heavy stripe patterns like that on stairs are not good for some people. My husband has a balance disorder which is more common than you might think and he would not have been able to even go up those stairs on a viewing.

Thanks for the replies :) Looks like the jury's still out!

@Sameold2020

The painting will take a days and days. Prepping and then painting all the coats, and it will never look that good. I also think just for sound proofing, carpet is best. Who wants to hear people thundering up and down the stairs? A carpet would actually be the cheapest option in terms of time.

We're on a very tight budget money-wise but do have some time, so painting definitely the cheapest option for us. I think it's the cheapest option to get a good look downstairs. Also I think it'd look nice and fresh with modern tiles or vinyl. Trying not to put my own style on it too much, but also trying to use cheap ways to get it looking great!

It's young families who buy into this area, it's a 3 bed semi near decent schools.

@Comefromaway

Carpet. Heavy stripe patterns like that on stairs are not good for some people. My husband has a balance disorder which is more common than you might think and he would not have been able to even go up those stairs on a viewing.

Oh, I didn't' know that. So, it's the high contrast not the painting, as such?

@Veterinari

Would folk really let an uncarpeted staircase put them off? I'd paint unless it's a semi/terrace and the stairs run along the party wall

It is a semi, but the stairs don't run along the party wall. I'm curious though why?

Oh, just got it as I wrote this! Do you mean because of noise?

yes, its the patter, stripe or zig zag effect especially. The stairs at Crewe Station are horrendous.

Painting doesn't take days. It is quick and cheap.
Buy proper floor paint. I painted every other stair so I could still use the stairs, then did the ones I'd left.
I haven't slipped on the stairs although I did slip on the carpeted stairs at previous house.

I painted every other stair so I could still use the stairs, then did the ones I'd left

This is a great tip! I saw it on a video of someone painting their stairs too - cunning! Such a simple, effective thing that I almost certainly wouldn't have though of.

@MikeUniformMike

Painting doesn't take days. It is quick and cheap. Buy proper floor paint. I painted every other stair so I could still use the stairs, then did the ones I'd left. I haven't slipped on the stairs although I did slip on the carpeted stairs at previous house.

Buy floor paint. Got it, thanks.

I think we're going to go for it. Seems there's a mixed response, which is better than everyone saying don't do it! I think I can get a better overall look for my tiny budget with paint.

If it's to sell and you're on a budget I would paint. It can look really nice and the buyers will probably change it whatever you do. I've seen a lot of people recently paint white with a coloured strip down the middle like a stair runner. Could be another idea?