Why does nobody talk about how bad those rubber-backed stair treads are for trimming?

Last Tuesday I had a job in Lowell where the homeowner insisted on using those thick rubber-backed stair treads instead of standard carpet. I tried to talk him out of it, but he was dead set. Trimming those things was a nightmare - my utility knife kept grabbing and ripping instead of cutting clean. It took me almost 4 hours to get 13 steps looking halfway decent, which is double my usual time. Has anyone else dealt with these things and found a trick that actually works?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_sean1mo ago

Man, I feel your pain. I had a similar job up in Nashua last fall with those exact treads on a split level staircase. The trick that saved my sanity was using a brand new, super sharp hook blade in my utility knife instead of a standard straight blade. I also flipped the tread upside down and cut from the back side while pulling the rubber tight with my other hand. The hook blade catches the rubber edge way better and doesn't grab and tear like a straight blade does. Still took me closer to 3 hours for 12 steps, but it was way cleaner than my first attempt. Oh, and I switched to a fresh blade every 2 or 3 steps because they dull fast on that rubber backing.

uma_baker991mo ago

Nah @the_sean, hook blades rip the backing too fast for me, I just go slow with a straight blade lol.