Are Wooden Stair Rods Right for Your Home?

Are Wooden Stair Rods Right for Your Home?

If you’re planning on having a set of stair rods added to your home, it’s doubtful you need any convincing of their benefits. But have you chosen the specific material you’d like just yet? A lot of people plump for traditional stair rods made from cast iron or bronze, but there is another option: wooden stair rods. These can bring a real sense of rustic, earthy charm to any home – but are they right for you?

What makes wooden stair rods different?

Here at Stair Rods Direct, we offer a few different options for those looking into wooden stair rods. It’s understandable that some people may worry that a wooden stair rod wouldn’t be as sturdy or long-lasting as its metallic counterpart, but this is far from the truth. The wooden stair rods we offer are made from solid hardwood with different finishes for aesthetics. They’re fastened using heavy brass tips and brackets, meaning that they’ll be just as effective as a metallic stair rod in securing the carpet to the stairway.

What finishes are available for wooden stair rods?

We offer two types of wooden stair rods: Tudor Runner Rods and Tudor Front-Fix Rods. Both of these are built from the same durable hardwood, but are also available with a couple of different finishes depending on your taste. If you’re going for a light motif, we’d recommend the Light Oak finish, whereas for a more traditional effect we’d suggest the Dark Oak finish. Either of them will bring a true sense of class and rustic nostalgia to your home. So if you want that true ‘country house’ feeling, wooden stair rods are a great choice.

Do wooden stair rods work with runners and fitted carpet?

One of the great things about our selection of wooden stair rods is the fact that we have options for either carpet runners or fitted carpets. If you’re using a carpet runner on your staircase, you’ll need the Tudor Runner Rods, but if you have fitted carpet on your stairs, the Tudor Front-Fix Rods are the answer. Either of these variants come with your choice of tips and brackets, available in a number of eye-catching finishes such as Antique Brass, Pewter, Satin Nickel and many more.

So what do you think? Is there room in your home for a set of beautiful wooden stair rods? If you still have questions, please do call our friendly team of wooden stair rod experts on 0845 8388638.

Stair Carpet Rods - Reasons they have a Place in your Home.

4 Reasons Stair Carpet Rods Have a Place in the Modern Home

If you want your home to have an elegant, timeless look with just a touch of the traditional, stair carpet rods are the perfect choice. These eye-catching accoutrements are far from outdated – so we’ve collected four of the very best reasons that stair carpet rods still have a place in the modern home. Let’s get started…

#4: Stair carpet rods neaten uneven carpet

If you already have carpet on your stairs, you may have noticed that there can be some ‘give’ or a loose fit around the corners where stairs meet. Stair carpet rods elegantly solve this problem. By installing a set of high quality, premium stair rods – like those we sell here at Stair Rods Direct – you can quickly and easily neaten up your stairs and bring a real touch of ‘je ne sais quoi’ to your house.

#3: An affordable way to improve interior design

Because stair carpet rods can be purchased in units as low as one, and because there are so many options available, they are a highly affordable interior design choice. There are generally two ends of the spectrum for stair carpet rods: hollow rods and solid rods. The former can be more affordable than the latter, though perhaps less hard wearing, but each can bring a sparkle to your home and improve the décor in one easy step.

#2: A huge range of styles and colours

If you thought stair carpet rods were boring – think again. Stair carpet rods are available in a wide range of builds (including both solid and hollow), as well as numerous metallic finishes and colours. You can also choose custom brackets for your stair carpet rods to complete the look, many of which have intricately designed tips for an extra hint of interest.

#1: They bring a touch of tradition (and look great)

Stair carpet rods are not overly common, which makes them something of a focal point in any home. If you’re looking for a way to pay homage to tradition whilst also maintaining that 21^st Century design aesthetic, stair carpet rods can be the answer. With the wide variety of styles – including Easyrods, Tudor, Blacksmith and Homepride – stair carpet rods can be the perfection addition to your home.

To find your perfect stair carpet rods now, why not explore our ever-growing range of stair carpet rods? Or simply give us a call on 0845 838 8638.

Great Idea to Buy Quality Stair Rods!

Great Idea to Buy Quality Stair Rods?

If you’re looking for a way to bring an extra touch of life and colour to your home, why not consider stair rods? These can bring elegance, style and charm – all without breaking the bank… provided you make the right choice.  

The reason for that is simple: stair rods are the very best way to do that. Here at Stair Rods Direct, we’ve worked hard to fill our shop with the best quality stair rods, but we’ve noticed that there are some folks who seem to selling cheap stair rods – both online and off. We do understand that saving money is a key concern in this day and age, but there are many reasons that cheap stair rods are really not a good idea. Here are just a few of them.

Cheap stair rods won’t last long

Generally speaking, the old adage of ‘you get what you pay for’ very much applies here. When you plump for cheap stair rods, rather than going for the mid- or high-end range, you will no doubt find a differing build quality.  For example, cheap stair rods are often completely hollow (rather than being solid metal), which can lead to a shorter lifespan and make them viable to damage. This translates directly to a much worse long-term investment for you.

Inferior stair rods can be dangerous

Don’t forget that stair rods are often made of metals such as chrome, iron, or brass. What means is that when you have these installed in your home, if they’re not of a certain quality (or they’re not solid), there’s a chance they will become loose or bent and can cause a hazard. It’s easy to imagine a situation whereby cheap hollow stair rods bend on impact, and could potentially trip someone on the stairs – which can result in serious injury. Do bear in mind, however, that there are some hollow stair rods which are made to be durable and safe – you just have to be sure you buy from a reputable source.

Cheap stair rods just won’t look as good

We strive to fill our stair rod shop with the best possible products, and a part of this is the way that they look. With the right finish on the metal, as well as the right design, stair rods can bring a touch of elegance and class to any stair case. Unfortunately, cheap stair rods can do the exact opposite. Dull metal that tarnishes easily, bends easily and becomes difficult to manage over time are all part and parcel of buying cheap stair rods. In a nutshell, our recommendation is to simply never scrimp on your stair rods. Buy hollow to save a little money, by all means, but always be sure of the quality first.

If you want to avoid investing in cheap stair rods that are likely to fall apart (or worse), you need our premium range at Stair Rods Direct. Browse our selection now in our online shop, or if you have questions, you can call our friendly team on 0845 838 8638 for some free expert advice. 

Carpet Rods an example of - Premier Stair Rods

Getting Married in North Tyneside??

Now this is a Staircase to walk down as a newly married couple. Now sporting their new Stair Rods supplied by www.stair-rodsdirect.co.uk

Premier Range of Carpet Rods

Easy Bind for edging carpet

If you have carpet that needs edging then Easy Bind is something you should consider. Easy to Fit and simple to use with 25 colours to chose from. Everything you need to buy for fitting Easy Bind from Stair Rods Direct.

Origins of Stair Rods

You may be wondering just what are stair rods, what is their purpose, and where did they come from? Well, here are some facts behind the history of stair rods and how they came to be used today.

Slightly more up to date stair rods

In the late 18th century stair rods emerged for practical purposes in the lower-middle to upper class Victorian homes which featured wooden stair cases covered by carpet runners. In the 1700s, before wall to wall carpeting and before non-slip padding were invented, stair rods were used as a means of installation to hold the carpet runner in place.


They were a smart invention for a practical purpose. Part of the ingenious behind the rods was that they could be used so that, periodically, the runner could either be pulled up or down so that the nose of the stair wouldn’t rub or fade the runner in one place.

In the wealthier homes, stair rods featured much more innovative and decorative designs. This included styles like metal scrollwork on the bar and different shapes such as triangular shaped rods. Stair rods were crafted in a few different materials which ranged from brass to wood. Middle-class home owners who couldn’t afford to place decoratively styled stair rods on every step often used decorative rods up to the landing to impress guests while a plain rod was used to secure the runner on the steps farther up the staircase.

Today, with much stricter safety measures than in the seventeen and eighteen hundreds, stair rods are used for decorative purposes rather than as a means of installation for a carpet runner. Stair rods were very common up through the 1940s but slowed with the advent of wall to wall carpeting in the 1950s.

The 1980s triggered a large resurgence in the demand for stair rods from customers who were no longer using wall-to-wall carpeting. Instead, the trend grew with customers wanting to recreate turn of the century, European style, hardwood and stone staircases featuring elegant runners, accented by brass stair rods and clips.

The trend continues today with more and more home owners and designers going with the timeless and decorative options of using runners and stair rods. The style has expanded to incorporate, not only, the classic styles but more modern and contemporary styles as well.

Its Raining Stair Rods...

A BBC report for the 50 words used to describe rain has highlighted some terms that may surprise you.

"Many colloquial words for rain are regional or have their roots in the Celtic nations, such as dreich in Scots English and soft weather in the euphemism-laden Hiberno-English spoken in Ireland.

There are plenty I'd like to hear weather forecasters using on the air:

• tippling down
• pelting down
• raining cats and dogs

And there are more with the sturdy feel of regional English. Luttering down, siling down and plothering down are among my favourites. You can't honestly put them in order of severity, of course, but all conjure that sense of looking out of the window on a rainy day somewhere in provincial Britain and seeing rain hammering relentlessly from a sky the colour of cigarette ash.
One of the commonest and most vividly descriptive phrases is raining stair-rods. I like it because I shouldn't think many people in the UK have seen a stair-rod for 50 years or more so it has the comfortable feeling of a phrase your mother or father might have used to describe the rain.

The analogy, of course, is the rain falling in long, straight streaks - both German and French have words using the imagery of ropes or cords to do the same thing. " BBC.

Not sure about their comment on 50 years, sales of stair rods go from strength to strength. To read more about the article on Stairrods.

A Guide To Stair & Hall Way Runners

Whatever your taste in design, dress your stairs with something decorative yet practical.


If you are thinking about choosing a runner for your stairs or hallway then check the condition of your floorboards and consider how the two will work together.  The next step  is to measure your stairs or hallway and decide how much space you would like to leave either side of the runner.

One of the great things about stair and hall runners is that they can can create the illusion of more space. It's just the same as painting the walls in a light colour or adding a mirror to a room.  If your stairway is dark or narrow then a patterned runner could help to make it look bigger.

As your hallway and stairs receive more traffic than the rest of your house it is important to choose a good quality runner that can cope with the daily wear and tear. For comfort and durability, it’s wise to choose a mix of wool and nylon.

You may think that stair runners are held in place by stair rods, but infact these are purely a decorative finishing touch. They add to the look of a stair runner and give it extra personality and style.

Our Brink & Campman stair runners are made from 80% pure new wool and 20 % polyamide - ideal to achieve the right balance of comfort and durability.





Thanks to www.channel4.com/4home for their inspiration for this blog.

Add some bling to your staircase!

A stair rod, or carpet rod as some people call them date back to the late 19th century, when they were used to attach a stair runner to a staircase. Unfortunately the runner would gradually slip down the staircase which was dangerous and would often wear unevenly.

These day’s your carpet fitter will use gripper to secure your carpet or stair runner as it is a far safer method. However stair rods are still very popular as they now get used for decorative reasons.

Stair rods can often create a traditional look to your stair case, but what many people don’t realize is that they can also create a modern and stylish look too.

 

Below (left) is the 'Tudor Stair Rod Tudor Stair Rods' and below (right) is the 'Homepride Stair Rod'. Both are available from our website.

There are a variety of super stylish and traditional stair runners and carpet runners available which would be the focal point of your stair case. The stair rods would then enhance your stair case further, just like adding a bag, hat, belt or shoes to complete an outfit you are wearing.

Our most popular stair rods at present are the 'Vision' Runner Rods. The Vision stair rods feature modern finial designs with a choice of Sphere, Piston, Arrow and Balladeer finials. They are designed to complement contemporary stair cases and carpet designs. The Vision stair rods are a great choice for those looking for something different to the norm.

We also sell  Crystal Stair Rods which are quite unique. Each Crystal rod features a finely cut Austrian crystal which catches the light and creates a dramatic and quite unique decorating effect. These elegant carpet rods emphasise the stair runner whilst offering a touch of elegance. Crystal rods are suitable for use with either carpet runner or fitted carpet making them a great choice for all homes.

Another unique type of stair rod we sell are actually clips as opposed to rods and are called  ‘Victorian Stair Clips’. In Victorian times stair clips were a popular and fashionable accessory, however modern fitting methods sadly consigned them to history.

 

Our Victorian stair clips are solid brass in a variety of finishes and traditional manufacturing methods are used to give them quality and authenticity. They will recreate the look of yesteryear and add a distinctive touch to your stairs. They can even create a modern feel particularly in a chrome finish.

You can find a large variety of stair runners and stair rods including the ones featured in this blog from our website:

www.stair-rodsdirect.co.uk