Stair covering?

[zio]

This is not garage related but you guys always come up with great ideas so I thought I would give it a shot. My friend's wife runs a legitimate day care out of her house and recently finished the basement so she could move it down there and have more room. The stairs to the basement are right off the back door. My friend is looking for something softer to cover the stairs with so if one of the kids falls there is a little padding. He is trying to avoid carpet because it will get trashed in the winter time do to people walking in the snow covered shoes. Any ideas of something that might work?

 

[Garage Flooring]

This is not garage related but you guys always come up with great ideas so I thought I would give it a shot. My friend's wife runs a legitimate day care out of her house and recently finished the basement so she could move it down there and have more room. The stairs to the basement are right off the back door. My friend is looking for something softer to cover the stairs with so if one of the kids falls there is a little padding. He is trying to avoid carpet because it will get trashed in the winter time do to people walking in the snow covered shoes. Any ideas of something that might work?

I am not sure how soft the rubber ones are: http://www.roppe.com/products/rubberstairtreads/index.html

 

[12ozd]

Change the stairs to a slide !!
The kids will love it!

(I got 'em in, you get 'em out)

 

[Zeke]

I think too soft a stair tread may be a liability in itself. There really can't be anything that would prevent injury from falling down a flight of stairs. I would add an extra hand rail below the standard height. And I'd set rules about carrying objects while on the stairs.

 

[zio]

Thanks for the ideas so far. I'll mention the slide to him. Lol. There are only about 5 stairs down. He is just looking for something softer than tile or wood. They realize injuries can happen no matter what but they are just trying to minimize them.

 

[James-W]

I would still go with the carpeting even though it will get trashed in the Winter months. With only 5 steps to cover with carpet the cost will be negligible. You can buy a remnant really cheap and cut it to size. When the carpet gets trashed with snow/mud/water or whatever, just rip it out and put down a new piece of carpet and you are back in business.

But I would first check with the "powers that be" to be sure having carpet on the stairs is OK when you have a day care.

 

[tab2]

I am not sure how soft the rubber ones are: http://www.roppe.com/products/rubberstairtreads/index.html

This stuff is good. Johnsonite makes it as well. Comes in almost every color too.