Article: Laminate flooring can be installed on stairs, or anywhere else that you would install hardwood flooring. The major issue with installing laminate flooring on stairs is durability - stairs tend to get more wear-and-tear than most other surfaces in your home. For this reason, it is advisable to ask the supplier or manufacturer for the most hard-wearing laminate they have. In addition, laminate flooring can be high-gloss and very slippery - which may be a concern if you have young children in the house. To minimize the risk of slipperiness, go for laminate flooring with a textured, matte finish. You should also specify that you want matching nose stripping when choosing your laminate, as many manufacturers do not have matching nose stripping for all of their flooring. In terms of quantity, you should order about 10% more flooring than you actually need in order to cover the square footage of stairs. This is necessary as you may need to cut a number of boards to fill in extra spaces. It will also allow you a comfortable margin for potential errors. Laminate flooring needs time to adjust to the temperature and humidity of the house before it is installed. This prevents the boards from warping, expanding or contracting later. To acclimate your flooring, remove the boards from their packaging and stack them in an open space, where air can circulate, for 48 hours. The next thing you will need to do is prepare your staircase for laying down the laminate. If you need to remove carpet from the stairs, you can pull it up using a pair of pliers. Carpet is normally attached using adhesive tack strip, staples or both. The tack strip can be removed using a pry bar, while the staples can either be hammered back in place, or removed using a scraper. Make sure to wear gloves while you are removing carpet, the staples can be very sharp and may cause injuries. Even if the stairs were not covered in carpeting, you can prepare them by removing any old paint or adhesive and repairing any loose or creaking steps by nailing them securely in place. You will also need to make sure each of the steps is level, so the laminate boards will sit properly. If they are uneven, you can use a belt sander to level them out, or simply use a scraper to get rid of any debris or high spots. Many stairs will have a pre-existing overhang: this is when the underside of the nosing on the upper steps is visible from the bottom of the staircase. You will need to address this before you can lay the laminate flooring. You can do this in one of two ways: You can either cut off the overhang using a reciprocating or jigsaw, then use a chisel to ensure the surface is flush with the riser. Alternatively, you can use a piece of plywood to pad the riser, filling out the space underneath the overhang. Just be sure to nail the plywood in place before installing the laminate. The next thing you will need to do is cut the laminate tread pieces, riser pieces and stair nosing to length. For the tread pieces, lay the the plank across the step, making sure that it fits snugly from left to right. You may need to trim the edges slightly so they are aligned with the step. Most thread pieces will not be wide enough to cover the entire step. If this is the case, you will need to cut a second plank to fill in the rest of the space: To do this, you can either cut two planks into even pieces, so that their combined width covers the thread, or you can use a full plank and cut a smaller strip to fill in the extra space. When cutting thread pieces, make sure to cut on the groove side of the plank, and glue them together tongue-to-groove. The tread piece should not extend all the way to the edge of the step, as you will need to leave room for the top nosing. Next you will need to cut the riser pieces to length. You need to make sure that they will sit snugly on top of the tread piece, and are level with the top of the riser. If the edges of the plank are not perfectly aligned with the edges of the riser, you can trim them to fit. To cut the nose stripping, you should measure the length of the exposed thread, as well as the length of the riser and cut laminate pieces to fit, trimming the edges to fit the angle of the stairs, if necessary. A good tip is to mark each piece with a number as soon as you cut it to size, this way you will know which piece corresponds with each stair.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Choose your laminate flooring. Allow the flooring to acclimate. Remove any carpet and tackstrip. Remove any overhang. Cut the laminate to shape.

Before you start looking for an independent contractor, take some time to figure out exactly what skills they'll need to complete the work you have for them. Hiring an independent contractor can be different from hiring a contractor for a construction job or other labor position. Your methods for evaluating their skills and experience will be different as well. For example, if you want someone to write content for your business's website, you could ask for a writing sample to evaluate. If you also want them to design your content pages, on the other hand, you might look for web design education or certifications. If someone you know and trust has recently hired an independent contractor for similar reasons, ask who they used. A referral can save you a lot of time and money checking someone's background. Find out what kind of work the independent contractor generally does, and how much your friend or colleague paid them. Ask specifically if your friend or colleague has any reservations in recommending the independent contractor, or if they had any issues. An issue that wasn't a problem for them may be a deal-breaker for you. Even if an independent contractor has been recommended to you, check reviews of the contractor and find out all you can about their reputation in the industry. Search online to find their website. If they have a portfolio of recent projects, it can give you an idea whether they would work well for you. If they have any licenses or certifications, check with the agency that issued the license or certification and make sure it's valid and in good standing. There are a number of websites, such as Upwork and Guru, where you can advertise work for independent contractors and freelancers. Typically independent contractors then bid on your project and you can select the one you want to use. Talking to several people not only helps you find the best qualified independent contractor to handle your project, it also allows you to get the work done at the right price. Have an amount in mind that you are willing to pay for the work, and allow contractors to submit bids on the project. Ask questions about their past experience and subject matter expertise. Find out whether they've completed projects similar to yours. Get the names of previous clients with projects similar to yours who you can contact about the contractor. Your independent contractor should have a good idea up front of exactly what work you want them to complete, what aspects of the work they'll be responsible for, and how long the job is expected to last. Particularly if they are working for other clients, get a good idea of how many hours a day (or week) they can devote to your project. If you need them to be available during specific hours, let them know. Be clear about your expectations for the project and your goals for completion. If they will be required to bring their own tools or resources to complete the project, let them know this up front.
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One-sentence summary --
Identify what you need from your independent contractor. Ask friends or colleagues for referrals. Do a thorough background check. Interview at least 3 independent contractors. Discuss the project in detail.