Installing Hardwood Stair Treads

Wooden stair treads help to preserve an existing antique staircase. You can replace the carpet covering with strong and anti-skid hardwood stair treads. The hardwood stair treads add charm and elegance to your home.

Installing hardwood stair treads is one of the many do-it-yourself home improvement projects. Before you plan to install hardwood stair treads make an overall examination to see the condition of your staircase. If you are replacing the carpet of the stairs with hardwood treads, get a carpenter to see if the existing stairs are sound and no screws have become loose.

Replacing carpet with hardwood stair treads

Hardwood flooring is fast becoming popular. You may use any type of hardwood for the stair treads. It not only adds to the aesthetic beauty of the house, cleaning hardwood flooring is an easy task. You can add various kinds of floor rugs to enhance the homely atmosphere. Here are a few tips to replace your carpet with hardwood stair treads.

You may begin by removing the carpet strips and glue from the staircase. Do not worry if the wood is scratched or grooved in the process of stripping the carpet.

The next step is to saw off the existing nosing of the stair treads. Clean the steps and the railings of the stair treads. Remove the spindles (long screws) from the stair treads. Keep them in a safe place.

Once this basic step is done, using construction glue you can stick the hardwood flooring planks on the stairs. It is difficult to work with solid wood in the back-riser and stringer. As the stringer (the plank that connects the two steps) does not wear off easily; it is advisable to use plywood of same color as the hardwood stair treads.

Trim the edges of the staircase treads and fix the moldings to cover the seams and also replace all the screws that were removed.

The finishing touch begins once the entire staircase is covered with hardwood stair treads. The dents in the wood should be filled with matching wood putty or a wood wax. The putty has to dry before you use sandpaper to smoothen the wood.

The last stage is the application of wood varnish or paint. For the hardwood stair treads to last, use a good quality wood primer before applying the varnish. Allow the primer to dry before applying the varnish.

While applying the varnish follow the instructions given by the manufacturer. Also remember to apply several coats to the stair treads, instead of a couple of thicker applications. Allow the paint to dry between the coats.

How to choose hardwood stair treads

Before you decide to renovate your staircase or build a new staircase using hardwood stair treads, get a quotation from various professional carpenters or flooring companies. The type and design of the hardwood stair treads will largely depend on your budget. Make a well-defined plan to meet your budget.

Buy the hardwood stair treads from a reputed dealer. Also keep in mind, not to choose a stair tread that is six foot in length for a step that is only four foot long. This will help in avoiding unwanted wastage. Another point to remember is, do not use two wooden pieces for a single tread. This can cause creaking later on.

When you place an order for the hardwood stair treads, ensure to order a couple of extra pieces of the treads. This can be used in case, there are any flaws in any of the stair tread pieces.

If you are skilled at installing hardwood stair treads, you can take up this project yourself. However, remember, this project requires good manual skills, precision and patience. Begin this project only if you are confident of a good and satisfactory end-result. You can always approach a professional flooring company or a carpenter to undertake this project.