Stewart Floor LLC Additives are worth consideration as long as they don't make the finish on the stairs to abrasive. Several years ago a Canadian manufacturer of wood flooring was marketing a super durable finish which was full of additives, they had to rework the finish as they had so many complaints from consumers who were actually wearing out their socks by walking on the flooring. Summit Stairs & Millwork is correct when they say bare feet are much safer than socks.

Summit Stairs & Millwork Oh absolutely you do not want it to be rough to the touch. IF you were going to do the additive I would certainly recommend doing some test patches on scrap wood before actually putting it on your treads. I wouldnt care what the directions said the mixture is to be. I would decide on my own what "I" want in my house.

Smith & Vansant Architects PC Hello,
These are salvage hemlock boards, originally from a classic New England Inn's casino game room. I believe these were just finished with urethane which smells awful for many days after applying . I do not recommend this now, since there is a green solution for a comparable finish. The product is from Vermont Natural Coating called polywhey which holds up very well and gives a similar warm finish.
Hope that helps!

sslavin That helps tremendously! Thank you...I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. :)

The Shabby Nest Try Valspar's Tomato Red, Almond Butter (yellow) and Summer's End (green).