I have seen this but it is going to be a custom by job thing through a fabricator of acrylic or Plexiglas. Or tempered glass.

I've also seen metal mesh used.

In my locale the open riser would be grandfathered if you were not actually touching the stairs in the renovation. Your locale may require the modification.

I had open risers in one apartment and would have preferred something because a couple of treads (they were large winders) I would bang the front of my shin on, on the way up.

Yes, try for a custom design.

At first the idea of clear risers sounded genial but then I started wondering If light reflections would make it look weird. I love no riser steps for their look but one of my neighbor's kids tripped and fell. I'm rather clumsy, so I'd probably trip and fall too

How do you know it isn't up to code? When was the staircase installed vs code written? Most staircase code is written to enforce the spacing of treads and railings.

Anything plastic would never last as that is where your shoe hits and you need glass but again I am doubting you need anything.

Leave the steps alone completely. It's grandfathered as is, and is great looking. It does need a hand rail though.

Thanks, all for the thoughtful and intelligent replies. In getting bids from contractors, almost all told me they wouldn't pass inspection, but one did say they may leave it alone since I'm only doing the upstairs.

It was installed in 2002, a few years before I bought the house as part of a gut renovation of the first floor. The previous owner left me the permits, so I'll definitely look up the codes then vs. now. I've been here 10 years with no issues and have no kids (although I get they won't consider this as a factor).

And yes, it does need a hand rail (as my mother has repeatedly and lovingly told me). I plan on adding one.

If I'm forced into a change, one contractor suggested I make the modifications to pass code and take them down after everything is done. :)

Oh, and I saw this, which is similar to what I was thinking of. The designer/architect here is local, so I'm guessing he/she has run into the same code problems.

Net Zero House · More Info

First few toe kicks into acrylic risers and they're not going to look too hot, believe me.

Actually this is usually solved in my location from the bottom front of the upper tread, not the top back of the lower tread, so your foot would not be hitting these. It is still open but I guess narrows the opening enough to be safer...

This is brand-new, permitted, $1.3M residential construction in my neighborhood. I just looked at it out of curiousity today and took these pictures and then I drew on them with red in case they are dark.

Finish is kinda banged up already.

I think mesh may be the way to go. It's essentially transparent... or translucent

Vicente Residence · More Info

I used to work for a plastic company in the best thing you can do is have the acrylic sheet cut to size for each one and 1/4 AR plexiglass, or you could use the polycarbonate AR.Ar is abrasion resistant. Whoever is doing your stairs, talk to them about it. If you're looking for a do-it-yourself just call any plastic company. I wouldn't go to Lowe's or home Depot go to somewhere like Laird plastics or one of the well-known plastic companies. Most will cut them for you and you can probably get them for a fraction of the cost. Let them know that you want sheet cost and then the cost to cut it up. You might as well as buy by the sheet even if it leaves you more than you have extras in case anything happens to them where they start discoloring or looking old. Make sure that you follow directions when cleaning the products you cannot use regular Windex on them. You're better off using just plain water or an acrylic or plexiglass cleaner