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dyihobbyguy

Cap or replace stair treads/risers with hardwood after carpet removal

4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago

Hello, I'm hoping I can get some advice on how to convert my once carpeted stairs to red-oak hardwood to match the floors I am doing upstairs and down.

These stairs are likely 40 years old. They had carpet on them which I've removed along with the ridiculous amount of staples that once held the carpet.

My ultimate question is ... do I install treads / risers over these rough stairs, or do I remove the old and just replace them with what I want?

Following is a picture of the bottom of the stairs...


Next is a picture of the straight ...


Last is a closeup of the corner of tread/riser/stringer...


This last detail shot seems to indicate that the skirt board is installed over the tread. They all look the same and it's hard to tell.

What I fear is that I'm adding way to much work to this project if I hack off the skirt boards, treads, risers and start from scratch. I don't have the luxury of time on this project as I need the bedroom upstairs to be in use again. Also, I'm not experienced enough (at all, first staircase) to decide what is the best way to tackle this project from a ROI point of view.

Another thing I worry about, but don't know if I should even worry about it ... is if I just cap the treads / risers with ... well ... new treads and risers, the first step will be an inch taller than the rest and the last (top) step will be an inch shorter than the rest. Don't know if I'm overthinking this and don't know if I'm adding way more effort than need be.

I have a good tool/saw set. Only thing I'm really lacking is a thickness planer.

I live in Toronto so any products I am recommended have to be available here. Given my time crunch, I am reluctant to have anything shipped from the states in these "covid" times. I'm looking for a natural red-oak solution and will stain to match my "copper" red oak floors being installed.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

DiyHobbyGuy.

Comments (7)

  • 4 years ago

    First to comment to my own thread :). I was still digging through posts on houzz and found one post that got me thinking it would be a good compromise. Oak risers, carpet treads. The risers will tie it to the new floors. I have no structural changes, so no changes in code, it's pet friendly, quiet, safer and most important, the effort would be much much less.

    I didn't mention, but this is an apartment addition, not the main house.



  • PRO
    4 years ago

    You would need to remove the treads and risers for replacement. Adding onto it will affect the height and depth of tread, which affects the building code. All staircases are built to code, you cannot add onto it, only replace.

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    IMO it depends on what you add to the treads we added vinyl plank to ours the plank is very thin and did not change the code at all as for risers you have risers ,clean them sand them and paint them . IMO those treads look pretty good for having been covered in carpet so do you know what kind of wood they are maybe just a good sanding and refinishing is all you need a good floor refinisher could probably come close to matching the other floors.

  • 4 years ago

    I would replace just the treads & paint the existing risers.

    Or, to make it easier, paint both the treads & risers and add a carpet runner.

    The second option if this is going to be a rental. Less noise with a soft covering. And if the apt. gets incorporated into the house at a later date, you can upgrade the stairs then.

  • 4 years ago

    Because this is a secondary area, I, personally,

    would fill, caulk, and paint everything white. A flat weave or low pile stair runner would be a more modern look than carpeted treads.

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Thanks for all the feedback.

    @Patricia Colwell Consulting - a couple of them are rough. I'm not sure what type of wood it is. If I don't cover them, I'll have to replace them.

    I don't want to go back to carpet. That back room and those stairs is the last carpet in the house. I was tempted to consider just carpeting the treads (like the second post I made). I was lucky with the main house stairs, it had oak treads and I just had to clean them up.

    I guess if I want oak hardwood stairs, there is no magic. Hard work or big payout.

    As for existing treads, I still can't tell if they are under or butted up against the skirt boards. It doesn't make sense to do it that way, It has to just be well fitted treads. It would take a magician to cut those skirts with every level fitting so well.

    One more question regarding those three odd shaped treads from the first picture. What is the typical solution? Buy extra treads and use an extra one or two cut fastened together? Or do you order a custom boards from your lumber company?

    Answer to my own question, for those who are just learning like me. I need to buy/build a left hand winder tread set. Rona and many other places carry them. Done! I have no more questions/concerns with this subject. Thanks for the help.

    Thanks,

    Mark.