How big of a job are you prepared for? Under the carpet is likely plywood - which won't take stain nicely, because it's meant to be covered up. Rails and balusters are a big job too - if you are prepared to have everything demo'd and start fresh, then wood would be lovely - however keep in mind that wood stairs can be slippery in stocking feet - and that the stairs are one of the hardest used flooring areas in your home. Some people will do a carpet inset with wood skirting and ends of the treads, which can be a nice look that minimizes slipping - as long as a durable low pile carpet is used for the inset.

If you have hardwood stairs underneath, I like a runner with the sides exposed. Stain on the tread and white on the risers.

Classic Coastal Colonial Foyer · More Info

A pretty new runner for a newly refinished staircase. · More Info

Those carpeted stairs are truely ghastly. It's probably not going to be pretty or inexpensive when you pull the rug, but it will be worth it.

How big of a job are you prepared for?

The very question I was going to ask. I think we all prefer hardwood treads OR hardwood covered with a runner ... but that will be considerably more expensive because -- as someone else already said -- you almost certainly have ugly old plywood under that carpet.

I'd only go to the expense of changing to hardwood if I were staying in the house myself a long time.

I would remove that carpeting. See what is underneath and then decide. You may be surprised with nice treads and risers. If not, find a lower pile, updated carpet option.

Thank you all for your comments so far! Yes, I think as many of you pointed out it is going to be quite a big job. I can almost guarantee we do have plywood underneath so we would be looking at putting in new treads. We had put it off the update for awhile because of the size of the job; however, we easily see ourselves in this house for the next 10+ years (or longer!) so I'm hoping the work is worth it!

Kculbers, looks like you found the right guy for the job, beautiful work.

Maybe I’m an optimist but your first stair looks like nice wood. I’m crossing my fingers there is nice wood under that carpeting.

@kculbers, your stairs are absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for sharing those pictures! Do you mind me asking if you have any regrets about not having any carpet on them? Do you find them slippery?

@Katie F, Take the carpet out and check what's underneath. If this is a job you don't want to tackle right now, you can look at ripping out the carpet, sanding the balusters to expose the original grain, and stain it a light colour. You can take wood from Lowes or Target or Home Depot, and have it cut to the tread size, create an L-shaped (inverted floating shelf) to cover the tread and nosing of the staircase, the riser can be a wallpaper or plain paint (perhaps a sage green)?

This is an ad hoc, makeshift makeover, and you're going to need a real remodel job soon to make it look like a home and not a DIY paradise!

Edit: Use thin wood, perhaps a quarter of an inch, if you raise the tread by too much, there's a major tripping risk.

Katie F: Thank you❣️They are not slippery as long as you dont go down the stairs in socks! I love not having the carpeted stairs. So easy to clean the stairs now. This is our “forever home” so I had planned for oak stairs for some time.

Katie - your stairs will be more expensive to update because your balusters have been set into your stair treads instead of the trim for the stair skirt as in kculbers. I am getting my stairs uodated also - and they are constructed like yours - except I have thee balusters/ stair tread. I was surprised about how expensive it is to replace all treads and risers with nice wood.