Installing Wooden Stair Treads

Often vinyl tile or carpeted stairs appear worn, unsightly, or peppered with stains. Carpeted staircases can even be dangerous, for they increase the probability that individuals will lose their footing and slip and fall down a flight of stairs. These problems can be completely circumnavigated with wood stair treads, which prevent slipping and tripping, provide adequate footing to stair climbers, and augment the aesthetic capabilities of any staircase.

Wooden stair treads fundamentally are the flat pieces of wood secured at the top of each step on a stair. Stair treads generally have a lip that extends beyond the edge that is created by the vertical part of a step meeting the horizontal top of a step. Stair treads are used to provide costumers with a solid, horizontal step on which to climb safely. If stair treads are made out of hardwood, they can provide a newly found sense of style to a home when they replace a carpeted set of stairs. Wood stair treads are a much cheaper alternative to constructing an entire staircase out of hardwood, since the treads coat an already existing stair structure.

Stair tread installation often surprises enterprising homemakers with its simplicity, as it requires only basic carpentry skills. If the stairs are carpeted or coated with vinyl, the first step is to remove and pry off this excess material in order to expose the staircase structure underneath. Next, the steps of the staircase should be examined to determine whether each step has a lip or a nosing that extends over the step below it. All of these nosing extensions must be cut off using a power saw and a handsaw. Wood stair treads will comprise their own nosing extensions once installed.

The second step is to create a stringer. Stringers are quarter-inch thick pieces of plywood that match the wood stair treads and cover the sides of the bare stair structure. Cut the stringer with a handsaw after first cutting out the appropriate pattern on cardboard and tracing. Create risers in the same manner. Risers are the vertical rectangular part of the step. Be sure to measure and cut each riser separately as it is unlikely each step is exactly the same height. Finally, shape the wood stair treads individually for each step using a handsaw.

Once each piece is created, glue the stringers to the bare stair structure. Then, attach the first riser with glue, followed by the stair tread that fits above the riser. Continue gluing down risers and treads until the staircase is finished.

Lacassefinewoodproducts.com has many options regarding wood stair treads. This site offers costumers stair treads made from different types of wood, including alder, birch, Brazilian cherry, black cherry, mahogany, maple, walnut, and red oak. The site also promises to make stair treads in any size and shape to suit individual customer needs.

In terms of adhesives, it is advisable to purchase thick construction-type glue, found at www.acehardware.com. For more delicate portions of the project, specialized wood glue works well for trim or when glue thickness becomes a problem. Buy cheap wood glue at www.hobbylinc.com.

References:
“How to install wood stairs”. Date accessed: July 6, 2009. URL: http://www.woodsthebest.com/Stairs/install-hardwood-stairs.htm.

“How to install oak stair treads”. (2009). Lacasse Fine Wood Products Inc. Date accessed: July 6, 2009. URL: http://lacassefinewoodproducts.com/hardwood-steps/hardwoodStairs-installation.htm.