Here is a third option. We too have the same wood stairs. I was all excited that we would be able to salvage them, but they too are just not really usable. I was planning on painting the risers like you with black stairs. Our banister is glossy black, just so you know. I found out about this a few months ago. It's more or less an oak cap you put on top of the actual stair. They came into our lowes about six months ago. I've looked at them and the quality seems great. BTW, we bought risers at Habitat for just a dollar per strip. I think it's just paintable luan like above. My husband quickly cut them down to fit. The luan covers the wide gaps on the sides. We did put small nails on the sides, which you can't see when they are punched in. The nails are painted. If you're worried, you could put some sort of trim on the sides. Maybe just a small flat trim as to not draw attention. Like you, I tend to like a lot of black. Although, I really do love the rustic stair, I don't think that it meshes well with the rest of your home. Your taste seems a little too refined. Those stairs look like it might be in a rustic california or a rustic spanish home. If you want to look a little more rustic, maybe a seagrass runner down the middle (or a wool rug that mimics seagrass). That would give the more casual look you're looking for. Unfortunately, we have put the stairs thing on hold. We are in the process of updating our kitchen. We will get the treads next year. We only did one riser to finish off the floors upstairs. :) Good luck! Kim Here is a link that might be useful: Lowes- retro tred

Most economical = carpet. After that, a solid finish (wood, cork, vinyl, tile, stone, etc) will require all the extras. Painted stairs will work...with plenty of elbow grease and with the FULL UNDERSTANDING the paint will wear/chip/"patina" inside of a few years. There are ways to lay a runner on the stairs and then trim out the edges of the tread/riser with wood-looking stuff. This will cut the cost in half of what I mention above. The other option is to place the runner and PAINT out the edges....creating a faux-painted-wood look which could be very handsome yet extremely practical. Notice how carpet keeps on coming up again and again? Yah. There's a reason for that. Those are builder grades stairs made for carpet.

Thank you for responding and your advice. I think you are right. The carpenter is very talented at what he does: custom cabinets, staircases, beams, building and rehabbing all manner of furniture, custom doors, great trim work, etc; but he is not a wood floor installer. I'm not hiring a GC for this project. So in order to get the timing right, tell me if this is the right sequence: carpenter demos the carpet, railings, balustrades, post, etc, and gets really accurate measurements of what's there now. Makes and installs the wood treads, risers, landings, and removes the wood that is currently going around the edges of the top landing. When he's done with all that I'll have the woodfloor installer do their work. Then the carpenter will come back and finish the posts, railing and balustrades, and some trim work. Then painters come to paint and stain everything. The carpenter is pretty flexible, so I don't think he will mind having a break in the project for the wood floor people to come. And we've worked together very well before, so I don't think he will be insulted that I feel more comfortable hiring a dedicated wood floor installer. Detail question: For the 2 steps going up from the landing to the gameroom, should the carpeter do these steps before the woodfloor person comes or after? I was thinking after, so that the wood floor runs all the way to that step and the riser sits on top of that. Thanks again for responding; this is very helpful.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><md>Thank you, All! @LeMaster Architects, i have not chosen the flooring yet so open on thickness. So you think, if the variance in the final step can remain at least or less than 3/8” - remove the too step and replace the plywood with thicker one to match and then replace a new nosing. Do i have that correct? @ci_lantro what about ripping up the landing plywood and replacing with ceramic tile pattern? Or i guess that needs plywood underneath? I hate to have a trip hazard. This is a small condo and not my forever home so want to ensure resell-able. Ugh wish i knew what happened previously when whoever installed that new plywood over the old. Thank you all and keep em comin! I know theres a creative solution out there!