Which comes first, the stair rails and newel post or hardwood floors?
Dyan Weis
2 years ago
We are having new stair rails and a newel post put in. We are also installing new hardwood floors on our entire first floor. My hardwood floor guy says that he prefers that he goes first. He said that way - the new newel post can go directly on top of the new hardwood plus he could give my stairway guy the stain he uses. The guy installing the new railing/newel post says that he wants to go first, because he doesn't want to mess up the new floors. So which is best? I will add pics to explain better. Also - I'm still debating on carpeting the stairs! That will be another post... Thanks!
What we have now:
Staircase · More Info
Staircase · More Info
What we are getting:
(8) Pinterest · More Info
Appreciate your help - thanks!
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Comments (9)
Dyan Weis
2 years agoRelated Discussions
Hybrid Carpet/Hardwood Stairs
Comments (4)We did this last winter, removed the carpet and replaced the pine treads with oak. Looks lovely, but I will offer one caution: it is SLIPPERY. If you have kids and/or pets, be prepared for someone to come crashing down. We haven't fallen, but our poor dog slid down the steps for many weeks. She was used to the carpet, and did an absolute cartoon rump-over-teakettle fall every time she went down. She finally figured it out, and was never injured, but we felt terrible. I am also extremely careful when carrying anything, it would be very easy to slip. And your steps look especially steep. If you like the look of just the bottom step, maybe you could leave the carpet. Also, ask around and see if there is a woodworker in your area who could make the step. Ours are not as contoured as the one in the picture, but my DH does woodworking, and made all of our treads, because the purchased ones were so expensive. Perhaps you could come out cheaper that way....See MoreCarpeted Stairs with Hardwood Floors??
Comments (25)Safety first and to heck with trends. Personal story: On July 1 I tripped on the concrete stairs of the out-of-state motel where we were staying and broke my leg. The bone itself has healed decently, cast is off, but am in my sixties (no osteoporosis) and am in a wheelchair now due to severe pain in my leg and back when I walk (which I do try to do, for exercise). Looks like the chair will be in my life for quite awhile. Meanwhile, my orthopedist has forbidden me to use stairs at all for the next several months (we have eight stairs going up to our front door!). I will never look at stairs the same way. I would put the safest material on the stairs; if that would be a certain type of carpet or runner, then go with that. Please don't write to wish me well, absolutely not looking for sympathy here, am fine, and Do Not Want To Hijack This Thread! I just want to emphasize the places in the home where safety must come first!...See MoreStairs - replace carpet with hardwood
Comments (12)handymac's description is an excellent one. The key to remember is that it's the top and bottom stairs that are the potential bugaboos. If they are equal to start with, then any increase/decrease in tread thickness (like his 2" --> 1 1/4") will make the top stair shorter/taller by that difference, and the bottom stair taller/shorter by that difference. (Hope I didn't totally confuse you.) So if your new material is 1/2" thicker than the old material, the top step is 1/2" less than it was and the bottom step is 1/2" more. Now they're an inch different from each other, which doesn't meet code. But if you change your flooring on the bottom floor or top floor, those will impact it as well. The other thing to keep in mind is that your stairs may or may not be constructed as handymac describes. Our carpeted stairs actually had 1x pine treads. So that's 3/4" thick + 1/2" carpet = 1 1/4" total. Swapping out to oak treads had no impact on the rise between stairs. Or your existing stairs may have a top (or bottom) stair that has more or less rise than the rest of them. So the change in tread may still keep them within the code-required tolerance. The best way to know the answer is to remove the carpet and see what you've got, and measure each riser. Listen to what he said about gaskets or rosin paper. We didn't do that on ours and chased squeaks for quite a while....See MoreWhich way to run the hardwood? And how to prep an unlevel floor?
Comments (34)Chisue: Thanks for your comments. I am not sure about the lengths that prefinsihed comes in. I need to work that out. Good point if we lay the hardwood across the hall (rather than the length of the hall) it will lnot look chopped up at the bedroom door, closets and living room as that direction would just continue in to these rooms. The other door ways (laundry and bath off the hall) switches to tile. Yes diagonal is more modern. Probably why DH likes it better than I do, as I prefer a more transitional than he does. Amberm: Hope you are enjoying your Ontario visit. I would love to see a photo of your hardwood transitions when you get back to AB (Calgary right?). Thanks for the guidance on joist strucuture if we have plywood (vs the subfloorless days of yore). Our old subfloor is only unlevel in a few points (a few sags). A 1/4 inch would make it taller than the new subfloor. It seems the framers lowered the new floor so it would be on the same plane as the old subfloor. It may be that DH can use 1/8 inch plywood in a few low points instead of the messy leveling compound. Thanks for that suggestion. Do you happen to have a vote on best hardwood direction in our floor plan? Carol...See More
PROFlo Mangan
2 years agoDyan Weis
2 years ago- PRO
Flo Mangan
2 years ago - PRO
Flo Mangan
2 years agoI like Mohawk SmartStrand broadloom. A loop and cut pile gives interest without too much pattern if you want a neutral look. Here is a nice one with lots of color options. Don’t be afraid of going light in tone for nice contrast with wood. Not sure what colors are going into your adjoining rooms. Be good if you know wall colors at least.
Dyan Weis thanked Flo Mangan Dyan Weis
2 years ago
Ayesha Adnan
last monthI’ve moved in a property with screed floor and metal stairs frame only. I’m planning wooden floor and wood cladding on stairs. What do I lay first, floor or stairs.
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