What kind of wood is this???
This wood is under my carpeted pie shaped stairs. I want to remove the carpet, finish the stairs and cover with custom carpet runner. My attempts to identify this wood have been unsuccessful! My condo was constructed in 1976. Please help!
Comments (25)
PROBeth H. :
3 years agoDouglas Fir is what it looks like.
pretty sure it wasn't meant to be stained. more of paint-grade wood.
But you can give it a go. try patching the nail holes a good, stainable wood filler. to prep the wood treads, give it a good sanding with 80 grit, 150, and finish w/220. use a pre-stain conditioner before applying any stain. I'd use a gel, maybe Varathane or General Finishes.
butea
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Can someone please tell me what kind of wood this is?
Comments (11)Oak and ash look very similar from a distance, both being ring-porous woods. Ash tends to have a whiter tone (unless you get some dark heartwood). Red oak tends to have reds, yellows, and often some blacks in it (I was once told there were 35 different color gradings for red oak). White oak tends to be browner. But all that said, any wood can have all the color bleached out of it. The way I tell is to look for medullary rays. Ash has none, red oak shorter ones and white oak longer ones. What medullary rays look like depends upon the orientation of the wood as cut from the log, as the rays go radially. Plainsawn will show just short lines, quarter or rift sawn will show large figure....See Moreis this the original wood floor? What kind of wood?
Comments (10)Thanks everyone, I actually asked the neighbor today who has been next door for 40 + years what he knew about the house and if he had seen the floors before they got covered over. He said that in the past 10 years a family came in and put down all the laminate. However, the man who lived here before lived here for most of his life and had everything covered in carpet so I’m hoping that’s good and it protected the wood. I also removed a piece from the first floor and found what I think is face-nailed oak strip flooring. I wonder why face-nailed flooring on one floor and t & g upstairs....See Morewhat kind of wood and how to stain?
Comments (4)You could try stripper and see if that gets you closer to what you want. There is a lot of stain left on there. Sanding wont get it out of grooves, or out of the grain of the wood....See Morewhat kind of wood are these floors?
Comments (13)I’m used to seeing birch as a more uniform color, not with all this heartwood and variegation, but it probably is birch after all since it has a quieter grain pattern than hickory. Either way, I would suspect the finish more so than the wood itself. Can you lift a floor register to find out if this is solid or engineered? The narrow planks makes me think solid. If solid, you’ll be able to refinish easily....See More
Nancy Walton
3 years agobutea
3 years agobutea
3 years agoNancy Walton
3 years agoNancy Walton
3 years ago- PRO
Beth H. :
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoIt's very possible it is yellow pine. Didn't even think of that one. good catch Nancy,
But I don't see any knots. That's why I though maybe fir. they wouldn't have used such good wood (or a select grade) if it was going to go under carpet.
might be best just to leave them naturalthis is old heart pine.
sys stained w/a red tone stain. which you don't want
more of a dark walnut stain. maybe the dark treads against the oak floors would look better?
have you thought about just buying new white oak treads? they're about 25-30 bucks each. 
PROPatricia Colwell Consulting
3 years ago- PRO
Beth H. :
3 years agolast modified: 3 years ago Tara
3 years agoPRN
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agobutea
3 years agobutea
3 years agoThanks to June and Beth too! Yes, replacing the treads was my original plan - that is until I started getting quotes...the 13 stairs are pie shaped 18 inches deep at widest and 8 inches at the smallest by 48 inches long. If I could find oak treads for 25-30 or even 35-40 bucks each, I’m all in!!! Needless to say, the odd size put me in the range of 200 each! And labor, oh well...So my bright idea was not so bright after all and here I am. I didn‘t mention the curved railing that has to be modified to install the hardwood in the hallway and now must be brought up to code...I am going to replace the carpet landing (never understood it) with white oak to be stained the same color as the flooring. I really appreciate this help!
The carpet is yucky due to construction...Here are my stairs:
- PRO
Beth H. :
3 years ago 
Olychick
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agobutea
3 years ago- PRO
Beth H. :
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agosee if this can be angled instead of curved (since you're getting it redone. )
More of an L instead of C (stay w/the wood)
don't know why they did on the first step.
most of these are all White Oak butea
3 years agoHi Beth! Thanks for your feedback...the curve on the ledge follows the curve on the staircase so thinking to keep the curve (unless I’m not understanding suggestion?). Staying with the wood will eliminate lines of demarcation??? I’m thinking the stair treads/risers will be stained to match the floors. Black railing (not this) instead of SS. Also, when I repaint w lighten walls. Here’s my inspiration...
Heather Road, Beverly Hills, CA · More Info
Rachel
3 years ago- PRO
Beth H. :
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoI didn't mean to completely do away w/the curve! It was hard to find the exact photograph.
I posted those so you could see some styles of the stairs.
All I meant was to lessen it a bit to where you have that landing spot over the side
I think this is a waste, too bulky looking, and rather dated.keep the curve, but not like that.
Like this. what's wrong w/this one? It's still curved. you don't have that funky ledge either. This fits almost all designs too.
also too, it depends on the style of the house, the room, the design. If you have a very classical or traditional home w/classical furnishings, then this would be fine
But both of these are rather fussy and on the 'grand' side. Not quite Gone with the Wind, but in that neighborhood. The staircases I posted are little more fitting to a regular home and different styles. butea
3 years agobutea
last year
millworkman