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Engineered wood for curtail bullnose spiral stairs?

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Is there an *economical* way to replace the carpet on these spiral staircase with engineered wood? Home Depot said it would cost $200 per step and it’s better to go to hardwood because of the curves and making things flush. Is that really true?

The engineered wood we are looking at is from Shaw, and they do have bullnose trims.

https://shawfloors.com/flooring/hardwood/details/pebble-hill-hickory-5-sw219/stonehenge

Featured Answer

Timothy Winzell

2 years ago

If that's your stair, this is not a HD type job. The curved ends could be squared off to allow us of a standard nosing but how will the deal with the balusters? How about the risers? Wood or painted? What's on there now?

$200 per tread wouldn't even begin to cover this. And if that's your stair, there's no economical way to install wood. Despite having plenty of experience with doing stairs along with floors, I would refer this to a stair specialist.

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Comments (10)

PRO
Flo Mangan
2 years ago
Basically every stair will be custom. So prepare for expensive solution. Why not do new carpeting? Something great!
wdccruise
2 years ago
Portions of each step and riser are painted. How about painting the parts covered by the carpet?
Asheville 1131 · More Info
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uscpsycho. I haven't re-read this entire post to understand who did your floors. I am in SoCal, and had a reputable flooring store install my engineered hardwood. I wanted the floorboards close enough to the wall so as not to need quarter round, but I planned for tall baseboard. They assigned their "A-team" to do my install since I was obviously a picky person, and they did a great job. But at least here, where people leave their doors open and no one runs a humidifier or de-humidifier, you have to plan for a certain amount of floor movement. Had I asked them for floors like yours butted up against the wall, no way in h*** would they have installed them like that. They are professionals and would not risk the unhappy outcome. What did you specifiy for your installers? Are they licensed, etc? Where are you located? Hardwood requires humidity/de-humidity and environmental controls. What you're asking is kind of an after-the-fact question. Do you want your floors corrected to be installed according to industry standards and best practices? I would. p.s. I'm not a pro. SJ Mcarthy, etc, please take over the responses now.
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C B
Original Author
2 years ago
@User wow! i had no idea. i could see that for the bottom 2 steps because of the curve, but why would it be $200 for the rest?
PRO
Flo Mangan
2 years ago
Do you know what material is on the treads and risers under the existing carpet? That is key to determining feasible solutions. Since they are carpeted probably not paint grade material but have to remove some carpet to assess what exists.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
2 years ago
"it’s better to go to hardwood because of the curves and making things flush. Is that really true?"

Yes.

You're not buying two treads with compound curves because Shaw doesn't make them. $200.00 a tread/riser is very inexpensive.
millworkman
2 years ago
"$200.00 a tread/riser is very inexpensive."

Stupid inexpensive. Almost to the point of not sure a carpenter can even pull that off at that price. Every treat will need to be custom made, with templates for each more than likely.
ptreckel
2 years ago
I would re carpet all but the last two steps. And then extend the carpeting down, exposing the ends of the two bottom steps, only. Refinish only the bottom two steps, if necessary. Once you strip the steps of carpeting you will have a much better idea of what you have to work with.
SJ McCarthy
2 years ago
Economical IS HD! You've been GIVEN the *economical option. You have a lovely stair case. It is a show stopper. Why go cheap on the thing that MAKES the space?

Stairs have 15+ different codes that MUST BE MET. They are EXPENSIVE to redo. They are also some of the leading causes of death in the home (see 15+ different code requirements).

This is the LAST place you want to go 'cheap'. It's up their with wiring and plumbing. A $200/tread is for a REGULAR staircase. Your stairs could push you to $350+.

If you want Biance, then be prepared for the price tag of a stair professional. If you are OK with Karaoke night wanna bes, then go with HD.
M Miller
2 years ago
Also consider how slippery that staircase will be without carpeting. I would just replace that carpeting with new carpeting that is prettier and more current. I would also paint the walls and that will make a huge difference to the whole appearance.

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