Please help me fix my stairs!

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Ugh the things I didn't notice when I bought the house...

Anyway, my floors are being refinished in later this fall, including the stairs. What I didn't ask when they were out for the bid is what to do about the stair stringer, or if they will do anything at all -- I think I'm probably just used to visually tuning it out because it looks so bad it slipped my mind. But, I need to figure out how to fix the ugliness and with some guidance, know what to ask them to do and if they'll do it (i.e. what do I need to do vs what can I pay them to do).

Below are pics of what I'm dealing with. These are stairs going down to the basement, and they're visible from the main floor. The main issue is what to do with the stringer. I would like to go with a stained stringer to match the risers and treads.

Is this stringer stainable? It looks like cheap wood of some sort, maybe plywood but I'm not sure. If this grade of wood isn't stain-able or won't match the red oak treads/risers, what should I do? Would it be better to just paint it out with the wall color or can I replace the stringer? (relatively easily and inexpensively, that is...a total stair overhaul/rebuild is not in the cards right now)
The white moulding is going bye-bye; posted in another thread how I hate that baseboard, can't wait to have it ripped out. I'm not sure whether to put narrower, very plain moulding in its place, or go sans moulding all together and just top the stringer with some sort of cap moulding (? shoe) and have it all stained. Opinions?
What sort of "cap" moulding do I need for the stringer -- what is the proper terminology here so I'm not walking around aimlessly in the lumbar yard looking for it. (yes I feel dumb for asking)
How to I fix the mess at the bottom of the stairs? The stringer just ends abruptly, it's not carried down to the edge of the doorway.

Appreciate any help you can offer -- the timer is ticking to get all this figured out and I have no idea what to do or where to even start.

This white moulding has a date with the dumpster...

Close-up of stringer. Stainable? How can I cap it off? Does it need a cap on the squared-off top edge?

Cr@p what do I even do here? (click photo to enlarge)

Minor issue at top of stairs, assume they can just stain it along with the floor - ?

Featured Answer

ShadyWillowFarm

2 years ago

Paint it white to match the trim.

Comments (10)

mxk3 z5b_MI
Original Author
2 years ago
Bump
Angel 18432
2 years ago
I don't think a flooring finisher would be qualified to fixed the things you want fixing.

After the floors and stairs have been restained get a finishing carpenter to come

in and fix the trim problems.
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nester44
2 years ago
(1) Remove the white trim.

(2) Repair the drywall (holes, etc.)

(3) Get the stairs stained.

(4) If the top of the stringer board is in good condition, you should not need to add any trim or molding to finish off the top edge. Then very carefully paint the wall and the stringer board the same color so that the board "disappears" into the wall. Be very careful to mask the stairs using special paint edge tape so that you do not get any bleeding of the paint under the tape and onto the newly stained stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, you just need a plain piece of baseboard extending straight out from the edge of the stringer board, painted the same color as the wall.

You might want to ask the floor man whether he wants the wall and stringer board painted before or after he stains the stairs. I'm not sure which is the preferred order to do that.
mxk3 z5b_MI
Original Author
2 years ago
"Paint it white to match the trim."

That trim will cease to exist after the end of November -- its outta there!

I didn't think of a finishing carpenter -- that's the same as a trim carpenter, right? I do have the name of a guy I could call. But, wouldn't any new wood have to go in before the floors get stained so the stain will match?

This is the type of finished look I'm going for -- not this formal, but pic shows the stained look of the string and molding cap I'm going for:

Honestly, maybe it would be a heck of a lot less headache to just paint out the stringer the same as the wall color. But it still needs some sort of finish piece on the top, and how do I fix the mess at the bottom of the stairs?
mxk3 z5b_MI
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you Nester44 -- we posted at the same time, saw your reply after. Baseboard at the bottom is easy enough, DH can do that. And yea, I may have to settle for painted rather than stained if it's too much grief...sigh...

Although, is that stringer board stain-able? Maybe I can just ask the floor guys to give it a sand and stain while they're working on the stairs - ?
Angel 18432
2 years ago
Keep in mind different woods staining differently. Might be better to paint white.
ci_lantro
2 years ago
To achieve the look that you want (as in the photo that you posted), you need skirt boards installed. Either paint grade or same species of wood as the stairs in stain grade lumber.

https://www.thisiscarpentry.com/2011/04/16/scribing-skirt-boards/

This is most likely beyond the skill set of your average floor refinisher.

Note how the skirting in the inspo photo extends a couple of inches above the treads. The stringer on your stairs does not project above the treads.
mxk3 z5b_MI
Original Author
2 years ago
Update: I contacted a stair restoration company, they can make skirt boards but they are booked a year out. A year! Going to call a couple other places to see if I can get anyone else to do the job sooner. If not, I'll just paint out what's there and book the carpentry work for next fall -- I've lived with the ugliness so long that looking at a rough-finish paint job is a tolerable improvement I can live with for a little longer.
Angel 18432
2 years ago
Good work. At least you know now how to do the job properly and get a satisfactory outcome.