skip to main content

Woodworking Paint Flooring

stair tread conundrum

last month

After removing the previous owners' carpet, I'm soon painting the trim and risers and need to decide how to handle the treads. Unfortunately they screwed each tread down with 2-10 screws.

Currently the treads match the upper, oil-finished oak floors. We prefer to match the lower clear finish, lighter oak floors but that's not imperative.

A runner would cover up nearly every screw, but a runner is not a great solution for this house so a best solution would include oak treads. I could geek over filling holes and matching wood grain nicely.

The stairs also creak.

Considering the difficulty getting tradespeople we'll likely be doing this ourselves. How would you spiff up these treads? Is it likely that they are glued down?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

PRO
HALLETT & Co.
last month
You don’t know anything until you try to take them apart. I would pull out all the screws on one and see if the stair comes up. If so, glue with construction adhesive. If not move on to countersinking the screws and plugging with oak plugs. They will be far less noticeable than filler. Make sure to match the kind of oak and you want a plug like this that is face grain. Looking at the current screw it looks suspiciously like a drywall screw so it wouldn’t surprise me if some are snapped. You definitely want a strong screw like a deck screw.
molman thanked HALLETT & Co.
molman
Original Author
last month
last modified: last month
The top step has nine screws on top and the bottom tread has none. Looking closer, most look like they do have nails along the back and 2-4 screws along the top front of the tread. I don't think treads will come up.

I was able to access the area underneath the stairs to see more. This was likely installed in 1963... pre-Liquid Nails. They don't look like drywall screws IRL.

Would removing the screws going through the risers into the back of the tread help alleviate the squeaks, or is this standard? Is it strong enough structurally if the tops are nailed in (from top and/or back) with no screws or adhesive? We have four seasons here so lots of expansion and contraction in our house. It seems like replacing any screws that need to stay with a good deck screw is a good idea.
0
Related Discussions
stair nose vs. stair tread
Q
Comments (3)
Beautiful floor! I don't think I've ever seen maple in that color. Are the stair noses are prefinished to match? You'd just use the floor boards on the stair, and the nosing to finish? That sounds pretty straight forward to me and you wouldn't have to worry about either the stain or wear layer; so long as the nosing is wide enough that you can attach it to the horizontal of the stair, not hang it off the front of the vertical surface [which can be done, but is more difficult]. Staining to match is also doable, especially if you are matching a wood with a lot of natural variation. With stair treads, you have a lot of unseen wood on the backs to practice on. A good paint center can help, but since the finish is semi-transparent the underlying wood plays a big role and they can't do it as accurately as they can match a paint. I've intermixed different colors from the same stain families for years. You just need to keep accurate records of what each mix is, and use a little common sense-- don't mix a 'regular' stain with one that has poly added, and read the label to make sure there are no restictions-- Minwax Red Mahogany will only accept certain top coats, for instance, so its a poor choice as part of your mix. But using the factory finish stuff will save you all that hassle.
...See More
Stair runner on prefinished laminate stair treads?
Q
Comments (9)
Best solution would be to remove the laminate nosings and replace with a hardwood nosing, and install the carpet runner inset. That would save costs on the nosings- as they are typically 6' long, if you are only installing 6-8" on either side of the carpet runner you could potentially do 4-6 stairs with one piece.
...See More
Replacing carpeted stairs with wood stair treads/risers.
Q
Comments (16)
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.
...See More
Should stair treads match the upstairs flooring or the down stairs?
Q
Comments (5)
Definitely match stairs to your main floor. When I'm on my main floor, my basement stairs are quite visible. It would drive me crazy if they didn't match the surroundings (FWIW, once you get downstairs there's a laminate floor that barely matches, and I don't really care because the basement is a casual space).
...See More
Related Professionals
San Mateo Carpenters · Eustis Flooring Contractors · Mashpee Flooring Contractors · Oshkosh Furniture & Accessories · Hilton Head Island Furniture & Accessories · Lake Wales Painters · Pepper Pike Painters · Lady Lake Flooring Contractors · Pearland Flooring Contractors · Alpine Flooring Contractors · Desert Hot Springs Flooring Contractors · Alhambra General Contractors · Arkansas City General Contractors · Bay City General Contractors · Mishawaka General Contractors
cat_ky
last month
I suspect those screws were not there originally. They were put in at a later time, possibly before the stairs were carpeting, to try to take care of stair squeaks. You may open a big can of worms, if you remove the screws, since they were obviously put there for a reason, unless you plan on replacing all those stair treads. I would sand, and refinish, and then put the runner down the middle of the stairway.
0
ShadyWillowFarm
last month
Wood steps are slippery, ask me how I know. They can be real arse busters. You will need carpet or rubber treads at the minimum to prevent an accident.
molman
Original Author
last month
@HALLETT & Co., I'd love your opinion.
0

Related Stories

UNIVERSAL DESIGN Design Safer Stairs and Halls With Universal Lighting Strategies

By Sheridan Interiors, Kitchens and Baths

See how lighted handrails, stair treads and more can make navigating inclines and passages easier for all ages

DECORATING GUIDES Set Staircases Racing With a Striped Stair Runner

By Rachel Grace

Energize your stairway with a carpet runner decked in stripes to go the distance

KNOW YOUR HOUSE Stair Design and Construction for a Safe Climb

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Learn how math and craft come together for stairs that do their job beautifully

REMODELING GUIDES Artful Stairs: Continuity in Steel

Ribbonlike Stairs of Steel Seem to Nearly Float on Air

FLOORS What Says "Quality" In A Home? Wooden Tread Staircases

By Janell Beals - House of Fifty

STAIRWAYS What to Build Under the Stairs

By Simon Farrell-Green

These imaginative examples show the many ways to use this space — as a playhouse, study, wine cellar or bike rack

PETS The Crate Conundrum: A Safe Place for Your Pooch

By Christine Tusher

Get ideas for a comfy den for your dog that works well with your space too

STAIRWAYS The Upstairs-Downstairs Connection: Picking the Right Stair Treatment

By Laura Gaskill

Carpeting, runner or bare wood? Check out these ideas for matching your staircase floor treatment to upstairs and downstairs flooring

STAIRWAYS 7 Ways to Make Your Stairs Stand Out

By South Hill Interiors

Try a one-of-a-kind handrail, an antique newel post or a gorgeous runner to add interest to your stairs

HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH YOUR HOUSE Step Right Up: Expressing Movement on Modern Stairs

Seeing a person on a staircase changes our perception of the design

Sponsored

More Discussions

Help! How to cut down cost of new cabinetry with good quality?

311

Should original beams be sealed?

5

Staining red oak stairs - looking for green undertone stain

23

Sanding Indoors Tips Needed

3

wainscoting by contractor - is this usual?

4