Staircase treads...

[Torx]

We’re decorating our hall and staircase and my wife has been on Pinterest...sigh.

So I’ve taken the stair carpet up, and the treads are ok quality - it’s a 1950s council house. A proper stair carpet was fitted at some point in the past so it’s been painted at the sides. I stripped this off and sanded one tread to see what sort of a finish I could achieve (that’s 3.5 hours work, per step), but alas it’s too rustic for her specifications.

I don’t fancy replacing all the treads, it looks like a routed stringer but I’m not an expert.

Stair tread overlays / cappings - are these a thing? Has anyone successfully used them? They seem to be common in the US. Actually since we also want carpet on the landing, raising all the treads would work out well.

Advice welcomed!

 

[Just4Fun]

It is a few years since I renewed our stairs but I used a UK book and my memory is that per the regulations all risers must be the same. With those cappings, what do you do at the top? If you fit a cap there you would have to raise the level of the landing and then have issues at the entrance to each room. If you don't have a cap at the top the final riser will be less than the others.

 

[Torx]

It is a few years since I renewed our stairs but I used a UK book and my memory is that per the regulations all risers must be the same. With those cappings, what do you do at the top? If you fit a cap there you would have to raise the level of the landing and then have issues at the entrance to each room. If you don't have a cap at the top the final riser will be less than the others.

I was hoping it would sit at about the right level for carpet + underlay which will be on the landing (the one pictured looks about right) and to do something like this

but it seems like anywhere selling these kits no longer has them available, so perhaps the regs you mention have come back to bite suppliers, or they’re just rubbish?

 

[stuckinthemud]

My other half also saw the pinterest stairs, she kinda liked the way they look stripped back. After about 6 months, the colour differences across the stair tread start to equalise. It is an awful lot of graft though.

 

[toolsntat]

Too rustic in colour or texture?
Before you give in you could have a go with some Oxalic acid (wood whitener) to bleach it back.
Cheers Andy

 

[Jacob]

I'd go for carpet. Shiny surfaces can be a hazard especially if steep and small.
The one at the top looks lethal!

 

[Torx]

My other half also saw the pinterest stairs, she kinda liked the way they look stripped back. After about 6 months, the colour differences across the stair tread start to equalise. It is an awful lot of graft though.

That’s good to know, I’d assumed it would be permanent. Any pics of the finished result?

Too rustic in colour or texture?
Before you give in you could have a go with some Oxalic acid (wood whitener) to bleach it back.
Cheers Andy

I think she liked a lighter colour before I put the Liberon floor oil on (not bought specially, just happened to be in the workshop and thought I would slap a bit on). There are a lot of marks and holes where it’s nailed together so to get it looking perfect would be a lot of work colour matching filler etc. Good tip about the oxalic acid - I might give that a go, thanks.

I'd go for carpet. Shiny surfaces can be a hazard especially if steep and small.

I have thought about that, we’ve got kids but the carpet has been up for about 6 weeks and we’ve been ok so far. This stuff has good reviews

https://www.wood-finishes-direct.co...vnLk2GdQ9s1UPSaRPXN691YqDyoN9FExoCNMsQAvD_BwE

 

[stuckinthemud]

I'll try to post something tomorrow

 

[doctor Bob]

I had raw treads in my old cottage, by heck they are noisy, especially if you have kids.

 

[Stanleymonkey]

We’re decorating our hall and staircase and my wife has been on Pinterest...sigh.

A lot of us were thinking new wife at this point... but you didn't mention you had young kids!!

Maybe an internet ban for the missus would be less drastic? Change the wi fi password?

 

[Lons]

We have a Parana pine staircase, have been in this house since 1987 when the kids were very young and not a single incident or problem over that 33 years, Small top section won't be an issue as it's just a trim and you're stepping on to carpet at the same level, same as mine.
Bob is right though they are noisier than carpet.

 

[stuckinthemud]

View attachment 99867

 

[stuckinthemud]

 

[artie]

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The requested page could not be found.

 

[stuckinthemud]

My stairs originally had a varnish on the outer thirds to make the treads each side of a runner look like mahogany. Nasty stuff I couldn't fully remove but nice in a way as it shows the history of the woodwork

 

[stuckinthemud]

Sorry Artie, was still working on the posting, I am still learning my way around the photo posting widgets

 

[Doug71]

On a staircase I fitted a while ago the owner painted each riser a different colour and then wrote/stencilled some soppy message on each one.

Maybe I'm just old and out of touch but it did nothing for me

 

[NickVanBeest]

Place I rent now had a glossy white paint, which was really unsafe, so simply added thread carpets. Landlady is happy with them, and refunded me for the effort.

 

[artie]

I've been in this old house for over two years now and the stairs still need doing.
Would this be OTT.

 

[stuckinthemud]

Forgot to add, I tried very hard not to remove the surface of the timber to keep its colour, its finished with 5 coats of diamond clear floor wax