CONCORD — When replacing your staircase’s wood steps (also known as stair treads), you have a couple of options. The first is to use pieces of solid wood. The biggest advantage of this option is these are strong, sturdy pieces of wood, so you won’t have to worry about them failing. Additionally, solid wood doesn’t have any seams and can be finished to any color, which is great if you’re trying to match existing wood elements of your home.
The other option is to create steps out of pieces of hardwood flooring; this is a good option if you want your stair treads to match your hardwood floors. However, while all wood flooring is referred to as “hardwood,” some aren’t very hard, such as poplar and alder. If you use a “soft” hardwood like this, your steps will be more susceptible to damage (such as dents and scratches) and premature failure. A better choice is to use a sturdy hardwood product like oak or maple, which will provide the hardness needed to withstand lots of foot traffic.
If you’re planning to go with this second option, consider using a prefinished hardwood flooring product. Today’s prefinished flooring goes through a curing process that makes it supremely resistant to surface damage. Additionally, since prefinished flooring is moisture-resistant, it doesn’t expand and contract like solid hardwood, which decreases the risk of your steps developing creaks.

Stair Tread Options

Discover the best stair tread options to enhance safety and style in your home. Get expert tips on materials, installation and maintenance.

Stair Tread Options by Taro Martinez

By Taro Martinez of {BR} Taro E. Martinez

Video: Choosing New Steps for a Staircase


when selecting steps for a new staircase
you'll want to make sure they're built
to last
today we're in Concord with diamonds
certified expert contributor taro
Martinez to learn more the consideration
when replacing your steps with hardwood
is that there's two ways to do it one
way is to do a solid wood step and the
other way is to use hardwood flooring
some of the hardwoods are although
called hardwoods are not so hard
examples being poplar and alder
something as simple as a high heel will
put a big divot in them or put a scratch
in them whereas using a three finished
step with the newer finishes the iron
oxides and the UV cured flooring make
them basically bulletproof the
advantages of doing a solid wood step is
that it is a solid wood step without
seams in it and can be finished
basically to any color that you like
especially if you're trying to match
things
to learn more from local top rated
companies visit our diamond certified
expert reports at experts diamond
certified org


Taro Martinez: Stair Man

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