Overview
Hardwood is a popular flooring material because of the clean, traditional look it provides as well as for its stability and safety. Hardwood will not wrinkle and cause a tripping hazard like carpeting and will not retain cold or heat like tile. A quick visual check will tell you when it is time to replace hardwood stairs, and they require little upkeep other than a quick sweep and mop, and yearly refinishing. Add hardwood flooring to any staircase once the old flooring is removed down to the subflooring.
Things You’ll Need
Tape measure
Pencil
Hardwood flooring
Chop saw
Table saw
2 scrap boards (2 inches by 4 inches by 18 inches)
Hammer
8d finishing nails
Nail set
Stain
Rags
Polyurethane
3-inch paint brush
Shoe molding
6d finishing nails
Wood putty
5-gallon bucket with lid
Safety glasses
Rubber gloves
Dust mask
Work gloves
Hearing protection
Step 1
Use your tape measure to find the height and width of the vertical face of the bottom step. Mark these measurements onto a piece of hardwood flooring. Cut the length measurement using your chop saw. Push the board through the table saw with scrap boards to keep your hands safe when ripping the width.
Step 2
Hold the board in place and drive four of your 8d finishing nails (2 through each side of the flooring board and into the frame of the stair) with your hammer. Keep all 4 nails within 3/4 inch of the end of the flooring board. Countersink all four of the nails with your nail set.
Step 3
Measure the length and depth of the first step. Cut the length with your chop saw. Rip the flooring board adding 1 inch more to the depth of the frame of the stair to give you a slight overhang. Nail the board in place and countersink the nails. Keep all four nails within the 3/4-inch boundary.
Step 4
Continue building the stairs to the top. Place each vertical before the stair tread piece. Hold each board in place and be sure it fits exactly before nailing it into place.
Step 5
Apply stain to each step with a rag. Let the stain dry completely. Apply a coat of polyurethane to the stairs with a 3 inch paint brush and let it dry completely before allowing foot traffic to resume.
Tips
Shoe molding can be added to the sides of each piece and attached with 6d finishing nails. Countersink each nail and fill the holes with wood putty before staining.
Warnings
Place all of the rags and brushes you used for chemical application into a 5 gallon bucket and secure the lid. This bucket contains toxic and flammable material. Dispose of these hazardous materials using common sense and following the letter of the law.
Safety glasses, rubber gloves and a dust mask are required when applying chemicals such as stain and polyurethane.
Safety glasses and work gloves are required when using hand tools.
Safety glasses, work gloves and hearing protection are required when using power tools.
Reference
Hardwood Installer: Installing Hardwood on Stairs [http://www.hardwoodinstaller.com/hardwoodinstaller/stairs.htm]
