I am now almost at the end of completing my basement renovation. Bought the house with an unfinished basement. The builder installed a standard set of steps and risers made out of pine or some other type of lower end wood. I want to finish up my basement project by finishing the steps with a better wood for the treads. I talked to one of the flooring people at my local Lowes and he suggested that I purchase engineered oak flooring. He said that it would only increase the height a little and that the flooring would stand up to the traffic.
I was also considering purchasing 1/2" thick oak boards and just gluing and nailing them over top of the existing treads. I would also use my router to make overlap joints, so as to butt the boards. I will also be removing the bull-nose ends of the treads prior to laying either the wood planks or the engineered flooring and installing my own. If I use the planks I will also be finishing them up with a urethane made especially for floors.
I'd like to know if anyone here has resurface any of their steps in this manner and which they suggest is better?
However you cover the treads, the stringers on each side will stand out if they are not of the same material and not match the care you've taken with the treads.
Engineered oak flooring will be a thin layer of veneer of 1/16 to 1/8" glued to other cores of wood. Handling the stair nosing will be interesting as without it the other cores will be visible.
Using solid 1/2" oak will be more attractive but require carefully cutting, planing, and gluing to get the size exact, width and length for each tread and have a suitable stair nosing added. Then there will be the fastening to the present tread and having it remain secure and not split at the joints over time. Being 2 different kinds of wood they will not react identically to the atmosphere changes in your home.
There is also the issue that the bottom and top steps may also be a different rise with either method.
The issue really is cost. Consider pricing other woods and their availability, birch, maple, pine, oak, etc. and build them entirely of solid wood, stringers included. Consider adding railings, balusters and newel posts of the same type to enhance the whole appearance. You will likely find the task most enjoyable and satisfying when done and appreciate it more. Though you can only judge it yourself and whichever method you choose must meet your skills, tastes and finances.
I believe that the concern about the height of the top and bottom steps(treads) may already be taken care of. First, at the top of the stairs leading into the main part of the first floor, there is a wall to wall carpet that is thick. So by adding a top covering over the first thread will only bring it back to a standard height. As for the bottom tread height, this too may already be addressed because of the tiled floor in the basement. The tile is at least 3/16" thick. Add to that the thinset underneath the tiles I think that either adding an engineered or solid tread cover will also make up the height difference.
The stringers are painted white. So I will paint the riseres white to match the stringers and molding. I have seen in a lot of older colonial style homes, where the treads are oak, or some other solid wood, but the riser, molding and stringers are painted.
I'm just wondering witch will stand up to the best wear? Solid oak which I can cut and fit? I am pretty darn good with wood working. Over the years I have built furniture, such as kitchen and dinning room tables, kitchen cabinets, even built the custom five seat bar in our family room. I am just wondering whitch will stand up to the traffic, the engineered, which has already been prefinished? I know that I can purchase engineered boards that have a bull-nose end top them, or just custom cut my own tread covers from 1/2" oak and either make or purchase oak bull-nose. As for the differences in the woods, original treads and the covers. I am sealing the originals so that moisture will not be a factor. Once wood is properly sealed, expansion and shrinkage are minimal or non-existent. Plus the original stairs have had 2 years to dry and acclimate.
Focusing only on which will wear better, each must be fastened to the stairs.
Using the engineered lumber, the wood already is prefinished and has a warranty of some sort with which you are familiar. You also have a good idea of how to fasten it to the stairs.
Making your own from 1/2" oak, you will need to size, glue. stain and finish each tread. Being a heavy traffic area each tread will need many coats of polyurethane. You then must determine how to fasten each to the stairs and attach a stair nosing.
I think you need to focus on which will be easier to fasten securely and then require the least upkeep to maintain the look desired. Once the finish is worn on either you will need to take steps to reapply it. The solid oak will be more forgiving as you may take all needed steps to do it. The engineered wood may have a limited time if the finish doesn't stand up, as the number of steps to restore it may be the same as the oak but it may not stand up to the sanding and traffic the steps may receive over time. Removing and replacing it may later be involved. This will not likely be true with the oak.
I believe the solid oak would be better though you need a secure method of fastening it and also must choose and apply an appropriate number of coats of finish. Doing this it will easily out last the engineered wood and allow for easier maintenance when needed. It may take more work to apply these but with it will come the satisfaction and enjoyment.
I think I will buy my own oak boards and have a mill serface plain them to about 3/16". I am thinking of gluing them with liquid nails and also using counter sunk wood screws, which will be covered up with oak dowel plugs. Or get a plug cutter and make my own matching plugs from scraps. As for the finish, I plan on leaving them natural with just the poly top coats.
Planing 1/2" oak to 3/16" seems extreme. If you do countersink & use screws, you'll have very little to drill. In addition any plugs you use will have very little wood to adhere to when glued and may come free in time through wear.
Going with the full 1/2" oak, you have more depth to drill more holding power even if you drill & countersinking the screws to 1/4". The plugs in addition will also have more wood to bond to and will remain secure for years with less chance of coming free.
Planing all pieces so they are uniform in depth may be wise, but make the planing just a minimum tack off to achieve this.
As to finish, personally, I like Minwax golden oak stain. It adds a rich yellowish tinge to the wood and darkens the grain making it standout more prominently.
Thoughts to consider.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Simply Me,
I really like your dowel idea. my 2 cents on that idea..use a gifferent wood for the dowels something that would contrast with the treads. if your using a neutral color.i think the plugs standing out.would look really good
Posts: 1533 | Location: i i live in southern mississippi | Registered: Jun 01, 2008
