Asked on Feb 13, 2012

Help on renovating carpeted staircase...

Steven
by Steven
I am looking to pull up my carpeted staircase and stain the treads and paint the risers. The treads are solid bullnosed pine. There is a 90 degree turn on the staircase, and the landing there is particle board with a stair nose molding. I know I can just sand and stain the treads, but I am assuming that I have to replace the particle board landings. Any suggestions on how to proceed?
Carpeted staircase landings.
Painted and stained.
Finished project. Went with a satin polyurethane and wainscot for the risers.
  27 answers
  • More than likely you will have to pull up the OSB or chipboard subfloor on the landing and replace with solid plywood sheeting. You can then nail or staple t&g pine flooring. You can get some of this pre-finished at Lumber Liquidators or Floor & decor. It's really not the easiest DIY project. LUCK!
  • Steven Steven on Feb 13, 2012
    Thanks for the info!
  • This may be a good site to visit also that may offer some help to fix this issue. http://www.stair-treads.com/retro-fit-my-stairs You can thank Tom from Money Pit for this link.
  • Peace Painting Co., Inc. Peace Painting Co., Inc. on Feb 13, 2012
    Finish all the stained surfaces before starting the painted ones. CP
  • Ricardo B Ricardo B on Feb 13, 2012
    Unless the pine has an interesting "character" to it like knotty pine, stained pine is not much to look at much like plain carpet. If I were committing to pulling up carpet off stairs... I'd jump in deeply and lay down oak or maple or something that would be cool to see... But, that's just me. Good look with your project, Steven.
  • Peace Painting Co., Inc. Peace Painting Co., Inc. on Feb 14, 2012
    You could also faux the steps. CP
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Feb 14, 2012
    FYI ...building codes require that stair heights do not vary by more than 3/8" from the "others" in the group. This is something to keep in mind when adding a "new layer" as in T&G pine
  • Ellen H Ellen H on Feb 14, 2012
    I am looking to carpet mine... I like the softness much better... and it is much quieter when you have kids running up and down them.
  • Peace Painting Co., Inc. Peace Painting Co., Inc. on Feb 14, 2012
    Ellen, just change them out with Stephen (-;
  • Thomas P Thomas P on Feb 14, 2012
    When you advised Ellen to faux the stairs I found that very intertesting. How do you go about it?
  • Rhoda V Rhoda V on Feb 14, 2012
    Steven, take a look at what I did in my former house when I ripped the carpet off the stairs. The wood was nice & solid, but not meant to be shown, but I made it work by painting the stairs & risers & adding molding too, as well as a jute runner. I loved them! Be sure to scrool down to see them finished! http://southernhospitalityblog.com/the-down-dirty-on-the-stair-project/
  • Peace Painting Co., Inc. Peace Painting Co., Inc. on Feb 14, 2012
    Thomas, any good faux artist, like Kass from Wallstreat here, can make the stairs look like oak. For a DIY'r, it's a little tricky though. I am not a faux person but can change the look of stained wood using gel stain and/or color varnish. These techniques mask the original grain, changing the color. You can also go to the paint store and they will make you a glaze into any color. This you brush on to color and imitate the grain. Oil base works best because it gives you a longer working time. These products take some finesse to work with, so they take a little practice. You can wipe off your 'practice' steps with thinner and start over. Once I visited the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. Our guide pointed out that the oak pews did not come from oak, there is none in that area. They were in fact pine finished to look like oak. CPeace
  • That was an awesome link Woodridge, thank you.
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Feb 15, 2012
    Southern Hos....Nice looking project...its amazing what some trim caulk and paint can do.
  • Ana M Ana M on Feb 15, 2012
    I did just that! I am posting pics for you to see. I did a more hardy slate tile where you are going to be painting the treads. So durable, I love them! I bought oak planks at Lowe's and stained and poly urethaned them myself, did not even have to replace the particle board I glued and nailed them in for extra security. VERY inexpensie my entire stairs costs me less than $1000, the planks were the most expensive part.
  • Ana M Ana M on Feb 15, 2012
    This is the before and after of the stairs, (we have gone through two different paint colors on the walls but you can see the remodel on the stairs)
  • Ana M Ana M on Feb 15, 2012
    By the way the treads are so durable because with painted treads you always have people shoes kicking them and here no damage done!
  • Peace Painting Co., Inc. Peace Painting Co., Inc. on Feb 15, 2012
    Real nice job. They will look like that 10 years+ from now. CP
  • Faidra at  CA Global Inc Faidra at CA Global Inc on Feb 15, 2012
    Call Kass @ walls treat she can help or o&s installations
  • Now that is clever Ana! Great job.
  • Steven Steven on Mar 09, 2012
    Decided to go with the plywood sheeting on the landings, sanding and staining the treads and just sanding and painting the risers. Thanks for your input!
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Mar 10, 2012
    @ Steven...how are you dealing with the exposed "edges" of the ply for the landings?
  • Steven Steven on Mar 10, 2012
    There was enough of a gap under the base board from where the carpeting was, I was able to slide it under so no edges were exposed.
  • Ana M Ana M on Mar 10, 2012
    Turned out great! Congrats and enjoy!
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Mar 11, 2012
    I was thinking more about the Nose of the landing...unless this landing is not part of a "step"
  • In order to save money, you could cover the particleboard with vinyl planking.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Jan 15, 2024

    Maybe you could overlay the lot with a hardwood or maybe use a thin MDF and stick it down with No More Nails and add a bullnose to the edge. Stain the lot the same.