How to redo a stairway?

Hi Shawn, I would stencil the risers.

Here's some fab stairs renovation ideas from other Hometalkers that might give you some inspiration Shawn

https://www.hometalk.com/search/posts?filter=stairs

Hello Shawn! When you say that you have a whole upstairs and you want to start with the stairway--does that mean you are renovating the upstairs as well? I am not clear if that is what you meant--stairs first--then upstairs reno? If you are planning to do upstairs renovations maybe you want to work on the stairs after you finish the upstairs renovations. Going up and down newly finished stairs with renovation materials and debris may ruin them!

I'm going to rip the carpet off my stairs and make them over as well. I've already peeked under the carpet and they look like yours. Not pretty lol.

I think I'm going to paint the risers and put down nice wood on the part you step on. Google for ideas... the are so many options!

I would recommend putting down wood treads. If that's not in the budget then paint them and put trim on the edges because they will get scuffed easily. You can tile, wallpaper, or contact paper the face of the risers for an interesting look.

We tiled our whole stairway and they will last forever!

Here's what I did to my basement stairs:

I always run over to Pintrest, unless I remember something here on hometalk, that someone has already done. So on Pintrest Etsy has stickers, stair riser murals, that old wood looking siding... also a couple other ideas . What to do with that old wood?? Is it rotted? Or can it be salvaged with sanding and refinishing? How are the stairs and supports themselves? Make sure they aren’t rotten.

If you are going to paint them, make sure to use a floor paint. We painted ours going to the attic and they have held up well except when we moved some furniture and put a knick in the tread edge.