Replies

1. 
   AlanMikkelsen | Feb 13, 2007 06:44pm | #1

   One problem that I can see is that the flooring is 3/4" and stair treads look better if they are 1"-11/8".  You could create this by gluing a 1/4" x 1" wide strip under the front edge before you put the bull nose on it.  I just finished making 29 stair treads from maple.  Also, it doesn't necessarily hurt to have a contrasting wood on the stairs.  Just whatever you like!

   Alan & Lynette Mikkelsen, Mountain View Farm, est. 1934,  Gardens & Fine Woodworking, St. Ignatius, MT

2. 
   LeslieT | Feb 13, 2007 06:48pm | #2

   I bought several hundred "extra" feet of the Bolivian Rosewood when I did my floor.  The floor was pre-finished, the "extra" was unfinished.   The wife wanted 5" base boards.  I used the unfinished, cut off the tongue and chamfered the edge.  I left the grove in the bottom.  To join the pieces I finger jointed the ends.  I also trimmed out the door and windows - using ~2.5" material -- It turned out really good.

   Since you are edge jointing the boards - you might just want to mill a glue joint on the long edges -- also you will need to cut off the grove.

   I chose unfinished for this work, because I didn't think I could match the face finish on the now exposed edge.  On the leading edge you'll probably want to laminate a chunk on the overhang to give you additional thickness -- most stair treads are a full 1" thick and the 3/4 looks funny.

    

   Les

    

3. 
   MikeHennessy | Feb 13, 2007 09:13pm | #3

   Stair treads are, as another poster noted, usually 5/4" nominal. Also, you can't just glue up flooring T&G joints, as they are not likely tight enough to yield a good glue joint. You'll have to re-joint both edges first. They will still be susceptable to opening up at the joints, creating squeaky stairs. You may be able to get away with laminating them onto a piece of 1/2" ply and putting a bullnose on the front to solve these problems. All in all, I think $55 per tread is a pretty good deal considering the headache you'll be getting in to. One last thought -- what about risers?

   Mike Hennessy
   Pittsburgh, PA

4. 
   daddyman105 | Feb 13, 2007 11:15pm | #4

   I have done what you are contemplating.  The only differences were that I used unfinished 3.5" wide oak flooring.

   To do this, you will need to rip the top portion of the groove side to match the lower portion.  Look close, the lower edge of the grove is not as wide as the upper, it allows the top edges to butt closely without interference. 

   You will also need to beef up  the front edge of the tread as others have suggested.  I glued a strip on and then used an old rounding plane to form the bullnose. 

   I set up a gluing jig on my bench and glued up the treads one at a time.  (I'm a hobbyist and can do one a day without loosing money).

   Finish was three coats of waterbased poly.

   Trimming was done long the back edge of each tread.

   I attached the treads to the subfloor treads with construction adhesive and cut nails.  (I lived 15 minutes from Treemont Nails).

   They treads looked fantastic and were fine after two years of use.  I have since moved and can't speak for the long term durability of the project.  I will warn you that without some kind of carpet runner, the stairs are a challenge to navigate in socks.

   You will need to add in the effort to remove and re-finish your treads as you will not be able to keep the factory finish on the bullnose.

1. 
   Elcoholic | Feb 14, 2007 12:34am | #5

   Can anbody recommend a good guide for installing false treads, rake boards and otherwise trimming out an existing stairway.  The existing stairs are plaster-over-wood.  I've found factory false treads in kits or pre-assembled but I am not sure how to relate their measurements to my stairs.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

   The more things change ...

   We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized.  I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.

   Petronious Arbiter, 210 BC

5. 
   jeanlou | Feb 14, 2007 05:08am | #6

   Andrew

   You have received some good advice. In response to the part of your post where you ask

   "After fastening them, should I plane them down, or just keep the factory finish?"

   I think that once you joint the edges and glue them up you will need to level (plane) the surface and the underside. You will be shy of 3/4" thickness once done, so wait until then to glue your buildup for the bullnose.

   The question you were asked about the risers is a good one to address and you will also need to find a finish that suits the existing flooring.   JL

1. 
   Nichols747 | Feb 15, 2007 01:43am | #7

   Thanks for all of the good information everyone!

   There are 3/4 plywood treads on the stairs currently.  Would it make sense to bring this wood down to 1/2, with a 5/4 built up edge, bullnose it, and secure this to the plywood to get my thickness?  This would offer thickness, as well as securing the wood not only to itself, but to the plywood as well. 

   in regards to the risers, are they usually the same material as the treads?  i was thinking about some kind of contrasting wood.  Our walls are a light mocha color drywall, and the floor and treads would be the Brazilian Cherry.  Ideas?, or should I stick with the same wood?

    

   Thanks again for all of the information.

   Andrew

1. 
   JohnWW | Feb 15, 2007 02:01am | #8

   Be very careful about adding thickness to the treads. 

   If you make the treads thicker, the first and last treads will change in height in relation to the finished floor surfaces on the first and second floors, giving you a step that is taller at the bottom and a step that is shorter at the top, than the remaining steps in the flight.  A difference of as little as 1/8" will throw people off their stride and larger differences will regularly cause stumbles and injuries.

   John White, Shop Manager, Fine Woodworking Magazine

1. 
   Nichols747 | Feb 15, 2007 02:26am | #9

   Good to know John.  So do you think that I would be better off bringing them down to 1/2, and securing them to some 1/4 material (Plywood?) and then adding "artifical" thickness on the front (to thicken the bullnose)? 

   Andrew

1. 
   nikkiwood | Feb 15, 2007 03:00am | #10

   I'd take this question over to Breaktime. Stan Foster is the resident genius when it comes to anything related to stairs, and he has been posting in the last couple of days, so I know he is around.There are others who are also very knowledgeable.********************************************************
   "It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."

   John Wooden 1910-

2. 
   jeanlou | Feb 15, 2007 06:12am | #11

   Andrew

   If you make your solid wood 1/2" you should consider the suggestion made in a previous post about gluing the wood to a plywood backing. 1/2" stair treads are not thick enough on their own. There is insufficient thickness for proper fastening and you will not have enough thickness to install the balustrade system.  JL