Hardwood is an affordable upgrade that adds a luxurious look to the inside of your home. Find out here how to convert carpeted stairs into hardwood stairs.
Americans love having large homes, and this is evident in the fact that 58% of new homes built have two more stories. If you have a two-story house, one of the easiest ways to give it a refresh and upgrade is to give the stairs a makeover.
Image by Yinan Chen
Carpeted stairs were popular once, but these days they instantly date your home. The stairs also tend to be a high traffic area, which means the carpet gets heavy use and looks worn out quickly.
Replacing the carpet and turning them into hardwood stairs not only makes your stairs more durable but also modern. This guide will show you how to convert your carpeted stairs into a hardwood flooring staircase.
Remove the Old Carpet
Pull off the old carpet, padding, and hardware. You need to have a completely flat surface to install your wood on. A flathead screwdriver and hammer can make removing the staples easier. If they were glued down, you need to sand off the glue to create a smooth surface.
Measure Your Stairs
There are strict building codes that outline how stairs should be built. You’ll want to know these and measure your stairs before you get started. This will ensure you build your new stairs correctly, so they’re safe for use.
Installing Wood Stairs
There are two methods you can choose from to install hardwood stairs. The first is to buy raw wood and build your new stairs from scratch. This is time-consuming, requires a lot of math, and you should have experience with woodworking.
The other option is to buy premade wood treads and risers. This method is significantly faster, easier, and comes out looking more professional. The engineered hardwood on stairs looks just like the handmade stairs and is just as durable.
What’s the Difference?
When building your hardwood stairs from scratch, you will have to cut several pieces of wood to construct each stair. You’ll have to create your bullnose, and ensure that each stair is precisely the same measurements as the others. Get one slightly off, and you’ve created a tripping hazard.
Pre-engineered pieces already have the bullnose built into the tread, so it’s just a matter of putting the tread and riser together on the stairs.
How to Install the Wood
Use construction adhesive to attach the risers. You don’t need nails for this piece because they don’t get pressure on them. You can use nails if you want.
Then attach the tread with the bullnose already attached. You’ll want to use construction adhesive and nails. This will ensure the tread pieces stay in place.
Enjoy Your New Hardwood Stairs
Turning your carpeted staircase into hardwood stairs is a labor-intensive project. However, the results are well worth the expense and effort.
To make the job a bit easier, opt for engineered hardwood flooring. This will reduce the amount of cutting and building you’ll need to do.
Browse our other home improvement and project articles for more advice on how to upgrade your home.
