Transform Your Stairs: Wooden Treads, Risers and Noses

Choosing the right wooden floor is a matter of thousands of possibilities and opportunities to express your personal style, individualism, and creativity. This is why many people feel a bit confused and overwhelmed when they have to choose a new wooden floor for their house. The variety of styles, colours, designs, patterns, textures, finishes and what not is simply impressive. However, it may take some time and good consideration until you finally settle on an appearance you truly enjoy. And then you think, wait a minute, the floor looks amazing, I am so glad I decided on this style, however, something looks not right, I miss something until the whole look is finished and put together.

You are wondering what you are missing so the whole picture is complete and then, out of nowhere, you finally see it – what about the stairs? Something you are using every day just like your floor, something you forget that is actually part of your flooring, and yet again, you have missed it. Don’t worry, you are not the only one because most people are neglecting their stairs. Definitely not out of bad intentions, they simply forget about the stair treads and risers consumed by all the hassle and stress of choosing a new floor and having it installed. However, no wooden floor will look perfect until it is not complemented by beautiful wooden stairs.

Looking at your stairs you are probably wondering how they are done and why they look much more complicated than the floor. The truth is, choosing the right wood stairs and having them installed so they perfectly complement or bled with our wooden floor is definitely not a matter of some additional stress. It is much easier than you expect and once you have made the decision for your wooden floor, you are fully capable of making a good decision for your stairs too. In order to help you make the best decision for your stairs, here are some ideas, tips, and aspects definitely worth considering before you make the final decision.

When it comes to stairs and the installation of new ones, there are a few key aspects and pieces to consider and think of. These are the treads, the risers, and the stair noses. Treads are pretty much the horizontally laid steps that show the biggest area on your stairs, while the risers are the vertical backings of the steps.

Stair Treads

Since treads are the biggest area of the steps showing, clearly, these pieces of wood will dominate the style of your entire staircase, therefore, you start considering them when choosing materials and wooden floorboards for the stairs. A tread comes in the shape of a full plank of wood with a rounded edge on the front. The right choice of treads will definitely be determined by the fact whether your stairs are open or enclosed. The classic enclosed staircase does not require you to make the choice of a more specific type of tread. However, when it comes to an open staircase, you need to look for treads with the return. Treads with return are the ones with rounded edges not just on the front but also on the sides.

Stair Risers

Risers are pretty similar to the treads in terms of structure. Unlike treads, however, risers are installed on the vertical section of the stairs. Classically, risers are matched to treads and the same wood species, colour, and texture is used. However, recently there is a trend of mismatching treads and risers and choosing different types of wood or entirely different materials. The most popular choice nowadays if you decide to mismatch treads and risers is choosing white wood risers. It is a great way to make the treads actually pop out and enjoy a unique two-tone style. You can additionally save some money by purchasing risers from softer wood. You don’t step on risers, which means they don’t experience a lot of wear and tear anyway, so you can limit your budget there and purchase something not that durable and expensive.

Stair Nose

The stair nose could also be a part of your stairs. It is practically a transition moulding. You can go without it, however, most of the staircases feature a stair nose and it is an important element of the overall project. So stair nose is practically the rounded plank that is installed at the bottom of the stairs and used for making a smooth and beautiful transition from the floor to the stairs. The stair nose is also known as bullnose and in this essence is it actually a rounded and narrower tread with a groove on the end. The stair nose element is also used on the landing area where, along with hardwood flooring, it creates a square platform for changing directions.