Hardwood Stairs Capping and RefinishingRegardless of your particular staircase design. Whether it be straight or curved, one that incorporates landings or odd shaped treads such as diamonds, trapezoid or triangles, or even Open riser stairs. You have come to the right place. |
"StairSteps" is a remodelling company that specializes in tread re-capping and staircase refinishing. If you reside in the GTA, especially Oakville, Mississauga, Burlington or Toronto, |
You no longer have to look at that old carpet, or builders yellowing polyurethane finish. |
Most Common Types of Stairs
Closed Stairs
Open One Side Stairs
Open Both Sides Stairs
Open Riser Stairs
Stairs With Triangle & Trapezoid
Stairs With Landings
Curved Staircase
What To Do With Our Stair Stringers
Closed StairsA Closed Stair, also known as a "Boxed Stair" will have a wall on either side of the stair tread. The stair treads and risers will butt up against the inside of the staircase stringers on either side. This type of stair is usually rectangular, and not a closed pie shaped as shown. Stair stringers are never straight. Therefore installing Closed Hardwood Stair Caps is not as simple as cutting to a measurement. They must be trimmed several times in order to fit each unique opening. Sometimes closed or boxed stairs do not have walls on either side. In these cases Spindles or Pickets will be installed atop the stringers instead of on the stair treads. |
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Open One Side StairsA One Side Open Stair will have one side of the tread and riser adjoining the wall, where as the other side of the tread will slightly extend or cascade (which is the nosing and return) over the stringer. Spindles or Pickets will be inserted into the stair treads open side of the staircase, supporting the handrail. Open one side hardwood stair caps need to be scribed in order to fit correctly. |
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Open Both Sides StairsA Both Sides Open Stair will have both sides of the tread slightly extending or cascading over the stringers (which is the nosing and return). Therefore with a both sides open stair you will have Spindles or Pickets on either side inserted into the stair tread, supporting the handrails. Open both side Stair Caps need to be measured perfectly before manufacture in order to fit correctly |
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Open Riser StairsAn Open Riser Staircase has only treads and not risers. You will be able to look straight through the staircase. This is great for allowing light to enter an area, where as in a conventional staircase the risers would have blocked the light. The underside of the treads must obviously be in a finished condition. One caveat is that you lose the "Under the stairs" storage. A common misconception is that risers can simply be removed to create an "Open riser staircase", but risers provide stability, so if an open riser staircase is desired the stringers will have to be strengthened, or a completely new staircase will need to be installed |
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Stairs With Triangle & TrapezoidA staircase that has triangular and trapezoid shaped treads AKA "Kite Winder" will also make up a 90 degree turn in the staircase from top to bottom (or level to level). This type of staircase will have a triangle then a trapezoid followed by an additional triangular shaped tread. On occation there are only 2 larger triangular shaped treads that make up the 90 degree turn. These odd shaped treads are cut out of solid hardwood to fit. |
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Stairs With LandingsA staircase with a landing will typically turn 90 degrees from top to bottom (or from floor level to floor level). All of the treads will be a rectangular shape. The landing which is typically about 10 to 12 square feet in area will allow for the 90 degree turn in the staircase. Landings can either be finished in regular hardwood flooring planks or boards, or a solid hardwood piece cut to fit. A staircase that turns 180 degrees will have a larger landing, usually about 20-25 sq/ft These treads are installed using the scribing method |
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Curved StaircaseA Curved, Helix or Circular staircase will typically turn 90 degrees from top to bottom (or from floor level to floor level). One side is usually open and the other closed. Along with a "First step" usually curved on the open side, you will have a combination of rectangular as well as "Pie shaped" treads which makes up the 90 degree turn between levels of the home. |
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What To Do With Our Stair StringersWhen having your staircase remodeled, this is a scenario that arises the majority of the time. "What to do with our Stair Stringers". If your design plans are to have the entire staircase in Oak or Maple etc.., and your stringers are currently construction grade lumber which is typically Spruce (usually painted white), then you will have no choice but to have them veneered in Hardwood (reface) in order to create the look that you desire.
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