I am currently in the process of purchasing a new home that will have a basic carpeted staircase (With an oak rail and pickets) and would like to change it to have oak stairs in the future.
Is it common or even economical to create an oak staircase by making oak steps and capping them over the existing stair?
stairs810 asks:
Better you than me. If you plan to do it, see if there isn't some way you can get the builder to make the rail and balusters (your pickets) removable. Then you can lever off the old treads and replace with oak. Of course, if it's a cased staircase (one or both ends of the stair set into the stringers) all bets are off, as the cased ends and back create major exchange difficulties.
Capping any staircase involves cpping the first (bottom) stair, too, with attendant problems when it increases the rise. The increase will be the same...until the top step! Whoops.
Charlie Self "To create man was a quaint and original idea, but to add the sheep was tautology." Mark Twain's Notebook
This is a BAD IDEA. Suppose there's an 8-inch rise between steps now, and you add a 1-inch cap. Now the bottom step is 9 inches high, and the top step only
7 inches. That will be awkward to navigate going *up*, but it's downright *dangerous* on the way *down*: the second step going down will be an inch deeper than the first, and this is enough of a difference to cause a stumble. The top of a staircase is a BAD place to stumble. The same problem will exist at the bottom as well, but it's not nearly so dangerous there.-- Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?
Where do you live? I just happen to have an entire oak staircase I took out of a brand new house sitting here taking up space. Come get it, slip me say $50 for my trouble and its yours. 8" rise, two steps to a landing then turns left (as viewed going down). Fits an 8' high opening. Great shape too.
Jim
Unless you're also adding hardwood flooring to both floors, then the net gain should stay the same.
Barry
No.
You can do it, and if you have any sort of half stair or landing at the top, it's not even that difficult. You can absorb a height variation, if you're already turning a corner etc. to break your stride.
I'd stick with carpet though. I have plain wood stairs on my upper staircase here and I hate the things - too damn slippery in bare feet.
-- Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods
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