Stair Treads and Nosing in South Dakota

Stairs take more traffic than any room in a two-story house, and they are often the last part of the house still wearing old carpet. New oak treads and nosing can make a staircase look like it was built with the floor, especially after a new or refinished floor goes in on the main level.

We cover existing, sound steps with new treads and risers. Each step is measured on its own, because in older houses no two steps are quite the same size.

What changes on the stairs

The tread is the part you step on. The riser is the upright face between treads, and the nosing is the rounded front edge that your heel and the vacuum hit most. We replace the old covering with new oak treads, fit painted or wood risers, and set nosing at the top landing so the floor flows over the edge without a gap or a lip.

Most customers pick a tread color that matches the floor at the top or bottom of the stairs, with white or painted risers for contrast. A runner can be added later over the new treads if you like something softer underfoot.

How a staircase goes

We remove the old carpet, pad and tack strip, pull any staples and check that each step is firm. Each tread is scribed to fit between the walls or skirt boards, glued and fastened from above, and the nail holes are filled. The risers go on next, then the nosing at the landing.

A straight staircase is often one day of work. Stairs with a turn, a landing or winder steps take longer, and we plan the days for your stairs in the estimate. The stairs stay usable at the end of each day.

Matching new and old

If your stairs connect two floors of different woods or tones, we talk through which one the treads should follow. Unfinished treads can be stained and coated on site to match an existing floor, while prefinished treads suit a new prefinished floor.