Stairs
Stair installation, refinishing and staining — matched to the hardwood running through the rest of your home.
Stairs take more punishment than any other wood surface in a house. Every trip up and down lands on the same few inches of each tread, so staircases wear through their finish years before the floors around them do. They are also the first thing people see coming through the front door.
Stair installation, stair refinishing and staining are all part of what we do, and they pair naturally with the floors they connect.
Stair installation
New treads, risers and landings, cut and fitted to your staircase. We handle straight runs, winders and landings, and we match the species and stain to the hardwood already in your home so the staircase reads as part of the floor rather than a separate feature.
Carpet to hardwood conversions
Pulling carpet off a staircase is one of the most dramatic changes you can make to an entryway. What is underneath varies: sometimes there are solid treads that only need refinishing, and sometimes there is rough construction lumber that was never meant to be seen. We take a look before quoting so you get a real price rather than a guess.
Stair refinishing and staining
Worn, scratched or dated stairs can be sanded back and refinished the same way a floor can. Because the wear pattern on stairs is concentrated and uneven, getting a consistent result takes more hand work than an open floor does — the edges, the nosing and the corners all need attention a machine cannot give them.
Matching stairs to your floors
This is where most stair jobs succeed or fail. An existing floor has ambered with age and light exposure, and new wood will not match it out of the can. We test stain samples on the actual wood being used and adjust until the treads sit correctly against the floor at the top and the bottom of the run.
Talk to us about your staircase
Whether you are pulling up carpet, replacing worn treads, or refinishing stairs alongside a floor project, we will come out and give you a free written estimate. Call us at (859) 268-8048.
Stairs — frequently asked
Can you refinish stairs without refinishing the whole floor?
Yes, and it is a common request. The challenge is matching — stairs and floors age differently because stairs take concentrated foot traffic in the middle of each tread. We test stain samples so the finished stairs read as part of the same floor rather than an obvious repair.
Can carpeted stairs be converted to hardwood?
Usually. Once the carpet, padding, tack strip and staples come off, we can see what is underneath. Some staircases have finished treads hiding under the carpet that only need refinishing; others have rough construction-grade stringers that need new treads and risers installed. We will tell you which you have before quoting.
How long are the stairs out of use?
Stairs are the hardest part of a house to work around, because most homes only have one staircase. We plan the schedule around that and will tell you honestly how long you will be limited, including drying time between coats of polyurethane.
Do you match new stairs to an existing hardwood floor?
Yes. Matching stains to existing floors is one of our standard services, and it matters most on stairs, where the treads sit directly against the floor at the top and bottom. We test on the actual wood before finishing.
Call today for a free estimate
Tell us about your floors and we will give you an honest assessment and a written estimate at no cost.