What hardwood stair installation means in Des Moines
A carpeted stair usually has construction-grade treads with no nosing and rough risers, all designed to be hidden. Hardwood over the top of that leaves a step height that no longer matches, which is both a code issue and a trip hazard.
The right job replaces the treads with hardwood treads that carry a proper bullnose, and either replaces or caps the risers.
- How it is done
- 1 inch treads with a bullnose, risers scribed to the wall
- What goes on the floor
- matched to the floor species, or deliberately contrasted
- Ready to use
- 24 hours before full use
- Typical cost
- $100 – $220 per step
- Service life
- 30–50 years
How hardwood stair installation goes down
Every step gets measured on its own. Older Des Moines staircases are rarely square, and treads that vary by a quarter inch across the flight are normal in a house from the 1920s.
Riser height between steps has to stay consistent within about 3/8 of an inch across a flight. Adding thickness to the top tread and not to the others is exactly how that gets broken.
Treads are glued and blind-fastened, never face-nailed where it will show, and the return nosing at an open side is mitred rather than butted.
What hardwood stair installation costs in Des Moines, IA
Quoted per step with the material specified, because a red oak tread and a white oak tread in the same flight are very different money. Landings are quoted separately as small floors.
Where hardwood stair installation goes wrong in Iowa
The failure worth naming is a flight where each tread was cut to the same measurement. On a 1926 staircase they are not the same, and the result is a gap at one stringer that grows as you go up.
Where we do hardwood stair installation
We cover Des Moines, the western suburbs, the Ankeny corridor and the older neighbourhoods inside the city, including and 18 more areas.
Questions we get asked about hardwood stair installation
Can you put hardwood over existing carpeted stairs?
Not over the top. The treads get replaced, otherwise the step heights change and the flight no longer complies.
Do the risers have to be wood?
No. Painted risers with wood treads is a common and durable combination, and it costs less.
How long does a flight take?
Two to four days for a straight flight, longer where there is a winder or an open side with return nosings.
Get a free estimate
Tell us what you need. We answer the same day, the free estimate is on site, and nobody chases you afterwards.
Get a price for your hardwood stair installation
Call and we will come out, measure, and leave you a written quote. There is no charge for the visit and no obligation afterwards.