Priced per step, not per foot
A typical straight flight of thirteen steps is therefore $600 to $1,100, which surprises people who have just been quoted a whole floor by the square foot.
The reason is that no machine fits a staircase. Every tread, riser, nosing and stringer is sanded by hand with a palm sander and a scraper.
- How it is done
- every tread, riser and nosing is hand work
- What goes on the floor
- the same finish as the floor
- Ready to use
- n/a
- Typical cost
- $45 – $85 per step
- Service life
- n/a
What pushes a flight past the range
Three things push a flight toward the top of the range or past it. Balusters that have to be removed and re-wedged rather than worked around, painted risers that need stripping, and open sides with return nosings that are hand-finished on three faces.
Landings are quoted as small floors rather than as steps, and a winder flight where treads are wedge-shaped takes longer per step than a straight one.
The flight is coated on alternate steps so the house stays usable, which means two visits rather than one and is built into the price.
Doing stairs with the floor
Doing the stairs at the same time as the floor is cheaper than doing them later, because the setup, containment and finish product are already in the house.
Balusters that were glued in
Where a quote gets revised upward is a flight with balusters that were glued in rather than wedged. Removing those without splitting them is slow work and it is not visible from the top of the stairs.
Where these prices apply
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 stair refinishing cost per step
How much per step?
$45 to $85 in Des Moines, covering one tread and one riser. A flight of thirteen is $600 to $1,100.
Why are stairs more than the floor?
There is no machine for them. It is hand sanding on every surface, and there are a lot of surfaces.
Can we use the stairs during?
Yes. Alternate steps are coated so there is always a usable set.
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 real number for your floor
Call and we will come out, measure, and leave you a written quote. There is no charge for the visit and no obligation afterwards.