Staircase makeover: from carpet to wood treads and a new railing

In many homes the staircase is the first big feature you see after the front door. When it is covered in worn carpet and fitted with a dated railing, it can make the whole entry feel tired. When it is refinished, it can make the house feel renewed.

A staircase makeover is more manageable than many people think. Here is how it usually goes.

What a makeover can include

• Removing carpet and any underlay
• Replacing or refinishing the treads, the flat parts you step on
• Painting or replacing the risers, the vertical parts
• Replacing the railing, balusters and newel posts
• Updating the trim and the walls beside the stairs
• Adding lighting along the stairs

Treads and risers

A very popular combination is wood treads with painted white risers. The wood gives warmth and a place for the eye to rest. The white risers keep the stairs light and clean. Together they make a staircase feel crisp and modern.

In a house we refreshed, the before photo shows stairs covered in carpet with a tile entry. After the work, the stairs have white risers, wood treads and a new railing, and they now look like part of the room instead of a carpeted passage.

What is under the carpet

Before planning, it helps to know what is under the carpet. Sometimes there are good wood treads that only need sanding and finishing. Sometimes the treads are softwood or plywood covered with carpet, and new treads have to be installed. We check by lifting an edge of the carpet at the start.

Choosing the wood

Treads see a lot of traffic, so durable wood is a good choice, and the finish has to be hard-wearing. Color matters too. A tread color that matches or complements the floors nearby makes the whole area feel coherent. If the stairs meet a new plank floor, we look at both together before choosing.

The railing

The railing sets the style of the staircase. A traditional railing with turned balusters feels classic. A modern one, with slim vertical bars or cables, feels open and light.

Several practical points apply:

• Railings and balusters have rules about height, strength and spacing. These vary by village, so check with your village building department.
• The railing has to feel solid. Anything that wobbles should be fixed during the makeover.
• Posts at the ends and turns anchor the whole system, and they should be fastened properly into the structure.

Safety and grip

Stairs are a place where falls happen. Finishes that are too slippery are a problem, as are poor lighting and uneven treads. When we plan a staircase we think about grip, lighting and a clear handrail.

Lighting the stairs

Small lights set in the wall at foot level, or a strip under the nosing of each tread, make stairs safe at night and look beautiful. They have to be wired in before the wall or the tread is closed up.

Walls and trim

New treads and railings look best against clean walls. A fresh coat of paint, repaired corners and new baseboards finish the picture. This is a good time to match the trim to the rest of the house.

Living through it

Staircases are the main route through a house, so the work has to be planned around daily life. We talk through when the stairs will be unusable and how to manage, such as keeping some things on the other level.

Cost and timing

What drives cost is the number of steps, the wood, the railing system, any structural repairs and the finish. We explain each in the estimate.

Choose the order of work

The stairs are best done after other messy work and before the final paint. If new floors are going in on either level, the treads and the floor should be planned together so the transitions at the top and bottom look right. If walls beside the stairs are being painted, do the heavy work first and the touch-up last, because new treads get scuffed easily. Covering them with protective boards until the project ends is cheap insurance, and it is something we do as a matter of course.

Talk it through with us

If your stairs are the part of the house you would most like to change, see our interior finishing page, then request a free estimate. We will lift an edge of the carpet and tell you what is underneath.