How to convert carpeted stairs to wood treads DIY
If you’ve installed carpet on your stairs, you know that it can wear out quickly, especially if your stairs are a high-traffic area. The previous owners of our home had laid white carpet on our staircase that leads to the second floor where all the bedrooms are located. We use it every day, multiple times a day. It was stained, matted and showed EVERYTHING.
Also, our staircase is the first thing you see when you walk through the front door. We wanted the first look at our home to look clean and welcoming. Wooden steps, when done right, will last for years and withstand the wear and tear of daily family life so this has proven to be a worthy home improvement project.
- total cost: Total cost to replace an average sized staircase with wooden steps: $800 – $1,000
- DIY level: Intermediate to Experienced
How to convert carpet stairs into wooden steps
By removing the old carpet and replacing it with stained wood steps, we were able to fulfill a desire to have a beautiful space that would stand the test of time. If you are an experienced DIYer, this project is for you!
Removing carpets and upholstery from stairs.
(Image credit: Dori Turner)
1. Removing the carpet
You start by removing the old carpet from the stairs. You may need to use a pry bar to pull the rug away from the tack strips. After removing the carpet, use the pry bar to remove the tack strips. Take a pair of pliers and remove any remaining staples or nails from the old carpet.
Take your sander with a medium grit sandpaper (opens in new tab) and sand down the bare wood where the tacks and staples were. Thoroughly clean the stairs of dust and dirt to prepare them for the risers and steps.
Staircase with carpet removed.
(Image credit: Dori Turner)
2. Trimming a floating stair
If your staircase has walls on both sides, you don’t need to worry about cutting out the sides. If your staircase floats or protrudes from the wall like ours, you may need to add moldings to the sides. I recommend doing this before installing your steps and risers. This way your risers and steps will come over the trim and hide the seams. We left the side paneling for last, making it harder to make the cuts and hide the seams without taking extra steps.
3. Color and paint over the steps
The next step is to prepare your wooden steps. Start by using a wood conditioner (opens in new tab) on the bare wood. This allows your stain to go even further for a uniform look. Follow the directions on your preferred can for application. We decided to apply a layer of Minwax stain. Once dry, we followed the stain coat with two coats of polyurethane, sanding between coats. Two coats add durability to the finish.
At this point, you can decide whether to paint your risers or wait until they’re installed and paint the entire staircase. We decided to wait and painted them last.
4. Installation of steps and risers
Applying wood glue to stair treads.
(Image credit: Dori Turner)
Now you can start installing your steps and risers. Start at the lowest level and work your way up, going up one riser and one level at a time. Measure the height and length of your stairs and cut your tread and riser accordingly.
Top Tip: I suggest doing this for each individual flight of stairs, especially if you live in an older home. Our house is 50 years old and has arranged itself in such a way that nothing is square and level. We found that each stair was measured slightly differently.
First attach your bottom riser with heavy duty wood glue (opens in new tab). Once the riser is in place, attach your step to the top of the stairs, also using the wood glue. Using wood glue instead of nails saves you from patching the holes and gives it a clean look. Continue moving in this manner until you have installed all the risers and steps.
If you have a floating staircase, you may want to use the matching step trim pieces on the sides of the staircase to cover any gaps and give it a clean look. These must be colored in the same way as the treads.
Installing wooden steps on the stairs.
(Image credit: Dori Turner)
5. Finishing touches
Mount the stair case.
(Image credit: Dori Turner)
With everything installed, you’re ready to put the finishing touches to finish your wood step conversion project – with a professional finish. If you haven’t already painted your risers, you should now complete this step. Use wooden spatula (opens in new tab)B. Weatherstrips and/or moldings to fill in unwanted seams or gaps between the wall and the steps or the risers and the steps.
The results:
(Image credit: Dori Turner)
Now you can step back and enjoy your beautiful new staircase!