How to Build Stair Treads With a Type of Wood

Walk to the bottom of the staircase and kneel down so you can easily access the lowest stair tread, or stair tread location if no treads are yet installed.

Slide the end of a tape measure all the way to the left side of the tread area and stretch it across to the right side of the tread or the edge of the underlying riser. Note the measurement, which is the length of the tread.

Move the end of the tape measure to the back of the tread or the area when the vertical portion of the riser starts. Measure forward to the front of the tread. Add 1 inch for the standard lip overhang and note the final measurement, which is the width of the tread.

Draw the dimensions on a piece of plywood using a pencil and straightedge. Don safety glasses and cut out the outline on the plywood using a table saw.

Insert the plywood into the stair tread area just as you would an actual tread. Examine the side of the riser above the tread and determine if a gap exists between the side of the riser and the side of the stairs, called a stringer. If so, draw a line on the plywood at the location where the riser stops.

Remove the plywood and cut along the line to form a template for the tread. Then lay the template on top of a piece of 1-inch thick hardwood board and trace around it with a pencil.

Set the plywood aside and cut the stair tread out of the hardwood board using a table saw.

Insert the finished tread back into the installation location to ensure it fits. Apply construction adhesive over the sub-base of the stair using a zigzag pattern and keeping it 1 inch from the edges. Press the tread into place to secure it into the adhesive. Wipe away any adhesive the oozes out using a rag.

Measure the second stair tread location to determine the side-to-side length, which may not match the that of the first step. Then measure the back to front measurement, again adding 1 inch for the nosing overlap.

Draw the dimensions on a new piece of plywood if the measurements vary from the first stair. Place the plywood on top of the second stair and draw a line where the stringer ends, just as with the first.

Lay the plywood template on top of another piece of hardwood and trace around it. Cut out the hardwood using the saw and then secure it to the second stair using construction adhesive.

Continue installing all remaining stair treads in the same manner; measure each stair individually to account for varying sizes.