How do I Lay Hardwood on Stairs in a Sunken Living Room?

Remove any carpet or other flooring covering the stairs to expose the concrete. Measure the width of the stairs and cut 2 pieces of 1/2-inch plywood, 2 inches wide the same width as the stairs, for each tread, using a circular saw. The tread is the top of the step. Do the same for each riser, which is the face, or vertical of the step.

Drill pilot holes through the plywood battens using a 1/4-inch wood bit. Space them every 12 inches. Countersink them slightly to allow the heads of the screws to sit flush.

Position one batten along front and back edge of each tread. Drill through each pilot hole into the concrete with a 3/16-inch rotary mason's bit to a depth of 1/8-inch to mark for pilot holes. Remove the battens and drill each marked spot to 1 1/4-inch.

Replace the battens and drive one 1/4 by 2 inch tapcon style concrete screw through each hole into the concrete. Run the heads in flush. Repeat with the risers, placing one batten at the top edge of the concrete and one 1-inch above the back batten on each tread.

Cut 3/4-inch hardwood lumber in your choice of grain to fit treads and risers. Cut treads 3 inches wider and 1 1/2 inches deeper than step tops. Cut risers 1 1/2-inches wider and 3/4-inch shorter than the concrete risers. Cut the bottom riser the same height as the concrete riser. Cut side risers the same height as the risers and from the front edge of the step to the wall.

Round the edges of the treads with a 1/4-inch corner rounding bit in a router. Adjust the bit depth until the corner at the top of the curve is even with the baseplate. Run the router around both ends and one long face of each tread, top and bottom.

Sand all the treads and risers with a random orbit sander and 150 grit paper.

Nail the bottom riser in place with the front piece centered on the concrete. Use a pneumatic brad nailer with 1 1/4-inch nails every 8 to 10 inches into each batten behind. Tap the side pieces into position and nail through the face of the front riser into the end of the side piece in at least two places.

Set the tread on top of the step, centered from side to side and pressed against the back of the step. Nail it in place in the same way. Continue adding risers and treads to the top of the stairs.