How to Install Hardwood Stair Treads in a Gallery

Preparation

• 1

  Cut a slit in any carpeting covering existing stairs using a utility knife. Make the cut in the top stair.

• 2

  Remove the carpeting by placing your fingers into the slit and ripping the carpet from the stairs.

• 3

  Remove any nails or staples protruding from the surface of the stairs with a hammer.

• 4

  Sweep the stairs to remove any dust or debris trapped by the carpet.

• 5

  Measure the distance of the overhang on each stair deck by placing a tape measure against the riser and measuring out. The overhang consists of the horizontal distance between the protruding lip of the top of a stair and the vertical riser beneath the stair.

• 6

  Measure a distance equal to the overhang on the top of each stair deck using a tape measure. Draw a straight line across the width of the stair at this point, using a pencil.

• 7

  Cut along the line drawn on each stair deck using a circular saw. Tap the edge of each stair gently with a hammer to remove the overhang cut with the circular saw.

• 8

  Remove any extra overhang not removed by the saw and hammer with a hammer and chisel. Place the chisel at the edge of the remaining wood, and hit the chisel handle with the hammer.

• 9

  Sand the area exposed by each cut.

• 10

  Sweep the stairs again to remove sawdust created by cutting and sawing the stairs.

Installation

• 11

  Measure the depth of the bottom stair, using a tape measure.

• 12

  Measure the depth of the bottom stair on a stair tread, starting from the lip of the treading and moving the tape measure back. Add 1 inch to the depth of the stair. For instance, measure 9 inches back on the tread for an 8-inch-deep stair. Draw a line across the width of the stair at this point, using a pencil.

• 13

  Cut along the pencil line on the stair tread with a circular saw.

• 14

  Measure the width of the bottom stair with a stair measuring tool. Stair measuring tools contain two feet that slide along a central measuring mechanism. Open the tool on the stair by sliding the feet out until they reach the edge of the stairs.

• 15

  Move the stair measuring tool to the stair tread cut to depth of the first stair, without changing the settings on the tool. Draw a pencil line across the depth of the tread on the outside edge of each side of the stair measuring tool.

• 16

  Cut along the lines drawn on the stair tread with a circular saw.

• 17

  Place the stair tread on the bottom step to ensure it fits properly. Use a saw to resize the tread if it's too big, or cut a new tread to size if it's too small.

• 18

  Apply construction adhesive to the bottom stair deck. Use at least half a tube of adhesive for each tread.

• 19

  Place the tread on top of the adhesive, lining it up evenly on the top of the stair deck.

• 20

  Attach the stair tread to the deck by driving a finishing nail through each corner of the tread, using a finishing nailer.

• 21

  Repeat the installation process for each stair in the staircase.