Flooring · 7 minute read
Choosing flooring for stairs
Why stair treads are the hardest part of any floor, and what separates a neat job from a noticeable one.
Stairs are where flooring jobs are won or lost
A flat floor forgives a lot. Stairs do not. Every tread has a front edge that people look straight at from below, and any gap, lifted corner or mismatched grain sits at eye level for the life of the floor. That is why stairs usually cost more per square metre than the landing they lead to, and why they are worth quoting separately.
Bending vinyl over a tread
Luxury vinyl can be warmed and shaped so a single piece wraps the tread and the bullnose in one continuous run, instead of being butted against a separate nosing strip. It takes longer and it cannot be rushed, but it removes the join that normally collects dirt and eventually lifts. If you are comparing quotes, ask which method is being used - it is the single biggest difference in how the finished flight looks.
Laminate, hardwood or vinyl
Hardwood looks and sounds the most solid and can be sanded back years later, but it moves with humidity and is the least forgiving of an uneven substrate. Laminate is hard-wearing and cheaper, though the nosings are usually a visible separate profile. Vinyl is quieter underfoot, warmer, and the most practical in a house with pets or young children.
What to sort out before the fitter arrives
Squeaks, loose treads and any rot are a carpentry job, not a flooring job, and they have to be fixed first - a new surface over a moving tread will fail. Decide at the same time whether skirtings, spindles and door frames are being replaced, because doing them together is far cheaper than coming back.