October 30, 20169 yr Tonights question is about capping, or installing new stair treads & risers. This project will be tackled when I complete the upstairs remodel, but it seems that I should be planning ahead. It appears that either way I go (capping or new treads) will be fairly straightforward. My question is the last step, which is the floor level for the upstairs. None of the instructions or videos I have watched address this last (top) step. I want it to match the appearance of the rest of the steps. I also want it to be flush with the flooring I will be using upstairs. So what is the technique? I plan to install laminate flooring upstairs. If I use the "retro-tread" sold by Lowes (http://www.stair-treads.com/instructions-how-to/retro-tread-installation-instructions.html) - do I just rip the nose off one piece and nail & glue it to the flooring upstairs? I hope my question is clear. Am I over thinking this? Cal Edited November 20, 20178 yr by Ron Dudelston tags added
October 30, 20169 yr Do you have wood treads now, or carpet? If you have carpet you can remove the carpet and put the retro treads on the sub floor treads. Did you remove the carpet upstairs and replace with Laminate? If you did the retro tread is twice as thick as the laminate so you will have a 3/8" difference in the top step, which can be a tripper I did my sons new house in laminate a few years ago,and we had laminate downstairs floor then he wanted laminate on the stairs,so I did the stairs in laminate and the landing and the next flight to the upstairs floor which we did in laminate too. The laminate flooring company had stair nosings made for that. I think You might want to rabbet back edge of the nosing the same thickness as the laminate and screw and glue it down to the subflooring,will give it more bearing. \ If you have wood treads now they will have to be replaced as the retro tread on top of them would be too thick. Herb Edited October 30, 20169 yr by Dadio
October 30, 20169 yr Author Thanks Herb. What is there now is carpeted. Stairs and floor upstairs. Therefore, whether I do the retro tread or new treads the top one will be proud of the new laminate flooring. I am sorry, I do not understand your next to last paragraph - rabbet back edge of the nosing the same thickness as the laminate to glue & screw it down... For whatever reason, I cannot get my head around that top tread. This is where a pic or diagram would really help me out. Thanks again, Cal
October 30, 20169 yr Check this site. It may help. Just use the same for the top step (floor level). http://www.ecolaminateflooring.com/sale-6261011-mdf-molding-stair-nose-laminate-anti-slip-stair-nosing-accessories-for-laminate-flooring.html
October 30, 20169 yr Author Thanks Dan, the pictures were most helpful. Reckon I need to get that piece before I shop for the new caps/treads. Cal
October 30, 20169 yr 7 hours ago, HandyDan said: Check this site. It may help. Just use the same for the top step (floor level). http://www.ecolaminateflooring.com/sale-6261011-mdf-molding-stair-nose-laminate-anti-slip-stair-nosing-accessories-for-laminate-flooring.html That is exactly what I was trying to explain,either picture one or 2. Thanks for the picture Dan. 3 hours ago, clhyer said: Thanks Dan, the pictures were most helpful. Reckon I need to get that piece before I shop for the new caps/treads. Cal You might be able to make your own,Cal. You only need one piece. Just order one extra stair tread and rip the nose off and cut a rabbet on the back edge on the table saw. I think I would glue it down with some construction adhesive,or liquid nail and screw it straight down into the subfloor, after the upstairs laminate floor is laid. Herb
October 30, 20169 yr what will you be doing about the riser elevation changes.. everything will remain constant except the 1st and last step...
October 30, 20169 yr 5 minutes ago, Stick486 said: what will you be doing about the riser elevation changes.. everything will remain constant except the 1st and last step... That is where the tripper part comes in, it will be 3/8" higher at the bottom and top. The top stair nosing sitting on top of the laminate upstairs on the top tread will help somewhat eliminate the tripping, But the bottom step might be an issue. Herb
October 30, 20169 yr 46 minutes ago, Dadio said: The top stair nosing sitting on top of the laminate upstairs on the top tread trip hazard there too.... this has not been thought through....
October 30, 20169 yr Picture shows nosing even with the flooring so first step is only different since he is talking doing all the treads.
October 30, 20169 yr 1 hour ago, Dadio said: The top stair nosing sitting on top of the laminate upstairs on the top tread Dan....
October 30, 20169 yr 13 minutes ago, HandyDan said: Picture shows nosing even with the flooring so first step is only different since he is talking doing all the treads. Dan if you rabbet it down to where it is flush, then you definitely have a trip hazard. If it is like the second picture, then it sets on top of the laminate like a threshold and is less of a trip hazard because your stepping the same distance up as you were for the previous steps to clear the tread. If it was carpet on both top and bottom it would be easy to fair it out under the carpet and loose that 3/8" difference, but being hard flooring is more difficult. I have done it before by mixing up some Fix All and feathering out the floor 3'-4' or more from the top and bottom treads ,even more if possible to loose that 3/8 ", and then the stair nosing would flush out with the floor. Herb
October 30, 20169 yr 32 minutes ago, HandyDan said: Picture shows nosing even with the flooring so first step is only different since he is talking doing all the treads. Dan, I think the confusion here is that Cal is using the RETRO system and the treads are 3/4" thick and the system you show are around 3/8' thick which would require the 2nd type of top stair bullnose.
October 31, 20169 yr Author Let me come back in here. I appreciate everyone's trying to help me out... The retro treads that I seen at Lowes measure closer to 5/8" I think. I will have to carry in my tape measure - or borrow one off the shelf next time I go in. As things are now, the first floor has ceramic tile at the bottom of the stairs. Future plans will replace this with laminate flooring. Stairs are currently covered with a thick carpeting. Swapping out the carpeting for a retro tread and carpet runner will probably be less (not by much) height difference. I do not see a trip hazard at the bottom of the stairs, nor any going up the stairs. At the top of the stairs, swapping the carpet for laminate flooring with padding will be a difference of maybe 1/8", and maybe less. I guess the trip hazard I think about would be the transition piece between the "new" retro tread edge and the laminate, or in the second pic from Dan's link - the retro treads overhang of the laminate. To me, it seems the trip hazard would be as the person approached the top of the stairs - the last place I want to trip!!! Maybe it is not an issue. Last year I had a tough time convincing myself that the new shower door was going to be ok. I just could not see how it would not allow water to escape. I finally just sucked it up and had it installed. It does not leak any water... Maybe that transition piece at the top of the stairs would be like that... Cal Late edit. Just looked over the Lumber Liquidators site, and see that they offer a piece. I will attempt to add a pic. I guess this 1/8" height above the laminate flooring would not be a trip hazard? Edited October 31, 20169 yr by clhyer
October 31, 20169 yr I was just going by the dimension given in 1st post as to the thickness of the treads. We might be worrying about something for nothing. You are in a better position and quite capable of figuring it out I am sure. Herb
October 31, 20169 yr 5 hours ago, Dadio said: Dan, I think the confusion here is that Cal is using the RETRO system and the treads are 3/4" thick and the system you show are around 3/8' thick which would require the 2nd type of top stair bullnose. He says he is going to use laminate flooring on the upstairs floor so it can be flush fit also or am I missing something else.
October 31, 20169 yr What I am thinking about is if the treads are thicker than the old carpet, that will raise the riser board higher by the difference in thickness and on the last riser it will be higher than the upstairs subfloor. this in turn would make the bull nose be higher than the subfloor. the solution would be to rip the riser board flush with the subfloor so the the bull nose sits on the subfloor. Now that changes the height of the last step by the amount you ripped off, there is where the trip hazzard comes in. Like I said, maybe it is a moot question. And if the treads are thicker than the carpet, you might have to rip all the risers down a little to get the next tread to lay flat. Have you compared the dimensions of rise and run of the stairs to that of the material from the factory? Herb
October 31, 20169 yr Author Good morning folks. Herb, no way the retro tread is thicker than the existing carpet (IMHO). I sent an email question to Lumber Liquidators asking if the above piece could be used with laminate flooring. So, as I understand many of the comments above - the trip hazard is more likely to be climbing the stairs and having the last step maybe 1/2" less rise? This is more the trip hazard than having a transition strip stick up 1/8" at the top of the stairs as you start to go down? Cal
October 31, 20169 yr 5 minutes ago, clhyer said: This is more the trip hazard than having a transition strip stick up 1/8" at the top of the stairs as you start to go dow really rough on an elderly person the drag their feet...
October 31, 20169 yr Why not use the laminate all the way up the steps and for the floor at the top? Everything would be nice and even.
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