stair treads–single piece or strips?
Megunticook
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
Hi,
Am about to purchase 11 1/2″ wide treads for stairs–will be unpainted, most likely red oak.
My inexperienced impression is that you want treads made of narrow strips glued together. This is conventional, right?
A hardwood seller tried to convince me on the phone that a single board would work fine if properly glued and fastened (my stairs have a center carriage). Is this true?
Treads will be unpainted, finished with OS Hardwax Oil. There are now 1/2″ plywood treads on the stairs–am trying to decide whether to put 3/4″ finish treads on top of those, or remove them and use 5/4.”
Stairs are closed on both sides.
Opinions?
Thanks,
Ed
Replies
You might want to check on how the treads were sawn. Quarter sawn red oak would be stable enough (I believe, not 100% sure) for your application.
If the thickness issue is open either way, I would use 5/4.
DO NOT leave the 1/2" on, this is just asking for squeaks.
Definitely Use 5/4.
The RIGHT reason that treads are Laminated is to make them more stable. A series of laminations can all be quartersawn and alternated in thier "Barkside-orientation", for a much more stable tread.
I highly doubt your lumber supplier has a 5/4 by 12 that has true QS grain from one edge to the other.
Mr T
Do not try this at home!
I am an Experienced Professional!
You could use 3/4" oak treads with a 5/4" bullnose edge on the front face. Glued up treads will probably be more stable then a single board.
Good point, I didn't think about the size tree necessary to produce a quartersawn piece 12" wide, without any pith.
Jon Blakemore
Thanks for the tips. I had a hunch this hardwood guy might not know what he's talking about.
I'll definitely remove the plywood treats on there and use 5/4.
I have Scott Schuttner's stairbuilding book which is very helpful.
Just out of curiosity, what's your opinion on type of wood? Oak seems to be the standard. What about having the treads one wood and the risers another? None of this is going to be painted. Downstairs is white ash, up is red birch. Was thinking of using red birch for the treads and white birch for the risers, but also thinking of red oak for entire stairs.
Single plank makes for a better looking grain pattern and works fine when you build into a mortised, notched housing and shimmed tight lioke Stan demonstrates in his photos in the photo gallery.
But if you hve the stringers already in place and are adding the treads to them, the glued up treads would definitely be more stable and less likely to lift or warp and twist. The only way I would use single planks there is if I could test moisture content and then seal all six sides with two coats of oil before installation.
Excellence is its own reward!