Stair Flooring in Los Angeles, CA

Stair treads, risers and nosings: the parts you are choosing

A staircase is not just floor material laid on steps. Each step has several parts, and each part is chosen separately.

• Treads are the horizontal surfaces you walk on. They take the heaviest wear in the house, concentrated at the front edge.
• Risers are the vertical faces between treads. They take scuffs from toes but little direct wear.
• Nosings are the rounded or squared front edges of the treads. They have to be strong, secure and matched to the floor.
• Landings are flat sections, usually covered with the same floor as the adjacent rooms.
• Skirt boards and stringers are the trim along the sides, often painted, which frame the finished look.

Hardwood stairs: solid treads and retrofit options

Solid hardwood stairs feel substantial and can be sanded and refinished many times. There are two common ways to get them.

Stair treads in red or white oak match the most common floors; harder species and exotic woods are available for a darker or more striking stair. Prefinished treads save days of sanding and finish fumes in an occupied house.

Vinyl stair nosing and LVP-covered steps

When a house gets new waterproof vinyl plank, the stairs can be covered to match. Vinyl planks are cut and glued to each tread and riser, and a matching stair nosing is fitted at the front edge. Two nosing styles are common: an overlap nosing that sits on the tread edge, and a flush nosing that sits level with the plank on the tread for a cleaner line.

• Always glue on stairs. Floating vinyl cannot float on a step; planks and nosings are adhered and often mechanically fastened.
• The nosing must be solid. A rounded old tread edge is usually trimmed square so the nosing sits fully supported.
• Color match: buy nosings in the same product line and color as the floor, at the same time, to avoid dye lot differences.
• Grip: check the texture of the plank surface; a matte, embossed finish is safer underfoot than a smooth one.

What happens when you go from carpet to hardwood stairs?

Pulling up stair carpet is one of the most common stair remodels, and what is underneath decides the plan. In some older Los Angeles homes, there is finished oak under the carpet that only needs cleanup and refinishing. In many tract homes from the 1970s onward, the treads are rough plywood or particleboard that were never meant to be seen, and they must be covered or replaced.

• Lift the carpet at one tread and riser first to see what is there.
• Count the tack strip and staple holes; they will need filling if the wood is to stay visible.
• Check whether the tread overhang has been cut flush, which rules out simple refinishing.
• Decide what happens to the landing and upper hallway, since they often need a matching floor too.
• Look at the handrail and balusters; new treads can make old spindles look dated.

Signs a staircase needs more than new covering

• A nosing that moves or clicks underfoot, meaning the fasteners or glue have let go.
• Squeaks on several treads, often from loose treads rubbing the stringer.
• Finish worn to bare wood at the front edge of every step while the sides still look new.

Stair risers: painted, wood-matched or tiled

Risers are an easy place to add contrast. White painted risers with wood treads are a classic look in older homes and are simple to touch up. Wood risers that match the treads give a warmer, continuous look. In Spanish-style houses, decorative tile on the risers of an entry stair is a long-standing tradition.

New treads and nosings on the existing structure count as finish work. Rebuilding stringers, changing the layout or replacing a railing normally needs a permit from LADBS in the City of LA or the local building department. CSLB’s C-15 license covers floor coverings and C-6 covers finish carpentry such as treads and rails; verify either on cslb.ca.gov.

Planning stair flooring in Los Angeles homes: how a stair remodel comes together

1. 1

   Photograph and count

   Count treads, risers and landings, note any open sides, curves or pie-shaped winder steps, and photograph them for the showroom visit.

2. 2

   Match the floors above and below

   Choose stair material together with the flooring at the landing and both floors, so nosings and colors match.

3. 3

   Decide treads, risers and nosing style

   Pick the tread finish, a riser color or material, and the nosing profile in the same visit.

4. 4

   Measure each step

   Older stairs are rarely identical, so each tread is measured individually before ordering custom pieces.

5. 5

   Install from the top down or bottom up

   Old coverings come off, the structure is checked, and new parts go on with adhesive and fasteners. Installation is available on request.

6. 6

   Finish and cure

   Allow adhesives and any site-applied finish to cure before heavy use; ask how long before you can carry furniture up.

What makes one staircase cost more than another?

• Number of steps and landings: stairs are typically priced per step rather than per square foot.
• Material: solid hardwood treads cost more than vinyl or carpet; exotic species more again.
• Open sides and returns: a tread exposed on one side needs a finished return end, which adds labor.
• Winders and curves: pie-shaped steps are cut individually and take longer.
• Removal and prep: old carpet and staples, trimming nosings and leveling treads.
• Railings: new balusters or handrails are a separate trade and a separate cost.

Why plan your stairs with the rest of the floor at Adcom?

• The floor and the stairs from one selection. Hardwood, waterproof vinyl and carpet are all on display, so nosings and colors match the main floor.
• Exotic and domestic wood for treads. Oak alongside imported species for a darker or more distinctive stair.
• Installation on request, for buyers who want the stairs done with the main floor.
• Tile for risers in the same building, for Spanish-style or decorative stairs.

Two-story homes in Santa Clarita and Stevenson Ranch, hillside split-levels in Glendale, and larger homes in Calabasas all bring stair projects to the showroom.