Replace Stair Treads with Solid Oak

Category: Flooring · Difficulty: Advanced · Time: 6.2h · Estimated cost: $420

Tools needed

Pry off old treads and risers ONE pair at a time
Work one step at a time so you can still walk the stairs. Pry the riser first, then the tread. Be careful — pry slowly to avoid splitting the stringers underneath.
Duration: 30 min
Clean stringer notches
Pull all nails, scrape old adhesive flat, vacuum dust. Stringer surface must be clean and flat or the new tread will rock.
Duration: 20 min
Measure and cut riser
Riser height is typically 7 to 7 3/4". Measure each opening — old houses vary up to 1/4" between steps. Cut riser to fit snug.
Duration: 15 min
Glue and nail riser
Bead of construction adhesive on the back, set riser tight against the back of the step. Finish-nail through the riser into the stringer top with 2-3 nails per stringer.
Duration: 15 min
Dry-fit and trim tread
Treads ship oversized. Measure the opening, scribe the back edge to fit any wall irregularity, miter saw to length. Bullnose hangs over the riser below by 1 1/4".
Duration: 30 min
Glue and nail tread
Heavy bead of adhesive on every stringer top. Set tread, press down hard. Finish-nail through the tread into each stringer with 2 nails — back row near the riser, where shoe molding will cover.
Duration: 20 min
Repeat for all steps, fill, finish
Work bottom to top so each new tread is supported by the riser above it. After all treads are installed, fill nail holes with wood filler, sand smooth, brush on 2 thin coats of poly.
Duration: 4h

Stairs are deadly when one tread is missing — never remove more than one step at a time, and post a sign at the top warning others.
Construction adhesive bonds permanently in 15 minutes — set the tread RIGHT the first time.
Riser height variation greater than 3/8" between any two treads is a code violation and a trip hazard — measure carefully.

Curved or winder stairs, or stairs with structural rot in the stringers — these are framing jobs, not finish jobs.