Redoing my stairs

[Mike OMelia]

My house has two sets of stairs. Contractor did an ok job, but plenty is not so good. I have lived with it for 7 years, now I want to upgrade a bit. The treads are red oak, everything else is white MDF (yuk). I would rather have oak kicks. Instead of removing them, what do you think about "veneering" them? Perhaps 1/8" thick. Can I buy such material? I think it has to look like glued togther boards.

[Jim Rimmer]

Got a bandsaw. Make your own. More control of the grain. Cheaper :confused:

[keith micinski]

I know everyone has there own personal tastes but a lot of oak staircases are built with white runners because an all oak staircase looks gaudy and it really takes away from the look without the contrast. Before you go through all of that work make sure you have seen an all oak stair case in person so that you know what you are getting. Otherwise I would just go to any lumber store or for that matter even Menards and Lowes sell iron on oak veneer which works really well and is easy to use. There is no real need for the wood to be any thicker as it isn't really a wear surface.

[Tony Bilello]

I agree with Keith

[Mike OMelia]

Ok, I get the contrast thing and perhaps the gaudy thing. However, I do not like the white MDF thing. That is why I am asking questions. Hoping that someone who knows stairs and has ideas for something a bit different. Maybe a contrasting wood? Yes, I have resaw capabilities.

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

Use 1/4" oak plywood. Solid 1/8" oak may warp, and resawing it is a lot more work.

[Richard Wolf]

Traditionally, you only have two options. Wood that matches your treads, or paint grade risers. Bright white may look too bright for you, often an off white or cream color are used.
Often people think they want a "better" staircase than normal and go for the hardwood risers, but as stated above, it very often looks over done. If you select the all hardwood look, like most people that do, you will most likely tone it down with a runner down the middle of the staircase.
Personally, I feel you can't go wrong with the white riser look. Also, the handrail look of, white balusters and wood rails and newels will always look traditional and dates back to our English roots.
If the MDF is not holding up to kicking, reface them with poplar or maple and repaint.

Richard

[keith micinski]

Mike this is a timeless look if that isn't to much of a cliche. Now I'll be the first one to say, "What everyone else is doing is usually the wrong thing to do and go the other way" but in this case I have to say the painted riser is the way to go. I did a google search to find the white risers and they popped right up. I did a search for oak risers and didn't find a picture of it on the first page.

[Terry Welty]

Uust finished stripping a zillion coats of paint off and refinishing the stairway in my 140ish year old farm house. Had walnut on the treads and old pine that matched the floors on the risers... really look nice. WAY TOO MUCH WORK!!!

[Jason Roehl]

I can't believe what I'm reading. I understand that white/painted risers and balusters may be traditional, but as a painter, I hate it. People don't understand how time consuming (and thus costly) painting risers is. Then the worst part is that they have to be left for the very last thing on a job because the first person up the stairs after the risers are painted will leave scuff marks on the painted risers. Personally, I'd prefer the risers match the treads or be a contrasting wood finished naturally.