We are looking to replace the carpet on our stairs with hardwood. We have run into a problem with the shape of our treads. Our treads are curved out, or rounded. We have looked and looked for information on how to install hardwood on stairs that are not straight. Does anyone have any advice on how to do this. I would hate to lose the shape of the steps, there has to be a way to do it.

Do you mean

A. the stairs have one or two round sides on the right and left of the tread?
B. the front lip of the stair is rounded over (like a bullnose piece)?
C. The treads are different shapes, then typical rectangle stairs (triangular ect)?

Pictures would help alot

custom stairs are usually milled that way by the stair companies. Are you trying to install strip hardwood flooring as treads? Or trying to source premade treads?

I have emailed you a picture hoping it makes more sense. I would say the tread itself is a different shape. Even the back of the step is curved

I tried to upload this to the photo gallery but it wouldnt let me, some setting must be wrong. I uploaded the picture of the stairs



I can see the stairs have a slight curve to them, they may be hardwood under, maybe not.

I cant see if the risers are curved as well, if they arent then you could just cut the front of the stair square, then install a square tread. this would do all the stairs, except maybe the bottom one, that one looks like you would need a stair shop, or mill to make it for you.

different angle



I am going to say,

Cut the treads back square, put some blocks in both corners of the risers (so you can place a new riser and make it square) then install new square treads.

I will think about this more.

If it were me, I'd start over from scratch. This is NOT a job for a DIYer. While you could square everything up as Jay suggests, you would lose the curved aspect. If you want to keep those curves the ONLY way is to use solid wood stair treads and they would need to be custom made to fit. This takes lots of knowledge and skill from an experienced stair person. This cannot be done with factory prefinished parts, unless you square everything up. I could do this if you lived in the SF bay area in CA.

The risers are curved as well. I was hoping we wouldn't have to cut the stairs square. I was hoping for some factory parts, but like gary said, I really don't want to lose the curved steps as it goes with the rest of the house. I never realized these stairs were so uncommon.
*Gary-No I wish I was in the SF Bay area, one of my favorite places to visit, but no we are in Canada where we have a windchill of -34F

Gary has been around longer than I, and definatley knows more than I do (I often look to him for answers).

I personally have never seen that stair layout, ive seen a wide variety just not that one.
If you want to keep the layout as is, call a stair company and have them do it, it wouldnt be that much harder for them to do it (stairs are thier thing, they know it pretty well)

Thanks for the advice. Wow you have given us alot to think about. We will have to post a picture of whatever we end up doing to them. Thanks guys!