I have an engineered hardwood installed in several rooms near a staircase. I am now going to install hardwood on the stairs (20 steps). The engineered hardwood flooring is American Cherry (Lauzon). I assumed that the same flooring could be used on the treads with a nosing. However, I've had two installers tell me that I should not do this -- one told me flat out that he refused to do it that way. They both said I should use solid 1-inch thick Cherry treads. One said using the flooring on the stairs like that would be a "hack job." My concern is matching the color/look of the flooring with the treads. I think it will be more expensive to buy solid, prefinished treads, but maybe not much more (the Lauzon nosings are very expensive).

Anyway, I'm just looking for some opinions on this. What is the better way to go? Would it be possible to match the look/stain of the engineered?

I'm going to paint the risers white. Both installers suggested Maple for that. Is that the best choice?

Lastly, where is a good place to buy prefinished treads?

Thanks,

Tim

I install a lot of flooring and nosings on staircases. It's a lot more work than treds. Done right...I think it's a great look. A lot of installers shy away from that type of installation, because it can easily look like a "hack job", if an installer doesn't have the talent to pull it off, ( I don't mean to sound conceited ). These days a lot of installers just want to slam bam for the quick buck, also.
Anyway...I just finished a staircase with plank, and white risers. I use 3/4" melamine for the risers, it's a clean look. Maintenance wise it's a lot nicer than paint, and 2 sheets for a total of 60 bucks did the whole staircase.

http://www.kudzu.com/r/20480290

Also have some pictures of flooring & nosing staircases on my site.

Nice work Howard. And you even got a customer to do a review!

That does not surprise me about the opinions because I've heard it as well, but those kind of comments usually come from trim carpenters or real staircase professionals. Thinking back to the work I did in SW Florida it didn't seem to matter what type of home you'd see it, except the $10 million plus McMansions. You can probably get some ideas on whether or not it's for you by going through Google images.

http://www.google.com/search?num=10&hl= ... 9QSsmrz-Bw

Why Maple? Poplar takes paint best. Howard's idea is interesting because white risers can be a pain to keep clean.

I prefer the look of a solid tread but if done right the nosings filled back with flooring isnt a bad look. Just make sure no one sells you an overlap stair nose, ive seen jacklegs put those and stair cases and that will look like total garbage on top of being a trip hazzard.

I too like the solid stair tread look, just can't get people to buy them. It's a PITA to install strips on stairs as compared to treads, and I agree, looks like poop. EZ-tread or the like has some nice options and can match prefinished. Lots of places to choose from. http://www.stair-treads.com/

Those are nice in certain situations.

On different points those manufacturers are limited, or just plain can't help, to where I believe your either going to use flooring and nosings..or be in trouble....

1) Matching Handscraped/Distressed
2) Stain colors- Some of those manufacturers say they can "blend" a color, to the color of your floor,( it will blend with your floor, but won't match), that is always open to interpretation. Most only offer color swatches, which are a joke. Of coarse the flooring manufacturers guard their secret formulas with their life.
3) Species- They carry most species, or can make it up, for a price. But depending on the specie....depends on how close the treds will match the flooring, ( which part of the world, or which forest, that Tiger Wood, or Koa, may be coming from).