I hired a large and reputable company to install Brazilian Cherry False end Treads and Risers on existing stairs. Contractors started working today and I realized they are using a veneer product from Timber Products out of Michigan. I was under the impression it would be solid Brazilian Cherry not veneer and when I questioned the owner he said they use engineered not solid as it is not going to be walked on and is fine to use on false ends. My contract did not specify "solid" so I took his word for it that it will be o.k. I am also concerned because the wood (unfinished) does not resemble the unfinished Brazilian Cherry I remember when we had our floors installed (last year). My concerns are:
how will the veneer hold up over time
when the iron balusters are installed and screwed or nailed onto the tread will that cause the veneer to split? PLEASE HELP! Contractor is returning in the AM to continue working and I am losing sleep over this (now 3:30 AM!).

IMO, I do not like the veneered end caps. I have seen problems with them in the past. Bottom line, it is your home and it is you that gets to decide which type of improvement is right for you. If you want solid wood end caps, you will need to inform your flooring contractor that the veneered ones are unacceptable. If he argues with you, then simply tell him he's fired. You can expect that he will charge more for solid ones perhaps. But not double or anything like that. If he attempts to charge a lot more, then he is attempting to "punish" you for changing products and making his job a little more difficult. You can always get bids from other contractors specifying SOLID end caps to compare prices. Good luck.

Gary, What is false end treads and veneered end caps? Sounds like somthing from WalMart.

Well, never seen them at Wal-Mart but I have seen them used on many homes around here. Not uncommon. Click on these links for pictures and descriptions.
http://www.stairsupplies.com/index.asp? ... &ProdID=69
http://www.stairsupplies.com/index.asp? ... ProdID=364

Ok, We have sanded and finished and recoated some of these but have never installed them. They were all solid.
Now I know what they are called and I did not know that some
of these may be veneer. Sanding and finishing veneer can sometimes be trouble so I will look out for those.
Thanks for the info.

I went to the store today and the sales guy said all they sell is laminated stairnose now. Used to sell hardwood stairnose. It's kind of tacky to spend all that money for real wood and then have to use laminate for T molds, stairnose etc.

I've got some woodworking tools and have done some furniture. For the money, I am planning (haven't done it yet) on just fabricating some flooring planks for my stairnose. It will, at least, be the same type of flooring and matching color, grain etc. All you will have to do (IMO) is add some buildup on the bottom of the 1 " overhang so you can 2 step bullnose (roundover top and bottom) to make the correct profile. It kills me to see that 1 board of stairnose costs the same as a box of hardwood planks. Kind of a rip off for the non-woodworking type homeowner who is forced to buy that stuff. But hey, that's business.

Anyone else do this in the past?

All the time, and for many years. Built many staircases out of flooring. And when I have curved steps, makes it even more challeging.

Well, after I posted this last night I got the bug to go into my freezing garage and do a mock up to see if my skills were up to it. My wife gave me that look...you know..."go ahead and try it-but it will be a cold day in h#77 (garage in my case) before I put that thing on my staircase."

I used my strip flooring and did a build up on the bottom with some ripped down strip. Double round over top & bottom, flush cut on the front, sanded down and re-cleared...and to even my amazement it looks pretty dang good. I woke my wife up at 1:00 am to show her my accomplishment. (note to self: don't do that again)

Long story short. I am forgoing buying stairnose and making my own. For less than laminated mdf I can have real wood that matches the flooring exactly and add stairnose to my list of DIY accomplishment. Will it be perfect...I highly doubt that...but at least it's genuine.

My next project...making my own threshold out of matching maple. I didn't run straight rows into the bedrooms from the hallway (I should have) so I've got some perpendicular rows to transition. My endcuts are mucky at best so I've got to cover them. The laminated mdf T-mold would be fine but it's small and well, mdf.

I figure I can glue up some planks and make a wide, low profile board that I can miter and cut to fit the jamb that will blend in nicely with both row directions...we'll see. Back to the freezer tonight (I mean my garage).