Red Oak Unfinished Retro Stair Tread Closed 36 in

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RTCRUNFI-36
Special Price $23.06 ea was $29.87 ea
Red Oak Unfinished Retro Stair Tread 36" wide for overlaying an existing staircase with a wall on both sides ( closed staircase).

Our Retro Treads are 11 1/2" wide and 3/4" thick behind the bullnose and are specifically designed to be installed over an existing staircase. Use unfinished Red Oak retro treads to apply your own stain and polyurethane on site after some minor prep-work.
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Red Oak Unfinished Retro Stair Tread Closed 11.5 in wide x 36 in long - Use unfinished Red Oak retro treads to apply your own stain and polyurethane on site after some minor prep-work.

Unlike 1" thick traditional treads retro treads are 3/4quot; thick and are designed to reface a stair rather than replace the entire stair. Using retro treads and retro risers will allow you to simply install over the top of your existing staircase. Solid retro stair treads are 3/4" thick with a full 1" bullnose and 11 1/2" deep. The "closed" style means that this tread has no mitered returns. Sometimes this is also referred to as a box tread.
Our solid stair treads are guaranteed to never separate between the wood staves offering a lifetime of usage.

In order to install retro treads on your stair case simply cut away the existing bullnose from each stair leaving a flush surface to work with. Our retro treads have a 1" bullnose along the front edge which is meant to hang over the existing step. Retro risers are designed to fit under the retro tread's bullnose to ensure a polished and finished look. For more information on the installation process check out our installation video for a step by step guide to installing retro treads and retro risers.

ColorUnfinished
Unit Of Measureea
Width11-1/2 in
Length36 in
PrefinishedNo
ProfileRetro Stair Tread Closed
Thickness3/4 in
Wood SpeciesRed Oak
Quickship ItemNo
Your Rating
Product Questions and Answers
  1. Q:Is this tread ready for stain or do I have to do something to it first?
    A:This stair tread is ready for stain. You may want to lightly sand it with 220# sand paper first to remove any dust and imperfections accumulated during shipping.
  2. Q:I have 39" wide stairs - how do I fill in the extra space if the tread is only 36"?
    A:You'll need to use the next size up from this 36" stair tread. In your case I'd recommend a 42" tread that can be cut down to size. If your stairs are less than 36", this tread will work fine for you.
  3. Q:how deep are these treads, my existing stairs are 9 1/4 inches and am hoping to "cap" them with these
    A:The retro treads are 11 1/2" deep overall with a 10 1/4" undercut (the part of the tread that is 3/4" thick) and a 1 1/4" bullnose. All of our treads can easily be cut on a table saw if the tread is too wide for your particular step.
  4. Q:are these retro stair treads guaranteed to not be warped at all, on arrival?
    A:Yes, these tread are guaranteed to be free from defects including warping. If you live in a particularly humid or dry climate, we recommend installing the treads as soon as possible to avoid warping during storage and remember to not store the treads directly on concrete surfaces. Concrete "wicks" moisture from the ground and will almost certainly cause warping. Our warranty information can be found at: http://www.stair-treads.com/warranty
  5. Q:What is the best way to fasten the new treads over old treads.
    A:We recommend using construction adhesive such as Liquid Nails or PL 400 as well as finish nails in the corners of the treads. Once the adhesive sets, it will create a permanent bond and eliminate the potential for future squeaks.
  6. Q:These treads appear to be 3" wide 3/4" hardwood planks glued together as opposed to a solid piece of wood. How much attention to detail is used to make sure grain matches.
    A:You are correct - each stair tread is made of "staves" or individual pieces of wood that are edge glued for tread stability. These staves are reverse grain glued in a way that prevents most warping or cupping and is an industry standard. We make every attempt to assemble the tread from boards of similar grain pattern and coloring so that each tread is consistent with both itself and the other treads in the staircase. Once installed, the treads should resemble an average 3/4" select or better grade flooring.
  7. Q:My stair treads are routered into the sides of the risers.After we cut the face off the treads we will be left will a missing gapon both side's will we have to fill this and then paint or is there another solution.Thanks
    A:If your treads are installed in the sides of the skirtboard, you will need to fill the small gap left when you remove the existing bullnose. The new retro tread will cover the majority of the gap but there will likely be some of the gap that remains visible. Most customers simply fill the space with wood filler and paint the skirtboard but if you are installing a veneer over the existing skirt, the new veneer will cover any exposed holes or gaps.
  8. Q:My steps are 12 1/4 inches deep! Can you provide a deeper tread than your standard 11 1/2 inch? And, if so, can they still be delivered prefinished? What would your prices be?
    A:We can make treads up to 23" deep prefinished and up to 35" deep unfinished. There are several different factors to consider with deeper treads so we quote all non-standard treads individually. Please contact us for a quote on the larger treads.
  9. Q:what's the difference between unfinished and prefinished?
    A:Unfinished product is sanded and ready for you to apply your own stain and polyurethane whereas prefinished products ship with our UV topcoat applied and ready to install - there's no need to stain the product or apply a topcoat.
  10. Q:Can I get away with installing these retro treads without cutting the existing bullnoses by installing thicker (build up) risers? Thanks.
    A:Yes you can. The only thing you would have to watch out for is that the new treads bullnose does not stick out past the skirt board once installed.
  11. Q:My stairs are 36" wide. I'm worried there might be a small gap if the tread isn't exactly 36" wide or the stairs are aren't 36" wide. Should I buy a wider tread and cut them down? Also do I need to use a sliding chop saw? I have a table saw. Wouldn't that work? Also what size finish nail to you recommend?
    A:We recommend that if your treads are a little more than 36" to go up to the next size and cut to fit. This gives you a little room for error. You can do it with out a sliding chop saw, and use a table saw. The sliding chop saw, is just a little easier. We recommend that you use 15 gauge to 18 gauge finished nails.
  12. Q:What does unfinished mean?
    A:Unfinished means that this product is "raw wood" and does not have a clear coat applied. You will need to apply your own coat of stain and polyurethane in the field or at the jobsite after receiving these treads.
  13. Q:Do you recommend any particular polyurethane product to use when we do it ourselves? thanks jeff
    A:You can use any polyurethane product. Bona-kemi makes a great finish, but any commercial off the shelf finish will work.
  14. Q:How long should the finishing nails be? and should I drill holes in the wood first for the finish nails? thanks jeff
    A:1 1/2" or 2" finishing nails will be perfect. With red oak you do not need to drill holes in the wood. Using a nail gun is the best way to nail down the treads.
  15. Q:if the stair tread is 3/4"thick ...what thickness does the bullnose measure?
    A:The bullnose is 1" thick. Here is a link to see the dimensions of the treads: http://www.stair-treads.com/images/stair-tread-dimensions.jpg
  16. Q:If I use a 16 gauge finishing nail, and liquid nail, to secure a 1" x 42" red oak tread, do I need to do anything with the nail's holes, and will you be able to see the holes? I am about to purchase my treads but want to make sure I can tackle this myself first. Thanks,
    A:The nail holes from a 16 or 18 gauge nail should not be very noticeable. If you can see the holes, and want to use something to cover the nail hole, we recommend Minwax Nail Putty. You can purchase Minwax nail putty at most local hardware stores. All you would need is a small bit of the putty in each nail hole, and the hole is no longer visible.
  17. Q:We covered stairs going to the basement with carpet - 6 to a landing, then 6 more. They are just rough built stairs. They have a 7" riser, are 31" long and 11" deep - I would prefer unfinished red oak. What product would you recommend to cover these with? Celeste
    A:From the dimensions you give, the unfinished Red Oak Retro Treads would be a great fit for your staircase. The retro treads can be installed over either a set of roughed in stairs or over an existing pine step. A standard retro tread will cover a tread up to 10 1/4" wide after any overhang is removed. The smallest size we make is 36" and it can be cut to fit your 31" stair. At the intersection of the landing and on the top of the staircase, you'll need a landing tread (see http://www.stair-treads.com/red-oak-unfinished-landing-tread-36-in.html ) instead of a full sized tread. The landing tread is installed along the edge of standard 3/4" hardwood flooring installed on the landing and on the upper level. With the risers, you can use either the primed white risers ( http://www.stair-treads.com/pre-primed-white-retro-riser.html ) or the unfinished Red Oak risers ( http://www.stair-treads.com/red-oak-unfinished-retro-riser-36-in.html )
  18. Q:Hi. Would you consider making a Brazilian Cherry tread to go over an exisitn pine box tread? Thanks.
    A:A Brazilian Cherry Retro Tread can go over any existing tread whether it is pine, oak, or any other construction grade. You can find Brazilian Cherry Retro Treads at the following link! Brazilian Cherry Retro Treads: http://www.stair-treads.com/retro-treads-and-risers/replacement-stair-treads/closed-box-treads.html?wood_species=55
  19. Q:I like the unfinished retro treads for my project however, I also have a small landing. Where can I find and easy solution for matching your retro tread product with my landing?
    A:For medium-to-large sized landings, the best option will be to install standard 3/4" unfinished flooring along the majority of the landing and finishing the edge with a "landing tread." We do not sell unfinished flooring but it should be easy to source locally from a flooring store or even a home improvement warehouse. Here is a link for our Red Oak landing tread: http://www.stair-treads.com/moulding-and-accessories/5-1-4-landing-tread.html?color=2&wood_species=68 Alternatively, we do offer a landing panel system that is well suited for small landings and pie steps. You can read more on the unfinished landing panel system here: http://www.stair-treads.com/red-oak-panel-system-unfinished.html More information on landings in general is available here: http://www.stair-treads.com/resources/staircase-landings.html
  20. Q:Should we polyurethane the bottom of the treads, too before we install them?
    A:Polyurethane on the bottom of your stair treads is not usually necessary.
  21. Q:Is there a formula for how deep a landing at the bottom of a staircase should be? Our stair treads are 12 1/2'' deep. There is a wall on one side of the staircase. The other side is open. We plan to make a 48" open doorway on the wall of the staircase at the bottom of the stairs. I am not sure how much room to leave between the end of the stairs and the beginning of the 48" opening on the staircase wall. Thank you.
    A:There's not an official formula for the landing size but a good rule of thumb is to make a starting landing at the bottom of a staircase at least as wide as the stairs and at least three times the depth. This allows a comfortable area to start or finish your walk up and down the staircase. Most of the landings we see measure around 42" or so wide x about 36" deep.
  22. Q:The large landing at the top of our stairs is carpet. How do we transition from the wood stairs to the carpet landing?
    A:At the very top of the staircase where the last step, is actually the floor to the upstairs, you will want to install a landing tread. The landing tread is a 5 1/4" wide, and 3/4" thick. There is also a groove in the back for carpet or 3/4" plank flooring to be tucked into the groove. You can find the landing treads at the link below. Landing Treads: http://www.stair-treads.com/moulding-and-accessories/5-1-4-landing-tread.html
  23. Q:I want to use retrofitted stair treads over existing pine stairs that are currently covered in carpet, however I am worried about the rise of the initial step. Currently from the floor to the first step it is a rise of 7 7/8 of an inch, and from what I can tell an 1/8th over code. If I add a retrofitted step which will add another 5/8 of an inch this will bring me to 8 1/2 inches from the floor. Is this variance allowed? I know the other step will fall into place, I am just worried about that first step.
    A:If you are installing retro treads, they will all be increased by 3/4". You will not be able to tell by looking at the staircase or walking on it that there is a height increase. The first step will be fine with a retro tread installed on top of it.
  24. Q:I have finished oak bullnosed treads on my stairs that have wear and some cracks - can I put these over the existing stairs. What would the process be?
    A:That really depends on the condition of the existing steps. As long as they're structurally sound, you can use the retro treads to overlay any cosmetic problems but overlaying a structurally deficient tread is not recommended. If the sub-tread is broken in separate pieces, it could lead to squeaks in the future and we recommend making repairs before installing the retro treads. Overlaying minor cracks and wear is perfectly acceptable - in fact, using a retro tread may be the only way to reface the stairs if the wear is significant. If the sub-tread is severely worn, it may be necessary to shim the new tread to achieve a level install.
  25. Q:I have 13 steps but there is also a wide landing where the staircase truns the corner. How do you reccomend retrofitting the landing?
    A:We recommend the landing tread with 3/4" plank flooring to fill in the landing. Another option is our panel system. You can see more about these 2 options at the link below. Landings in the Staircase: http://www.stair-treads.com/resources/staircase-landings.html
  26. Q:I'm putting down 1/2" engineered hardwood both downstairs and upstairs. These treads are 3/4 ". Is this an issue I need to address somehow?
    A:The only issue this may create is at the very top of the staircase. Our landing treads are 3/4" thick so you would want to sand down our 3/4" thick landing tread or have the flooring company provide a matching nosing piece.
  27. Q:How much sanding do your unfinished red oak treads require before staining? Do I just need a quick 120 grit sanding before staining? Thanks.
    A:We recommend 120 grit sandpaper, it won't need much sanding just a quick run over of the tread.
  28. Q:do you make stair treads 96" long x 12" deep and how much would they cost, i need 20 pcs. to re build steps on a stage, also what is the lead time and ship cost.
    A:If you'll include your zip code I can put together a quote with the total cost and a lead time.
  29. Q:I need retro fit treads with a right return, but the depth of my existing stairs is only 9 inches. Can treads with a return be cut to a smaller depth?
    A:Yes, we can make the depth smaller to fit your needs.
  30. Q: If I have stair treads that are 9" deep and put an overlaying stair tread on top of them, my concern is that a wider step will be unsupported on the end. Is there a good rule of thumb as to how much overhanging,unsupported step I can use before I take the risk of breakage?
    A:I don't suggest leaving any part of the tread unsupported. I would suggest ripping the 11 1/2" deep treads we have to fit your 9" depth. You could also install our traditional 3/4" riser to build out the staircase, in this case you would also still need to rip the tread down to fit your depth.
  31. Q:Are your unfinished oak treads one solid board or are they several pieces that have been edge glued together to get the full 111/2" board?
    A:Hi Chris, Please see our link below about the industry standard construction of our stair treads! Stair Treads FAQ: http://www.stair-treads.com/faq/edge-glued-stair-treads.html
  32. Q:I did not see any video or instructions for installing the closed or mitered retro stair treads. My staircase is carpeted. I would like to use the retro treads. however, the 1st 4 stairs are open and have railings on either side. I am not sure how to attach the balusters to the new treads. the closed treads look very straightforward.
    A:JudoJohn, You will install the mitered treads the same way you install the closed treads. You will need the throat measurement before you order. The throat measurement is the area were the riser fits in between the returned ends. In order to install the balusters you will need to drill a hole in the newly installed treads.
  33. Q:Are sub-treads needed to can the treads be directly applied to the stringers?
    A:The retro treads are for overlaying existing treads (subtreads). If you want to apply a stair tread directly onto the stringer, we recommend the 1" thick traditional treads, which can be found at the link below. Traditional Treads: http://www.stair-treads.com/traditional-treads-and-risers/traditional-1in-stair-treads.html You can use the left side of the screen to sort out Length, profile, or species or tread you are looking for.
  34. Q:I am trying to match an existing red oak color scheme on the main floor. Do I pick out a stain that will complement the existing or will the polyurethane bring out the colour itself? There are a mixture of red oak colors having the knots, it is a prefinished product considered seconds, of various lengths.
    A:When picking a stain color we HIGHLY recommend ordering the Red Oak Sample Pack. It comes with all of our stain colors on red oak that you can compare with the floors in your home. You can either pick the best match, or something that will contrast well with the rest of the flooring. Below is the link to the Red Oak Sample Pack, you can also order this quick shipping sample over the phone. Red Oak Sample Pack: http://www.stair-treads.com/moulding-and-accessories/wood-samples/red-oak-stain-colors-sample-pack.html There is also literature that is included with the sample pack that is very helpful when planning a staircase install!
  35. Q:After removing the carpeting from my stairs I discovered the old treads were made from 2x10 framing lumber. Several are not true or level. I have noticed cupping and there is a slope of a quarter of an inch or more from back to front on some. Is it possible to use shims under your treads? If so how should the void underneath be filled? With lots of adhesive? Thanks
    A:We recommend securing 1/4" or 1/2" plywood with adhesive and nails to make the steps as level as possible prior to installing our treads. Feel free to contact our sales team directly at 866-429-0979 for further assistance with placing your order. We are happy to help!
  36. Q:What are the dimensions of this?
    A:This product is 3/4" thick x 11-1/2" wide x 36" long. Here is a link to the dimension page: http://www.stair-treads.com/stair-tread-dimensions
  37. Q:Do you guys actually make these or buy them from somewhere else?
    A:We are the manufacturer and the distributor. Our stair treads, risers, landing treads, cove moulding and starter steps are all made on site.

    Danielle Hyman

    Read other answers
  38. Q:Do you also have or make 5/8" thick Red Oak unfinished retrofit stair treads? 3/4" body will not match the thickness of the existing staircase trim.
    A:The only thickness retro tread we make is 3/4" at the body. Thinner boards at this width are very prone to cupping and warping. You're most likely describing the trim boards on the edge of the staircase where balusters connect. The best solution to remodel staircases like these is to remove those boards and install a left or right return across the entire step. Attempting to salvage those trim pieces will typically result in a look that is less than ideal.
  39. Q:do I need to apply wood treatment against wood-destroying insects such as termites and beetles before I apply stain and polyurethane?
    A:All our products are intended for interior use only in a climate controlled environment so insects and rot, etc should never be a factor. None of our products should be installed in an environment where rot or insects are a concern.
  40. Q:Is the edge beveled or flat
    A:The front of the profile is bullnosed, or half-rounded and the back is square. See this link for a profile view: https://www.stair-treads.com/faq/standard-stair-tread-dimensions.html Other dimensions/shapes may be available by special order including eased or square edge profiles for a more modern look. Contact us with your particular requirements at this page: http://www.stair-treads.com/contacts/
  41. Q:I am concerned that with the bullnose only being 1/4” thick that it will not cover the front my existing board. Do you have a product that has a longer bullnose? Or how does that hide the existing face entirely of the old stairs? Thanks.
    A:The bullnose is actually a full 1" thick and since the tread body is 3/4" thick, there is a 1/4" overhang at the rear of the bullnose (riser side). This overhang is not intended to fully cover the existing sub-tread which is why a new riser skin is required - the retro riser. This new riser is intended to cover both the original riser and the original tread. This link shows more information (and drawings) on the system: https://www.stair-treads.com/resources/replacement-stair-tread-information.html Visit this link to see the retro risers: https://www.stair-treads.com/retro-treads-and-risers/replacement-risers.html
  42. Q:I want to make my stair treads from 91/4 inches to at least 10inches. When we had our carpet stairs replaced with engineer wood they change the size abs now we are not up to code. Can we put new tread on top but increase depth?
    A:If your existing treads do not have any overhang now, installing a retro-tread on top will give it depth because 1-1/4" will overhang the tread below. In this case, 9-1/4" will sit on the existing sub-tread + 1-1/4" overhang = 10-1/2" new step width. See this link for the dimensions of a retro tread: https://www.stair-treads.com/faq/standard-stair-tread-dimensions.html Otherwise, changing the depth of a set of stairs with retro treads is difficult. It can be done but will extend the run of the staircase. If you add 3/4" to one step, the next will need 1-1/2" added to maintain the 10" width. The 3rd will need 2-1/4" and so on... Depending on your staircase layout, you may be able to extend the treads by fully replacing the existing tread with a traditional tread as well: https://www.stair-treads.com/traditional-treads-and-risers/traditional-1in-stair-treads/closed-box-traditional-treads.html?color=2&wood_species=68
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