Retro Stair Tread Installation Video
One of our customers has put together a great installation video of his
installation techniques of our prefinished Ash Retro Replacement stair treads. This is a
great resource and details the basic installation process.
Here are a couple of
key features that we find in this installation video:
- Gary starts by removing the existing carpeting and padding. This is
done by using a razor knife and cutting the carpet in manageable strips.
The carpet can then be simply pulled off (this may take some effort)
- He then uses a "cats paw" or a small pry bar to remove any existing
tackstrip along the edges of the existing stair
- The carpet pad is removed by pulling the piece or pieces by hand
- This process is continued until all the stairs are bare
- Once the carpet and pad is removed, there will likely be staples
remaining on the existing stair treads and risers
- These can be removed with a pry bar, screwdriver, putty knife or
even a sander with a heavy (16Y) grit sandpaper.
- Next, he uses a reciprocating saw, sometimes known as a sawzall, to
remove the overhang of his existing 2 x 12's
- Notice that his existing stairs do not have an existing bullnose but
he still needs to remove any overhang from the step to ensure a flush
fit of the new retro treads
- For this installation, Gary added additional trim along his skirt
boards for a more decorative appearance
- If you notice, he is using a small shaving from the end of a retro
tread to measure and draw any cuts and angles without actually having to
position a full tread in the opening. (See the shaving at 3:08 just over
the pry bar)
- Next he measures and cuts the tread to fit on an individual basis -
measure with care - each step is likely to be a slightly different
dimension. The idea is to cut the tread as close as possible to the
actual dimensions needed
- He measures and cuts the riser in the same manner. The riser is
secured with a small gauge brad nailer with a good bead of construction
adhesive as well
- At 3:40, Gary needs to add shims to bring a riser to square. He adds
several shims and marks their positions on the treads below with a dry
erase marker so he knows where to nail once the riser is in place
- He continues this process for the remaining treads and risers until
all of the treads are installed
From here, you may want to review our written
installation instructions.