Designed Stairs

Designed Stairs has the experience to design structural, open-riser staircases that are also beautiful works of contemporary art.

  • Can Red Oak look like White Oak?

    red-oak-versus-white-oak

    Red Oak is generally more affordable than White Oak, prompting many to explore finishing techniques to achieve a similar look.

    At first glance, some Red Oak may resemble White Oak, but they have distinct differences. White Oak features a light brown hue, tighter grain, and greater density, while Red Oak has a red tint and a more open grain.

    Some red oak is more or less “red”.   Each piece of wood is unique, so results vary.

     One simple option is to reduce the red tint is using a stain with some gray in it.  This stain can help neutralize the red tones in Red Oak, making it look more like White Oak.  Minwax Weathered Oak is a good option.

    You can also lighten Red Oak using Zinsser Wood Bleach (A-B solutions) and enhance its appearance with various stains. The bleaching process can significantly reduce the red tones, allowing for effective color alteration.   

    If you have existing wood you want to keep, bleaching may be a good option. However, for new projects, starting with White Oak might be more cost-effective. Keep in mind the labor costs. Bleaching Red Oak for an interior project can nearly double your overall expenses.   

    If you’re seeking the look of White Oak, you’ll likely be happier with the final product if you choose White Oak from the start, but that does come at price. 

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  • Will Designed Stairs provide nosing or should the flooring company provide nosing?

    Nosing is required anywhere there is balustrade or newels.  Typically, nosing from a flooring company has a shorter overhang and does not have the space for trim under it.  Typical floor nosing overhangs 1-1/4”, whereas Designed Stairs nosing overhangs 1-3/4” to allow for trim under the nosing.  This includes apron and cove.  Designed Stairs provides all of the nosing where there is balustrade or newels so that the nosing and trim will match the stair style.  i.e., If the stair has square-nosed treads and square cove, the nosing, apron, and cove would also be square to match.

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  • Should painted balusters be installed at the same time as the stair?

    If you are buying a stair with balusters in a contrasting material, such as painted balusters on an oak stair, questions will likely arise regarding the finishing of the stair. “Should my painter finish the balusters separately from the stair, then have the balusters installed when the stair is finished?

    Here are some things to consider:

    • Your painter will generally opt for painting the balusters before installation. This allows them to be sprayed instead of brushed and eliminates a lot of “cut-in” work.
    • Painting balusters separately also means that the stair installers will have to come back to the site, remove the railings and install the balusters. There will be charge for this “second trip” to the job site. You will have to remember to schedule this “second trip” in coordination with the completion of the finish.
    • Leaving your balusters out for painting means that they are more likely to be lost or stolen during this time. You will be responsible for balusters left at the job site.
    • Once the painted balusters are finally installed, there will be additional “touch-up finishing required at the rail joints. Holes will have to be filled and stain and finish re-applied for the final finish.

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  • Should painted balusters be installed at the same time as the stair?

    Painted balusters

    If you are buying a stair with balusters in a contrasting material, such as painted balusters on an oak stair, questions will likely arise regarding the finishing of the stair. “Should my painter finish the balusters separately from the stair, then have the balusters installed when the stair is finished?

    Here are some things to consider:

    • Your painter will generally opt for painting the balusters before installation. This allows them to be sprayed instead of brushed and eliminates a lot of “cut-in” work.

    • Painting balusters separately also means that the stair installers will have to come back to the site, remove the railings and install the balusters. There will be charge for this “second trip” to the jobsite. You will have to remember to schedule this “second trip” in coordination with the completion of the finish.

    • Leaving your balusters out for painting means that they are more likely to be lost or stolen during this time. You will be responsible for balusters left at the jobsite.

    • Once the painted balusters are finally installed, there will be additional “touch-up finishing required at the rail joints. Holes will have to be filled and stain and finish re-applied for the final finish.

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  • What space is required to fit a curved stair?

    A curved stair takes far more floor space than other types of stairs. Ideally you want a large square space to allow for the most gracious and elegant curved stair. You can narrow and tighten up the space, which will require your radius to get tighter. As your radius gets tighter your stair will not look as grand and elegant. Additionally a tight radius will likely require hand carved railings and therefore become more costly.

    You will first need to know how many treads or steps needed. To figure the quantity of treads:

    • Take your overall rise floor to floor — including finished flooring — and divide it by the ideal riser height, say 7.6″
    • You will need to round up or down (high riser, or lower rise) to select your total number of rise

    For example: Overall rise is 133″ / 7.6 = 17.5. I can make the risers lower: 133/18 = 7.39, so 17 treads, or taller 133/17 = 7.82, so 16 treads. Less treads will take less floor space, which typically ends up being needed. Subtract 1 from your tread count and that is the number of risers. Now that we know the # of risers and treads, we can look up a curved stair layout and see how that fits to our space.

    curved stair layouts

    To find curved layouts (based on the total number of rises you need), like those shown here, request a free Ideal Curved Stair Plans download.

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  • What Stage of Construction Should Hardwood Stairs be Installed?

    Installer with stringer

    When your stair is installed will have a lot to do with how it turns out in the end.

    Plan installation of your hardwood stair for after your drywall has been taped, sanded, and primed. The drywall process can cause damage to the stair. Drywall mud and paint overspray can make the stair finishing process very difficult and may even make desired results impossible to achieve.

    Most hardwoods are an open grain wood and when dirt gets embedded in open grain it is very difficult to remove, even with sanding. This will have a negative effect on the appearance and texture of the finish. Care must also be taken to protect the stair from dirt and mud.

    NEVER COVER HARDWOOD STAIRS WITH PLASTIC. Plastic does not allow airflow, trapping moisture underneath and causing the wood to expand and contract. This expansion and contraction causes the wood joints to open up and may cause the wood to crack.

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  • Cover Stairs with Hardwood or Replace with New Stairs?

    “I have ugly carpeted stairs, and I want the look of a nice hardwood custom made stair. Should I cover my existing stair with hardwood or replace with new stairs?”

    New Oak stair

    First consider how old your existing stairs are. If you have fairly new pine stairs under your carpet, the moisture content in your pine lumber will be higher than it will be in the hardwood. The woods dry differently. When a wood with a higher moisture content is covered with a dryer wood, it creates a high probability that it will develop squeaks.

    New wood stair

    Fitting hardwood stair parts to an existing stair can be laborious. There are about 30 pieces in a basic stair alone. This will likely result in over 100 cuts from prepping to installation. Keep in mind it’s harder to make a non-square cut to fit something existing than to make a good/new square cut.

    The cost of buying the hardwood stair parts will be essentially the same as buying parts for a new stair. The main difference is the labor of fitting them onto an existing stair or building a new stair. There may not be a savings to cover existing vs. a new stair.

    Last, but certainly not least is quality. A new custom built hardwood stair will likely have better joinery and fit. It allows you the opportunity to use new routed stringers and have your treads and risers tightly wedged into them. A method of measurably better construction.

    Price out both methods and compare all facts to make an educated cost decision.

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