How to Install New Stair Treads
- 1). Press the end of a pry bar beneath the nosing of the stair tread, where the riser board meets the bottom of the tread, and tap with a hammer to drive the pry bar in and create a small gap under the tread nosing. Begin at one side, raise the tread, then move to the opposite side of the tread and repeat the action.
- 2). Slip the end of the pry bar into the gap and lift up, then repeat on the opposite side, moving incrementally back and forth until the gap is approximately ¼ to ½ inch wide.
- 3). Cut the nails exposed between the bottom of the tread board and the surface of the stair stringer below, using a reciprocating saw with a metal blade.
- 4). Pull the tread forward horizontally to remove it.
- 5). Drive the remaining exposed nails cut in Step 3 down with a hammer until flush with the top surface of the stair stringer.
- 6). Measure the width of the tread board removed in Step 4, using a measuring tape. Measure a new piece of tread material to this dimension, marking the measurement on the bottom surface of the new tread and use a circular saw to cut the board from the nosing edge to the back to prevent splintering or marring of the tread nosing or surface.
- 7). Slip the new tread board cut in Step 6 into place, making certain it slides fully beneath the riser board for the next step and the nosing hangs over the previous riser board equally at both side of the stair.
- 8). Secure the new tread board in place with three flooring nails, equally spaced at each stair stringer. Use a nail set to push the nail heads a minimum of ... inch below the tread surface and fill the resulting hole with wood filler to match the finish.
- 9). Repeat Steps 1 through 8 for each stair tread.
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