rross2007 OP t1_jdw7ihl wrote on March 27, 2023 at 5:22 PM

Reply to comment by Pinstrip3 in How should I finish my stairs? by rross2007

Sanding it down smooth would be a pain, even with an electric sander. I think I'll try to cover it up with the new treads and something over the stringers. Thanks for your help.

9yr0ld t1_jdw7o4w wrote on March 27, 2023 at 5:23 PM

yeah don't sand it. it'll be a pain, and it's garbage wood underneath. the red oak tread you've found is much better quality.

Pinstrip3 t1_jdw9mz7 wrote on March 27, 2023 at 5:36 PM

Oh I know, I've done mine. They were covered with some sort of gummy paint that clogged sanding pad 5 second after putting a new one. Took me like a week of sanding a single flight. Even though wood is just pine I think It was worth it though.

Thing with covering old treads with new ones is that you'll raise the height of the first step and lower the last. Not a big issue but may look awkward. Second issue is that raisers will still be visible so you may end up sanding them anyway. Same goes for stringers.

dxrey65 t1_jdy4kjs wrote on March 28, 2023 at 1:10 AM

> Not a big issue

It is a big issue, really. A home inspector would usually follow the code and look for a maximum difference of 1/8 in all the risers. That tends to be followed pretty strictly, as too much difference between stair heights increases the likelihood of someone falling on the stairs. It might sound silly, but anyone in the business is used to having to follow the rules pretty closely there.