Stair refinishing

Common stair jobs

• Refinishing treads to match new floors. Builder stairs are often stained dark or orange. Sanding the treads to bare wood lets you stain them to match or contrast your new flooring.
• Painting risers and stringers. White risers with wood treads is the most requested look. Risers are sanded, primed and painted.
• Removing carpet. What's under stair carpet varies. Sometimes it's good oak. Sometimes it's paint-grade treads that were never meant to show, and those need new oak cap treads instead of refinishing.

Why stairs cost more per square foot

Stairs are almost all hand work. The nosing, the corners and the edges against the stringers all need detail sanding, and each step gets the same coats as a floor. That's why stairs are priced per step rather than per square foot.

Price

Typically $60 to $100 per step for treads only, and $95 to $160 per step including risers and stringers. A standard 13-step staircase usually lands between about $800 and $2,000 depending on scope.

Using the stairs during the job

A common approach is to finish every other step first, so the stairs stay usable carefully while the rest dry. Ask about it if the stairs are the only way to bedrooms.