cheapest yet looking nice material to DIY stairs cladding ?

[michaelp]

We have 50's timber stairs. Structurally sound.
Softwood painted over a number of times.
Looks horrible. It was carpeted.
We want to clad it.

What is the cheapest yet looking nice material to DIY ?

Are there any building regs to observe (we will not alter the original stairs) ?

Can we use (for example) pine shelf boards as stairs cladding ?

[ayjay]

Which part of the staircase do you want to clad?

[michaelp]

treads, raisers and the "skirting"

there is nothing else to it as it goes between walls so no rails, no posts.

[ayjay]

The problem with doing the treads is that you introduce a different size step at the top and bottom, with the likelihood of introducing a trip at the top nosing unless the whole area is built up on that floor.

It may not seem like much but it's very noticeable when you walk up and down the stairs, and the top nosing is dangerous if it's left just built up.

A false string (skirting) is also quite a complicated thing to do for a novice, but not so bad if you do it first and then the treads and risers will cover the joints.

[michaelp]

the top landing is unfinished yet.
it will rise by ~15mm (laminate + underlay)
rooms are done up to about that level.

the cladding, can be 18mm (?)
like b&q floorboards here : https://www.diy.com/departments/floorbo ... 014_BQ.prd

3mm difference should be ok?

as you suggested, i will cut the string first and mask imperfections by treads.
i am quite adventurous and looking at b&q router to make the rounded nosing and groove between riser/tread:
https://www.diy.com/departments/mac-all ... 925_BQ.prd

are the b&q floorboards any good for this purpose?
works out £2.27 per each tread and riser.

[big-all]

to do it properly the front off your treads will come forward about 55-60mm as you new riser will be slotted under the new tread and covering the old nosing
so you have old nosing overhang say 25mm plus new ply riser 12mm plus new nosing say 21mm

[ronan01]

Yes, Pine or Yellow Pine is the most commonly used material. Good choice.

[michaelp]

to do it properly the front off your treads will come forward about 55-60mm as you new riser will be slotted under the new tread and covering the old nosing
so you have old nosing overhang say 25mm plus new ply riser 12mm plus new nosing say 21mm

am i allowed to trim off the old nosing ?
can't see it being a structural part, rather decorative.
this way my job would be easier:

existing tread is 225mm + 25mm nosing so i trim off and square up to 225mm
proposed floorboard from b&q width is 119mm, thickness 18mm
i stick 2 floorboards per tread - 238mm and this gives me 13mm for new nosing.
it will be shy, shallow nosing but it is ok?

do i need to observe any building regs?

[Argyll]

You can lay Quickstep laminate on stairs.

https://www.quick-step.co.uk/en-gb/floo ... renovation

I decided against installing it on mine as I thought it was too much of a slip hazard.

[big-all]

half the strength off the tread comes from the riser
whilst the nosing is decorative it is a vital part off the structure
having said that providing you cut it neat to the front off the riser face and make sure its solidly glued and screwed it should be ok but off course will only save about 20-25mm total removing and repairing around 15 treads

[London mike 61]

I have no idea what your budget is or your skill level but you could fit these with the minimum of fuss

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Oak-Stair-Kl ... 3029210293

Mike

[michaelp]

I have no idea what your budget is or your skill level but you could fit these with the minimum of fuss

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Oak-Stair-Kl ... 3029210293

Mike

thank you Mike.
it would be difficult to make/get matching strings.
anyway, i don't like to look of it - reminds me of cheap kitchen cabinets.
it would be obvious that it is not oak, not in my cheap house ;-)
also, we are pretty careless dropping things on the floor and if the thin veneer chips away, it will look bad. irreparable i guess.

price wise, if i am allowed to use floorboards and get away with less than £5 for tread and riser set, i would be delighted.
£100 for a full staircase cladding including 11 treads, 11 risers, 6 meters of false strings and 2 landings, some glue and stain.

my skills? i practice on scraps until i am good enough and than crack on

[big-all]

assuming your treads are around 9" wide you can make that up from 1x 4x1"planed and 2x 3x1"planed [x93mm+136=229mm] alternated growth rings glued and clamped this combination will cost perhaps [1x£2.23 p +2x £1.70=£5.50 per metre from a wood yard do not use wood from a diy shed