Staircase Refinishing / Treads & Risers
Stair tread and riser refinishing in St. Louis.
Treads are the most-used wood surface in your home. The finish has to be able to prove it.
High-traffic surfaces need high-performance finish.
Stair treads take more contact per square foot than any other wood surface in a home. Every person, every day, every trip up and every trip down. Finish that looks good on a dining table won't perform on a stair tread. The selection of polyurethane — sheen, build, cure hardness — matters on this surface more than almost anywhere else.
We use oil or water-based polyurethane selected for durability on high-traffic surfaces. The prep matters too: a tread that's stripped clean and sanded to the right profile holds finish longer than one that got a coat over an existing base.
Treads and risers together.
Refinishing treads without addressing risers is common — treads wear faster — but doing them together produces a better visual result. A freshly finished tread against an unchanged riser shows the contrast immediately. We typically quote and finish treads and risers as a unit, with the option to prioritize treads if budget requires.
Tread refinishing vs. tread replacement.
Tread replacement runs $200–$400+ per tread installed, depending on species match and stair complexity. Refinishing costs significantly less and — for solid wood treads in sound condition — produces a result that's visually and structurally equivalent to new.
If treads have deep gouges, cracks, or structural damage, we'll assess and tell you honestly when replacement makes more sense than refinishing. Most treads in St. Louis's older homes are solid old-growth wood and refinish well.
EPA Certified for pre-1978 staircases.
Stair finishes in pre-1978 homes contain lead. Stripping them generates lead dust in the most-trafficked part of your home. Sue Wheeler is an EPA Certified Lead Removal. Every pre-1978 staircase project includes proper containment, HEPA filtration, and documented cleanup.