# Forum Home Renovation Stairs, Steps and Ramps  Timber over MDF Stairs and Particle Board

## lobo

hello,
I am building a new project home around Southern sydney and getting a project builder to build it for me. The project builder is offering me as standard MDF stairs and also the option of going to a Full timber  maple stairs for $3000 plus staining costs.
A carpenter / flooring man has offered to lay blackbutt overlay over the MDF and the particle board glued and nailed. He claims this is standard practice and cost saving for the staircase at least. 
The question "is it ok to go for a MDF staircase with overlay/" 
thanks in advance  
Lobo

----------


## Gaza

yes it is the best way, the timber treads will not get damaged during construction.

----------


## sports fan

i would probably go for mdf treads& risers carpet over it.. and maple or pine for handrail + balusters.. not really a veneer kinda guy

----------


## henlan77

If by 'overlay' you mean a thin veneer, I would be hesitant. 
If you mean a solid piece of blackbutt timber as the stair tread (I'd have thought at least 25mm thick) then it is a good idea and common practice. The blackbutt treads won't get damaged during construction as the builders can use the raw MDF/chipboard stairs. 
Don't forget you'll want a nice riser panel as well. I have used blackbutt treads with black melamine risers over a chipboard structure. Looked great.

----------


## glock40sw

G'day.
I pretty sure Gaza was talking about 12mm Overlay Solid wood T&G. 
Although, I will stand corrected if needed  :2thumbsup: .
12 mm overlay T&G is a common facing for Stairs.

----------


## Connollys

We line stairs with 19mm solid T&G flooring all the time, it is a cost effective way to get a great result that matches the floor exactly. Make sure they create a bullnose for the front of the step.  :Biggrin:  
Cheers

----------


## Dave1975

[G`day I`m Floor layer - sander , laying any strip flooring over stairs will always going cheaper than solid treads and risers as long as the MDF stairs are squared off (No Nosing) and you have to put up with joins through the treads, I recommend lay over treads only and buy for the riser only eg. 180mm x 5mm long enough to do all the risers (rip down to the height)  
quote=lobo;719594]hello,
I am building a new project home around Southern sydney and getting a project builder to build it for me. The project builder is offering me as standard MDF stairs and also the option of going to a Full timber  maple stairs for $3000 plus staining costs.
A carpenter / flooring man has offered to lay blackbutt overlay over the MDF and the particle board glued and nailed. He claims this is standard practice and cost saving for the staircase at least. 
The question "is it ok to go for a MDF staircase with overlay/" 
thanks in advance  
Lobo[/quote]

----------


## UteMad

Check out these ones .. We removed the slate tiles then plywooded the concrete stairs ...Laminated the treads and had them dressed and pre sanded ... Fitted all the stairs together and had them resanded and polished.. Treads were 25mm finish and risers were 18mm finish.. 
Unfortunately the cost was more than triple the 3000 you were quoted           
Gould luck with the stairs i would be reluctanct to do anything less than 18mm for the treads and they will need a bonded nosing to look chunky  
cheers utemad

----------


## boban

Like ute man said, it is done all the time.  I did the same thing but I laminated a piece from the same board to make the nosing 38mm.  It's a slow process when you start glueing before installation but it is a better job overall.  On that particular site the task was made even harder by having to scribe the side boards to the treads.  See this 
On a  straight run going from stringer to stringer is pretty easy and not that time consuming.  Relatively speaking of course.

----------


## UteMad

Its a fun job isn't it... Routing all the grooves under the treads and all the scribing and planing.. I wouldn't quote it again unless i knew the person.. I had a call for exactly the same thing again a few weeks ago so sent the photo's with a ballpark and never heard back ... You would think with all the hacks out there that having photo's of the same job done previously you would atleast get a call back over someone who just says yeah i'll take care of that...... 
Like i have said Sydney is an expensive place full of t#ght A#ses  
cheers utemad

----------


## henlan77

> Make sure they create a bullnose for the front of the step. 
> Cheers

  Just wondering what the reasons are for creating a bullnose. I'm about to start lining MDF stairs with hardwood flooring and prefer the look of a totally squared off tread/riser. 
I have been using the MDF stairs for about 6 months and have not noticed any safety issues without the bullnose. Is it just to hide the join between the tread and the riser? 
Also, does anyone have a link for the best method of installing hardwood flooring as treads?

----------

