How To Attach Wood Stair Treads To Concrete

December 8 2018

Homeowners all over the world love to spice up the look and the overall feel of they house. One of the most popular ways to do this is by attaching wood treads on existing concrete stairs.

There are different types of stair treads, but wood treads are mostly preferred due to their aesthetic value, durability, safety, and ease of cleaning.

That said, it is also important to acknowledge that the wood treads (wood, by the way, can be cut with extreme accuracy using a CNC router - get more information) do not come as cheap as generic treads. The elegance of wood comes at a cost. The treads come in different textures, colors and design.

Apart from the aesthetic value of wood treads, they also stand out among the strongest and most compact treads for a stairway.

They can withstand several years of agitation and friction so long as good care and maintenance practices are followed faithfully.

But enough about the greatness of wood treads; let's get into some cons.

Wood treads can prove to be intimidating for lay homeowners doing a DIY project. The following strategies will offer ways on how to attach wood stair treads to concrete:

There are two instances where attaching wood treads could be problematic. One is attaching the wood stringer to the concrete floor, and the second instance is placing the wood treads on existing concrete stairs.

Attaching On Concrete Floor

These are the support boards that should be attached on the top and bottom floors that the stair way is connecting.

In essence, the stringer should be firm to keep the stairway in place and to avoid slipping. If the stairway is made of wood, your stringer should also be wooden.

However, the challenge comes when you try to attach the wood perfectly to the concrete floor. This can be a frustrating task, but fortunately, we have some effective strategies that you can use to fasten the stringer and wood treads on concrete.

Step 1

Use a concrete drill to make holes on your concrete floor where the stringer will be fixed.

Ensure that the stringer is of equal width as the stairway for a more refined and professional look.

Step 2

Proceed to make holes on each step of the stairway using a uniform measurement for all steps. After this, drill holes on the wood treads using the same measurements.

Place the wood treads on each step and fasten them using the appropriate screws and an electric drill to achieve a firm result.

Step 3

This method follows the procedure of step 2, but it is applied on concrete stairs that are irregular. This could lead to a shaky result even after fastening the treads with the right screws.

To solve this problem, a carpet can be laid under the wood treads before proceeding to fasten them appropriately and uniformly.

Step 4

An indented design of wood treads looks appealing but it can be problematic if the treads are not secured with a metal angle.

This step ensures that the hanging nose of the wood tread is secured to withstand the pressure applied on it.

Step 5

If you hate the idea of drilling the wood treads and the concrete floor, you can choose to use a contact adhesive to secure the wood treads on the concrete.

Silicone can also be used in this case but the adhesives are more affordable and give a better result.

I hope this guide is helpful to you!