Tread on me. how to find wood planks for external stairway treads?

April 6, 2017 10:25 AM

Some steps are sagging on my exterior wood staircase, and I'd like to replace the treads myself. How do I find decent lumber?

The stairs are semi-protected: covered, but open to the elements at the foot of it, so rain can blow in. I need 1.5" x 10.5" x 3' planks with bevelled edges down the length of one side -- a 12' 2x12 cut down to 10.5" and cut into four pieces would be perfect... but when I looked at Home Depot, I found the 2x12s were green and wet and not a one of them was consistent enough to make 4 good boards.

I don't know whether that was an unually bad batch, but any suggestions for how to reliably find a good board? (General advice welcome, but I'm in Berkeley if anyone with local knowledge wants to get specific.)

(I don't have any reason to think the frame is compromised, but of course won't know for sure until I pull up a tread. If it is, I will give up and get a professional.)

posted by Zed to Home & Garden (12 answers total)

If it's going to be subject to frequent dampening then you want a rot-resistant material. The green stuff at home depot was probably pressure-treated southern yellow pine, which is going to be the budget option. In your part of the country you should have pretty good access to redwood, which is prettier and even more rot-resistant than treated SYP. If you want to get fancier, you're near some specialty hardwood dealers that could provide you with something imported.

I'd take up a couple of treads and inspect the stringers sooner rather than later. There's no point in splurging on a few treads if more major work is required.
posted by jon1270 at 10:38 AM on April 6, 2017

I'd buy pressure treated wood (don't forget to treat the ends with end cut solution). Make sure you're using the correct fasteners, deck screws or other coated screws, to prevent corrosion and discoloration.

Alternatively, go to your local lumber yard to pick up a rot resistant hardwood like teak or cedar. If you go that route, I'd still finish the wood with deck stain in order to prevent moss/algae/etc.: you really don't want your steps to end up being slippery in the winter. You can also buy textured paint/finish to make them extra grippy.
posted by halogen at 10:54 AM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]

Start haunting Urban Ore off Ashby near the freeway. They may not have what you are looking for at this moment, but at some point they will have some hundred year old salvage redwood 2x12s that will work perfectly.
posted by rockindata at 11:02 AM on April 6, 2017

Response by poster: Home Depot (or at least mine) won't cut pressure-treated in house. I wouldn't relish trying to neatly cut off 3/4" down the length of each -- any idea who could provide it cut to order?
posted by Zed at 11:04 AM on April 6, 2017

Response by poster: And if I go with untreated wood, of course I'll finish it -- it was easy to web search advice on that part, so I didn't include it in my question.
posted by Zed at 11:07 AM on April 6, 2017

I'm going to go ahead and recommend that you pay a few bucks and have a professional or handyman do this. Your desire for custom cut and Grade A lumber is simply unrealistic. I apologize for being blunt. Let someone who knows what they're doing do a go job for you.
posted by humboldt32 at 11:07 AM on April 6, 2017 [2 favorites]

If you have a *real* lumber yard - the one restoration contractors use - around, go to them. They will get you the right tread material, with the rounded (bull nose) front edge.
posted by notsnot at 11:09 AM on April 6, 2017 [2 favorites]

You do not want to save money on this project by making compromises. Lumber from Home Depot and the like will not work well over the long run because they source as cheaply as they can. Seek out a real lumber yard, and see what they can do for you. Your best bet for fasteners would be stainless steel, as treated wood and redwood will destroy galvanized fittings over time. Untreated wood will not work in your semi-exposed location.
posted by Midnight Skulker at 11:44 AM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]

There are pre-made stair treads and risers from hardwood available even from Lowes and Home Depot--you shouldn't have to make treads from scratch. Google around for a variety of quality/prices. Good quality paint or stain will help your new stairs survive for a long time.
posted by agatha_magatha at 12:46 PM on April 6, 2017 [2 favorites]

Stainless is a lot more expensive, harder to source and harder to use (the fasteners snap off and cam out easier than regular screws); just make sure to use a pressure treated rated deck screw if using pressure treated wood and you'll be fine.

Zed: "I wouldn't relish trying to neatly cut off 3/4" down the length of each -- any idea who could provide it cut to order?"

FYI: this is really easy to do if you have a skilsaw. You can just clamp two risers together (one on top of the other) offset the distance from the edge of the base of your saw to the blade. The top piece acts as a fence/guide to align the blade while cutting the bottom piece.

It's even easier with a clamp on saw guide.

Note you can't get 4-36" boards out of a 12' length of lumber. You saw blade will consume some length with each cut and you also need to square up each end of the board. You are better off buying a couple 8' 2x12s. This will allow you to aggressively trim the ends to get rid of any splits and it'll probably be cheaper than a single 12'.
posted by Mitheral at 12:48 PM on April 6, 2017 [2 favorites]

based on the questions you are asking, listen to humboldt32 and hire a handyman for this
posted by nixon's meatloaf at 2:33 PM on April 6, 2017

If you are wanting to learn general household DIY skills this is a perfect project for that IMO. It isn't so large as to be overwhelming and if you aren't successful the investment in wasted material is very low. And it will be obvious at completion whether you have a safe set of stairs or not.

Even if you get a carpenter to manufacture your new treads installation is well within practically anyone's capabilities.
posted by Mitheral at 7:28 PM on April 6, 2017 [3 favorites]