I want to fit new hardwood treads on top of my 90 year-old, knackered pine treads. Any recommendations as to the most reasonable place to buy on-line?
Not what you asking for, but heads up, you'll have to trim old bull nose off and consider new one to form (either in thickness and overhang or else)
You need a good machinist to run you out some thin hardwood. Will be expensive as there is a lot of waste machining wide thin stock unless someone has a very big capacity bandsaw.
I was talking to a mate who not long after having bought a new build had his stairs "laminated" what the geezer did sounded like it had severely structurally weakened the staircase construction.
yes and no... Lets say, to cut the bull nose with "buzz saw", glue on 12mm scribed planks flush and glue/pin on 1"x3/4" bull nose... I'd say worth a risk (budget+ skills vs realistic proper replacement cost) as old staircases used to have 3/4" thick raisers
Show a couple of pictures of your "knackered treads" and let's see what's possible. What type of hardwood were you hoping for?
If you are good enough with wood to make an acceptable job of over-boarding treads, then you are good enough to take the staircase apart and fit new treads. If the stringers are OK and you can get to the underside, it is possible. Personally, I wouldn't attempt to plant on new treads and nosings - nosings particularly take lots of bashing as peeps use the stairs
You can buy stair cladding kits https://www.barryprimrose.co.uk/Stair-refurbishment/ https://www.cheshiremouldings.co.uk/stair-parts/stair-klad/ https://www.stairmakeoversolutions.co.uk/products.html http://www.spindlesandstairparts.co.uk/index.php/stair-sytems/stair-step-conversion-system
I would spend a fair bit of time with a very sharp Harris paint scraper, random orbital sander and either a delta sander or multitool with sanding attachments and see what one tread comes out like. As it stands your stairs doesn't look particularly attractive due to the three unattractive tones standing out against each other.
The ridging of the aged grain on the treads would demand too heavy a sanding. That's why I want to cover them; ideally, they'll end up the same shade as the balustrade which is more recent.
Use the scraper on the tread for 90%, sander the other 10%. Just try it on one, see what it comes out like and then test a finish on a small area to see if it works, you may be pleasantly surprised. I've scraped two knackered original handrails to test before the people made the decision to replace the lot, in both cases they liked what was underneath and ended up keeping the original full balustrade, though I lost the work I was secretly pleased as I'm a traditionalist at heart. If it looks cack you can then go back to your original plan.
I decided to clad my staircase a few years ago and decided to use a good quality laminate flooring. I cut the existing nosings flush with the risers and then clad the tread and riser and finished off with a hardwood nosing on each tread. The nosing is proud of the laminate and makes the treads more secure to use with no chance of slipping.
I got the nosings from Fintrim. Solid oak stained to one of a number of colours. They are fixed with adhesive. Something like 'Sticks like ****'.