When installing hardwood floors, people often overlook one very important area. The stairs that rise up to your second floor should look as incredible as your new floor, and that requires putting some thought into the overall design. How will the treads and risers be finished? What kind of stain are you drawn to? Here are a few design ideas for you to consider when you’re finishing a staircase to match your beautiful new floors. The right finish on your stairs will make your entire house look more impressive and welcoming.
Wood Grain
An elegant stain allows the wood grain of your flooring to show through. The eyes naturally follow the grain to find patterns in the wood, and that includes on your stairwell. When the wood grain runs perpendicular to the floor, it can be disruptive and jarring. Whenever possible, have the wood grain run parallel to the floor for greater blending and visual appeal. However, you can shift the grain direction if you’re working with a large room that has a step down. The changing grain pattern helps people see the difference in floor heights to avoid accidents.
Depth and Unique Style
When people want the wood floors to really stand out and look a little different, they may choose hand scraped floors. In addition to hand scarped floors and stair treads, you can also carry the dimensional look into the rest of the design with hand scarped balusters and newels. By incorporating the hand scraped look into that various floor and stair components you can achieve greater consistency throughout the space.
Dimension and Beauty
You can have the risers and tread finished in the same wood for consistency, but you can also use painted risers to give the stairs a more dimensional look. Use a contrasting paint color to make the risers stand out more and add a special touch to the stairs. You can also use two different wood stains on the risers and treads to make the space more visually appealing. You can also finish off the risers with decorative tiles for a lovely and durable finish that adds color, texture and patterns to the stairwell.
Before you begin construction on your project, it’s important to consider these little finishing details. Choosing the right wood for your new floor is only the first step in the process. You also need to consider how the stairs and other areas will be finished off. Keep these design ideas in mind when going through your decision process. Qualified flooring professionals should be able to guide you through this process as well.