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Stairs
Stairs can be a challenging project, whether you are a contractor or a do-it-yourself
person. There are a vast number of styles and combinations, giving you lots of choices
for the look of your stairway. We only stock a few select, popular styles, but we can
order a great many other styles.
Wood types
There are several options available to you.
oak
Oak is perhaps the most popular choice in wooden stairway systems. It is very durable,
continues to stand the tests of time, and looks fabulous. As a result, it is the wood
that is produced in larger quantities. This means that it is usually the case that a
particular style might be in stock, and readily available. It is not a good short-term
cost saving option, but it is a good choice for the long term, and can make a stunning
centerpeice to an entryway, or make any home a touch more elegant.
beech
Beech is one of the top three options for stairway woods. It has a tight grain that
takes stain reltively evenly. It is rather durable, though not as much as oak or the
other hardwoods. It also takes paints well, on the off chance you don't wish to use a
stain. Its cost is lower than the hardwoods, though ont the lowest of all the options.
maple
Maple is a hardwood that has a distinct character to its grain. It is not unusual to find kitchens
with maple cabinets, nor is it difficult to find maple with nothing but a clear coat on it, to let
its natural beauty shine through. With age, the character of the maple only improves. This is more
of a custom option, and so we have to special order all of the stair parts. There is a waiting
period of several weeks for most parts. Some find the wait well worth it.
cherry
Cherry is a hardwood often noted for its rich reddish tones. It is often used in furniture, and
takes stain rather well. It also ages very well, and is durable, like oak and maple. It is also
an uncommon choice for stairways due to its expense. As a result, the same sorts of delays as that
for maple are usual (several weeks for delivery), and the satisfaction with it as a material can also
be high.
hickory
Hickory is the final option for a hardwood stairway. It has more character to its grain than the birch,
and does not have the reddish tint of the cherry. Rather, it bears a coloring similar to the oak, but with
a very different grain from the often-recognized oak. It is in the same cost bracket as the cherry or the
maple, and has the same lag time for deilvery of parts. Kitchen cabinets made of hickory can easily be found
(including in our showroom!), and it is this that draws people to look into installing a hickory stairway.
primed
Primed stair parts are easily the most cost effective. They are made of a "paint grade" wood, which is often
poplar. What this means is that the wood has a smooth grain, but often is discolored for some reason, making it
unlikely to be used with only a stain, where blemishes would be obvious. The primed stair parts are generally
in stock and ship quickly. Once installed, they accept paint readily, and can give a nice accent to the room.
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