When renovating a home or property, there are many decisions to be made especially when it comes to your flooring.
Hardwood flooring is one of the most popular choices people make for their living room, dining room, kitchen and hallway but there are other rooms, or spaces in the home, where wood floors are not so common, such as staircases.

However, for the sake of consistency and the many benefits of installing hardwood flooring over, let’s say, carpet, you may choose to opt for hardwood flooring on your stairs, and if this is something that you’re considering, then let’s look at the pros, cons and how it can be done.

What Are The Benefits of Wood Flooring on the Stairs

The aesthetic appeal of hardwood flooring is possibly the most popular reason as to why people choose to have it installed in their home. It’s timeless, long-lasting and looks great with any interior.
It’s also likely going to be the most viewed area of your home depending on it’s positioning as, any time you open the front door, your staircase will be visible to whoever is on the other side, and it will be one of the first things people see when they enter your home which is why there is often a pressure to make a big impression with your staircase.
That being said, hardwood flooring will always make a lasting impact and stand out more than the traditional option of carpet.

Furthermore, if you have hardwood flooring throughout most of your home, particularly in the hallway/entryway, then installing it on the stairs helps keep some consistency and fluidity running through your home.

Staircases also happen to be the most at risk area in the home when it comes to getting dirty due to guests often running up and down to use the bathroom and forgetting to take off their dirty shoes.
Unfortunately, stairs are also the most difficult area to clean when carpeted (have you ever tried hoovering your stairs - it’s exhausting!).
Hardwood flooring is much easier to maintain in that respect. You can wipe dirt off without the fear of a stain or discolouring, and there will never be any shoe marks left behind.

There are many more benefits to hardwood flooring in general which we explore in more depth in our blog, The Benefits of Wood Flooring In Your Home.

What Are The Risks of Wood Flooring on the Stairs

The biggest argument against having hardwood flooring installed on stairs is the issue of safety.
Stairs are a major hazard with one person in the UK falling on stairs every 90 seconds, making it the most common area of the home to sustain injuries.
As a result, many homeowners opt for a soft and safer type of flooring in this area, such as carpet, in order to decrease the chances of a serious, or even fatal, injury should someone fall or trip on the stairs.

The risk increases for those who are more vulnerable such as the elderly, children and those who are less able-bodied.
Hence, if you have people living in, or regularly visiting, your home who are at increased risk of having an accident on the stairs, then you may want to rethink getting hardwood flooring installed - or at least look at ways to protect them if you do choose to install it.

One option could be to have hardwood flooring installed and then fit a stair runner over it.
A stair runner is a piece of carpet that doesn’t cover the full width of the stairs so the hardwood will still be exposed on either side. Not only does this protect people from falling on a tough surface, but it also looks stunning.

The only other downsides that you are likely to hear when it comes to wood floors on stairs are that it takes far longer to install and it doesn’t absorb sound very well.
Though both are true, whether or not they should have an impact on your decision is solely down to your personal preference and needs.

How Do You Install Wood Flooring On Stairs

Installation of wood flooring on stairs is relatively straightforward and should be done starting at the bottom of the stairs.
Depending on the size of your staircase, it should only take a day to get your new hardwood floors fitted but it does mean that the area will be out of use during the process.

The installation process is simply a case of measuring each stair, cutting the plank of wood accordingly and using a flexible adhesive to bond the wood to the stairs. You’ll also need to apply stair nosing (a moulding that covers the edge of each step and joins the flooring together) with the same adhesive to ensure that everything stays firmly in place.
Each step must be level and at a 90 degree angle, so there may be some preparation involved if you have stairs that are uneven in places.

Even if you have experience in flooring installation, the difficulty is mainly with how precise you must be when it comes to cutting the hardwood boards.

This is why we would advise that you seek a professional fitter when it comes to installing your wood flooring.Although the process is not as complicated as it may seem, if you want to ensure that the job is completed to a high standard, then you should look at outsourcing the service to someone like ourselves.