bigredc

I'm helping a friend make a few steps to go from his dining room to living room. There is one step between the upper and lower level. The middle step is strait forward it's just 1" thick X 11 1/2" deep oak with a bull nose. The hardwood floor is like 5/8" So for the top to match the 1" bull nose.The easiest thing to do is attach a 1" thick bull nose to the edge of the hardwood floor. Is that what is normally done? It seems like a nicer way to do it would be to start with a 1" thick X about 2 to 3" or more deep board and hog out the underside till it sits flush with the floor leaving the 1" bull nose hanging over the edge. Is that going to end up cracking anyway? Are we over thinking it?
Chris

Big Dave

The way you are wanting to do it will work but there is a chance it could crack down the road. Seems that people love to step on the corner as they go down steps, I know I do.

THe correct way to do it is to take the floor board next to the edge off and replace with a wider board that will hang over the desired amount. Then glue another board to the bottom of the overhang to make it the 1" that that you need. I like to have at least a 6" wide board along edges where stairs start. Use construction adhesive and nails to secure it to the subfloor.

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bigredc

Dave
I didn't think of that one. Like a piece of 1/4 round. So you don't see a joint looking down. You would see it walking up.
Chris

Big Dave

Yes, quarter round would work fine.

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Do one thing at a time, do it well, then move on.
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firehawkmph

Bigred,
They make a starter bullnose piece like Big Dave was describing. Check with your stairparts supplier at your local lumberyard. You will still have to remove the first piece of hardwood flooring. You could also get an extra stair tread and make one. Rip it to width to allow for the space it would take up once you take out the first piece of hardwood flooring, plus the bullnose overhang. Then notch the bottom where it will sit on the floor so the finish height matches the hardwood flooring. (1" - 5/8" (flooring height) = 3/8" notch on the bottom side). You could cut the notch on a table saw pretty easily. Like Dave said, install with construction adhesive and nails or finish screws. Don't forget to allow in your overhang dimension your riser width if you haven't installed the riser yet.
Mike Hawkins

bigredc

I'm getting confused a little now Mike. Are saying what I originally said. Make a kind of J or L shaped board so that board replaces the last piece of flooring and has the bull nose, all in one piece. There are 2 spots that need a step one is 48" the other is 61". The home store had a 48" but didn't have anything bigger. I told him we should just make everything from scratch. He paid $25 for a 48" tread that was about 4 or 5 boards glued together. We were able to buy a rough 5/4 X 12" X 10 1/2' board for $33. If I'm doing it all in one piece I'll need to buy another 5/4 board. If I'm just gluing a piece on the bottom front edge to get the width I can buy a thinner board.
Chris