PROJECT STORY · MAPLE FLOORING & STAIR CAPPING · BRADFORD
From Carpet to Dark Maple: Flooring & Stair Capping in Bradford
The original carpet in this Bradford home was coming apart. We removed it, installed approximately 1,800 square feet of dark maple flooring and capped the stairs to match. Custom nosing, new posts and round metal balusters finished the transition around the staircase, with the spindles fitted directly into the wood rather than covered by bottom shoes.
- Location
- Bradford, Ontario
- Original condition
- Deteriorating original carpet in a home more than 30 years old
- Flooring
- Approximately 1,800 square feet of dark maple
- Staircase
- New tread caps stained to match, with white risers and stringers
- Landing edges
- Custom nosing around the staircase opening
- Railing
- New posts in the existing design and 5/8-inch round decorative balusters without bottom shoes
- READY TO REPLACE THE CARPET ON YOUR FLOORS AND STAIRS?
The carpet was coming apart
The original carpet was more than 30 years old and had begun to come apart. We removed it from the rooms, landing and staircase.
Maple floors and matching stair caps
Approximately 1,800 square feet of dark maple replaced the carpet. We capped the stairs and stained the new tread surfaces to match the floor. White paint on the risers and stringers contrasts with the dark wood.
Finishing the edge of the stair opening
Custom nosing finishes the exposed floor edge around the stairwell. We fitted it beside the new maple boards, ready for the landing balusters.
A cleaner spindle connection
The new spindles are round, 5/8 inch in diameter, with double-knuckle, double-leaf details. We fitted them directly into the nosing. There are no bottom shoes—the collars often used to cover the base of each spindle.
Keeping the post design
The replacement posts follow the original design. New wood floors, matching stair caps and metal balusters change the finish while retaining that familiar shape.
Planning answers
What homeowners can learn from this project
How much flooring was installed?
Approximately 1,800 square feet of dark maple flooring was installed throughout the house as part of removing the old carpet.
Were the stairs capped or refinished?
The stairs received new tread caps, which were stained to match the maple flooring. The risers and stringers were painted white. This was a capping retrofit, not simply a colour change to the original tread surfaces.
Why was new nosing installed around the staircase?
The custom nosing finished the edge of the new floor around the stair opening. It also provided the connection for the landing balusters, bringing the flooring and railing work together.
What gives the baluster installation its clean appearance?
The round spindles are fitted directly into the new nosing without bottom shoes. There is no separate collar covering each base, so the metal meets the wood with a simple connection.
Were the new posts a different design?
No. The posts were replaced with new ones in the same design. The change came from combining those posts with the new flooring, stained stair caps and round decorative metal spindles.
CONTINUE EXPLORING
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Ready to replace the carpet on your floors and stairs?
Send us photographs of the rooms, staircase and upper landing. We’ll review the flooring, stair caps, nosing and railing together so the work can be planned as one renovation.