Removing carpet from stairs and replacing with hardwood is one of the most dramatic transformations you can make in a Chicago home. It's also one of the most unpredictable — because what's under that carpet is often not what homeowners expect. After 18 years doing this across Chicago and suburbs, here's exactly what to expect.
What's Actually Under Your Stair Carpet in Chicago
The most common question: is there real hardwood under my stair carpet? The answer depends heavily on when and how your home was built.
| Home Type | What's typically under stair carpet |
|---|---|
| Pre-1960s Chicago bungalows, greystones, two-flats | Almost always original hardwood treads — usually red oak. Often refinishable if structurally sound. |
| 1960s–1990s construction | Often pine — a soft raw carpentry material used as the structural tread with carpet expected to cover it permanently. Needs replacement with oak. |
| Prefabricated / builder-grade staircases | Pine treads in a prefab system — often no separate risers, just skirtboards with routed channels. Treads replaceable but requires adding a stringer underneath. |
| New construction (post-2000) | Usually pine or MDF — designed for carpet. New oak treads required. |
The Pine Tread Problem — Chicago's Most Common Surprise
Pine is a softwood — significantly softer than red oak. It was commonly used as a structural material in staircase construction in Chicago homes built from the 1960s onward, with the assumption that carpet would permanently cover it. When we remove that carpet, here's what we find:
- Raw, unfinished pine — sometimes never treated or primed. Just structural lumber used as a tread.
- Visible nail holes and construction marks — from the original installation and subsequent carpet tack strips.
- Soft surface — pine dents with even light pressure. A thumbnail pressed into pine leaves a visible mark. Oak resists this completely.
- No moisture resistance — pine absorbs stain unevenly and doesn't hold finish the same way hardwood does.
Prefabricated Staircases — What They Are and What We Do
This is something most homeowners — and many contractors — have never heard of. But we see it regularly in Chicago homes built from the 1980s onward, and it's important to understand before any work begins.
What is a prefabricated staircase?
A prefabricated staircase is a factory-built system where the structural components — the skirtboards (the angled boards on either side of the staircase) — have channels routed into them. The pine treads sit in these channels rather than being attached to traditional stringers. Critically, many prefabricated staircases have no separate risers — just the skirtboard channels holding the tread in position.
How we handle prefabricated staircases
- Remove existing pine treads from the skirtboard channels
- Add stringer (support structure) under each tread position — this is the critical step that makes the new treads structurally sound
- Install new red oak treads — properly supported and secured
- Add risers if needed — many prefab systems had no risers; we add them as part of the renovation for a complete, finished look
- Sand, stain, and finish with Bona Traffic HD to match the main floor
The Process — Step by Step
Should You Add a Stair Runner?
One of the most popular options for carpeted stair conversions in Chicago is a center stair runner — a strip of carpet down the middle of each tread, with exposed oak on both sides.
Carpet to Hardwood Stairs — Costs in Chicago 2026
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Carpet removal from stairs | Included in project |
| New red oak tread installation (material + labor) | $250–$400 per tread |
| Refinishing existing hardwood treads | $55–$70 per tread |
| Stringer installation (prefab staircases) | Quoted per project |
| White painted risers | Quoted per project |
| Cove molding replacement | $30 per tread |
| Iron spindle replacement | $25 per spindle |
| Bona anti-slip finish | Included on request |
| Stair runner installation | Quoted per project |
Ready to Remove That Stair Carpet?
We assess before we start — identify the tread material, staircase type, and structural condition. No surprises after the carpet comes off.
Get Instant Quote → Or call / text: 773-790-3887 · Same-day responseRecent FLOORecki Carpet to Hardwood Stair Projects
1980s home with carpeted stairs hiding pine treads — exactly what we see most often in Park Ridge homes of this era. Pine identified at estimate, client chose oak replacement. New red oak treads installed with white painted risers and square black iron spindles. Stained to match the main floor refinishing done at the same visit. Complete transformation in 3 days.
Two-flat with carpeted stairs. Pine treads found under carpet — replaced with red oak. Client chose a center stair runner for noise reduction between units while keeping the oak borders exposed on both sides. White risers painted to match trim. Square black iron spindles installed. The combination of iron spindles, white risers, oak borders, and center runner is extremely practical for Chicago multi-unit buildings.
1990s Schaumburg home with a prefabricated staircase — pine treads sitting in routed skirtboard channels with no separate risers. We identified the prefab construction at the estimate, explained what was involved, and quoted the stringer installation upfront. New stringer added under each tread position, new red oak treads installed and secured properly, new risers added and painted white. Bona NaturalSeal to match the main floor. Client had never heard of a prefabricated staircase before — neither had the previous contractor who quoted the job incorrectly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Services & Guides
Ready to See What's Under Your Stair Carpet?
We assess before we commit — identify pine vs. oak, traditional vs. prefabricated, and give you honest recommendations with clear pricing. No surprises after the carpet comes up.
Get Your Instant Quote → Call or text: 773-790-3887 · Same-day response