Knowledge Builders

do floors and stairs need to match

by Daren Fritsch II Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Interior designers and flooring experts universally agree on the answer. Stairs act as a transition between both floors, and therefore, should coordinate with both the upstairs and downstairs flooring.Nov 7, 2020

Full Answer

Do stair treads have to match the flooring?

Depending on your wood flooring manufacturer, you can order stair treads to match the flooring you have chosen, and hand-scrape them on site before or after installation. Designers should be encouraged to view samples of all pieces before installation to ensure they align.

How do I choose the right flooring for my staircase?

If you want a seamless end result, choose the same species of lumber and use the same stain for the flooring and stair parts. This is the most obvious solution to coordinating your flooring and staircase.

Should stairs be carpeted on different levels?

If you have hardwood floors on one level and carpet on another, one of the most common approaches is to carpet the stairs to match. Using the same carpet creates a visual link to what lies above, and gives you a safe way to travel between the two levels.

How to coordinate staircases and floors?

This is the most obvious solution to coordinating your flooring and staircase. Another solution is to coordinate only one or two stair parts to match your floor exactly. For example, you could match just your treads and handrail to your flooring and mix with painted balusters and risers. Everything doesn’t have to match to get a cohesive look.

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Do the stairs need to match the hardwood floor?

In most cases the color you use on the floors will be similar to the color you use on the stairs — unless you have a very eclectic or exotic look in mind. However, if you order a prefinished hardwood floor you probably don't want to have your stair treads prefinished at the same time.

Do hardwood floors have to match upstairs and downstairs?

Because you have hardwood up and down, carrying that look to the staircase is one of the easiest decisions you can make. With the finish matching the flooring on both levels, it creates a minimalist, cohesive look. But even if you're going with bare wood, consider adding special touches along the way.

How do you match stair treads to floor?

0:073:18How To Match Floor And Stair Stain | This Old House - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd here's the white based stain we'll be adding yellow ochre french yellow ochre. And raw umberMoreAnd here's the white based stain we'll be adding yellow ochre french yellow ochre. And raw umber okay so you're actually just going to do this by eye yes and what we do is this is a step sample.

Is it OK to have two different color wood floors?

Put simply, the answer to the question do wood floors have to match room to room, is entirely one of personal choice. You can choose to have different flooring in each room if that works for you, but synergy and flow from selecting one central flooring material can look wonderful too.

Should stairs be darker or lighter than floor?

Stairs can be darker than the floor, but they do not have to be. As long as your stairs complement your floors, you can make them any color you wish.

Should stairs match downstairs or upstairs flooring?

Are the stairs supposed to match the floor upstairs or downstairs? Interior designers and flooring experts universally agree on the answer. Stairs act as a transition between both floors, and therefore, should coordinate with both the upstairs and downstairs flooring.

Should the whole house have the same flooring?

There is absolutely no need to change flooring from room to room. We often work with homeowners who feel the urge to pick a different flooring for every room of their home, but there is absolutely no need to do this. Your home will look best if you create one consistent look that travels from room to room.

Which flooring is best for stairs?

Ceramic is the most common and recommended tile material for stair risers as it's much more durable than porcelain or glass. One thing to note is that tiles are much heavier than other materials on this list, creating limits as to where tile stairs can be installed in your home.

Should handrail match floor?

The slight variation is just fine. This is less than 1/2 step darker. The railing compliments the TREADS very nicely...which you will notice are NOT a perfect match to the floor.

Should hardwood floors match throughout the house?

While some people think that they should match the floors throughout their homes for a sense of uniformity and space, it is unnecessary to do this. At Classic Floor Designs, we recommend that you consider mixing different types of wood on the floors throughout your house for a stunning result.

Should your flooring be the same throughout the house?

There is absolutely no need to change flooring from room to room. We often work with homeowners who feel the urge to pick a different flooring for every room of their home, but there is absolutely no need to do this. Your home will look best if you create one consistent look that travels from room to room.

Can you mix different hardwood floors?

Not only can you combine different woods for the flooring in your home, but you can also mix and match woods elsewhere, such as the furniture and cabinets.

Should your basement floor Match upstairs?

Also, your basement and main floor do not need to be perfectly matched. It is possible to achieve different designs from floor to floor to produce more overall variety. However, it is important that your flooring either fits, matches, or compliments your desired home or floor look.

When you have your flooring in place on each level, should you think about transitions?

Once you have your ideal flooring in place on each level, only then should you think about transitions. This is how you connect the two to create harmonious living.

When adding flooring to a level of your home, do you consider other levels?

In most cases, when you’re adding new flooring to a level of your home, you don’t consider other levels. If you’ve recently renovated the basement, for example, you probably selected flooring based on what’s the best choice for your basement.

Why do we need multi level living?

It’s the easiest way to gain more square footage in your home. You can separate out living space from sleeping quarters. It gives you more storage space. It keeps you healthy, running up and down the stairs all day.

How do we approach flooring?

And that’s typically how we approach flooring. We consider the purpose, and choose the right flooring material for the job.

What is the goal of good flooring?

The goal of good flooring is to improve flow. For staircases, that means having the flooring perfectly transition from one to another. If you do it right, all you’ll notice is the beauty of your home – not how out of place the flooring really looks.

Can you leave a staircase bare?

It’s a great way to be able to freshen up the surroundings with little investment. Of course, you can always choose to leave them bare. Because you have hardwood up and down, carrying that look to the staircase is one of the easiest decisions you can make.

Do you have stairs in your home?

Chances are you have stairs in your home too. And while you might not think much about them on an average day, when it comes time to add new flooring, they can be one of your top concerns. Staircases have always presented a challenge to homeowners when designing their decor.

Can you match carpet on stairs?

In theory you want stairs to "match" one of the floors they are touching. If you remove the carpet from the stair (touching carpet and hardwood) then you would match the stained hickory. If you want the carpet the stairs again, you would want to match the carpet that is at the top of the stairs...which means you would need to change ...

Can you match hickory hardwood with carpet?

In theory you want stairs to " match" one of the floors they are touching. If you remove the carpet from the stair (touching carpet and hardwood) then you would match the stained hickory. If you want the carpet the stairs again, you would want to match the carpet that is at the top of the stairs...which means you would need to change the carpet up there as well.#N#The stair cases don't have to "match" each other (in this case it should be fairly easy) but they should match (material and colour) ONE of the floors they are touching.#N#I would remove the carpet from the stairs and pay the (rather hefty) price of having hickory hardwood stained to match the floor main floor. The other set of stairs can be left as-is (it sounds like they match the down stairs concrete) or you can do the same thing to the this set as well (matching stain to the hickory).

How to coordinate a staircase with hardwood flooring?

If you want a seamless end result, choose the same species of lumber and use the same stain for the flooring and stair parts. This is the most obvious solution to coordinating your flooring and staircase.

What is the trend in modern staircases?

A popular contemporary trend is to mix natural hardwoods with metals. This will instantly transform your staircase into a modern masterpiece while still maintaining the beauty and warmth of the natural wood. But always remember, there are no right or wrong answers in design.

Do stairs and flooring need to match?

It is not so much important for your staircase and flooring to match as they should coordinate. Coordinating the two has many options. Using like materials and finishes will give you a seamlessly blended design, but there are also other ways to get a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing look.

Can you put carpet on stairs?

Adding carpet to stairs isn’t for everyone, but for some it takes the headache out of trying to match woods. Swap out your wood balusters for iron ones. Adding iron balusters will add depth and beautiful detailing to your staircase. For a more modern look, you can try cable railing.

Do you have to match your stairs?

When building or remodeling a staircase, most homeowners like the idea of matching their staircase with their flooring. It is not so much important for your staircase and flooring to match as they should coordinate. Coordinating the two has many options. Using like materials and finishes will give you a seamlessly blended design, but there are also other ways to get a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing look.

Is there a right or wrong answer to home design?

But always remember, there are no right or wrong answers in design. Following design rules and trends will help you if you are unsure or overwhelmed, but the most important thing in home design is that you, the homeowner, love your home. If you do need help, we are happy to guide you through this process.

Can you match stair treads?

Another solution is to coordinate only one or two stair parts to match your floor exactly. For example, you could match just your treads and handrail to your flooring and mix with painted balusters and risers. Everything doesn’t have to match to get a cohesive look.

What is flooring choice?

Flooring choices are a surprisingly exciting part of the process when designing a custom home. The countless variations of styles, textures, and colors can really liven up your home, giving distinct personality to different rooms.

Why do people choose dark wood flooring?

Dark flooring can make a large space feel more intimate. Whether you’re working with an open floor plan or have designed a home with a large master suite or living room, choosing a dark wood grain can instantly make that large space feel more homey and comfortable. Additionally, dark flooring can make a bold impact when combined with the right lighting and decor, giving your home an element of high end design.

What is the best flooring for kids?

For the kids. Soft flooring is great for kids’ rooms as little ones tend to spend a lot of time on the floor, playing with their toys or wrestling with their siblings. If you don’t install carpeting for them to enjoy while crawling across the floor, consider a durable rug.

How to keep open floor plan open?

For your main space, particularly in an open floor plan concept, stick with just a single type of flooring and use it throughout the entire area. This will keep the space looking fluid and open.

Can you put a rug on a carpet?

Yes. While it might seem a bit counter-intuitive to place a rug atop your carpet, but if done right, it can actually work rather well. In the same way that using a rug on a hard surface can divide a large room into sections, this rule holds true for rugs on carpet as well.

Is tile cheap?

Simple and elegant always works. Tile isn’t cheap, so you want to choose pieces that will stand the test of time. It’s easy to get distracted when flipping through a tile book. Your mind might start racing towards all of the crazy ideas that can become a reality with unique, artistic tiles, but like with any other flooring, sticking with simple colors and shapes can keep your home looking clean and modern, allowing you to spice it up with other, less permanent elements.

Can you switch bathroom tiles?

Don’t switch tiles within a room. Choose a tile that makes your owner’s bathroom standout as a place you’d want to spend time relaxing, and perhaps put something a bit exciting in the powder room. Don’t mix and match within the same room. The contrast can be quite jarring.

Why are simple stairs important?

Simple stairways that have a minimum number of elements are great for designers when they want to put the emphasis of the house on the space. However, when you design a stairway with an overly simplified design the mind has concern for safety. A design may conform to code and may meet all of the mechanical requirements, but do the users find it comforting and strong?

What should the first stair tread be?

The first stair tread should have a grain that runs parallel with the floor to give people an invitation to continue. Bowed and curved steps are a bit more grand and the convex shape tells the mind that the transition is soft and acceptable.

What is the grain direction of a wood floor?

Wood grain direction is one of the strongest visual cues you have when laying out a floor into a stairway. Our eyes love to find the patterns and follow the soft flowing grain in a new prefinished hardwood floor. But if this leads the eye into a space where the grain direction stops and runs perpendicular to the hardwood floor, it creates an abrupt barrier that disturb the overall flow and design of the space.

What is distressed wood flooring?

A well installed hand-scraped or distressed floor is one of the best ways to give a space depth and contour and further personalize the look of your new wood flooring. The hand-scraping method you choose for your floor doesn’t have to stop when it comes to the stair treads.

Can you distress stair treads?

Depending on your comfort level with the safety of hand-scraped stair treads, competent stair manufacturers and installers can distress and embellish stair treads, newels and balusters so that the design is unified and flows between them. Depending on your wood flooring manufacturer, you can order stair treads to match the flooring you have chosen, ...

Can you change the grain direction of a stair tread?

Another area where it is acceptable to alter the grain direction is in large openings where there is a step down between rooms. Here, there is a clear division of spaces so you can install a piece of nosing or a custom stair tread – the goal is to minimize seams and use an element that runs the entire length of the opening.

Do birch hardwood stairs run perpendicular to the floor?

You can see how, in these Birch hardwood stair treads, the direct of the boards run perpendicular to the flooring, but the stairs present an interesting geometric design that sets the stage for the transition.

Can you use solid unfinished treads with prefinshed flooring?

If you go the route of using solid unfinished treads paired with your prefinshed flooring, it can sometimes be tricky to match them. However, we’ve done this several times and had great results.

Can you match stair treads to prefinished flooring?

The first step to matching stair treads to prefinished flooring is using the same species of wood. This is very important because stains can look very different on different types of wood.

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15 hours ago  · The best option is to simply match your stairs with the downstairs flooring, assuming your stairs are most visible from the lower level of the property. Wood Flooring Downstairs and Carpet Upstairs If you have two entirely different types of flooring surface on the upper and lower levels of your home, then you will have to not only decide on a color that can …

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35 hours ago  · Depending on the manufacturer of your wood flooring, you can order stairs to match the flooring you have chosen and hand-scrape them on site before or after installation. Designers should be encouraged to view samples of all parts before installation to ensure that they are aligned. Wood Grain.

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30 hours ago  · Your best option would be to do the floors in your desired finish and when you are ready to do the stairs you can sand the stair treads down and wax and finish them to match your new flooring 2022-08-08T15:35:04+01:00

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