Bamboo Stair Treads

Finding matching bamboo stair treads with the flooring you’ve purchased may not be the simplest task. Reasons being manufacturers tend to have different shades in their respective lines. However if the staircase is away from the bulk of the flooring installation it may not become an issue. Some, but not all bamboo flooring manufacturers offer complimenting treads and risers.

Specifications

For the most part treads will arrive in an overall thickness of ¾ inch. There are sources offering thicker treads or ones that can be used as part of an open sourced staircase or more structural and decorative. In this case a two inch thickness would suffice, but will depend on local building codes.

Regarding length, the most common sold item will be 48 inch. Unlike natural hardwood stair treads we’ve not encountered too many offering what is more of a natural dimension with most homes being built today. 36 inches is considered standard.

I know what you may be asking yourself. “If they’re four feet long and my stairs are three feet…” Unfortunately there can be a large waste factor when it comes to stair building, particularly treads. Some companies do sell six foot lengths that would seem to work perfect with standard stairs. What is often unknown are the actual dimensions and the cuts made to make them fit.

For example, let’s say we have 12 steps to cover with bamboo. The existing stair measurements can range from under 36 inches wide to over. I’ve seen them vary by ¼ to ¾ inch. In this case buying one tread for two steps may not work.