Staircase material

[Kelvin]

Just in the process of measuring and getting the staircase made.
 

Having a debate about the wood to use and how to build it. I want to use solid oak as it makes for a better stair. Other half wants to clad it in the same oak flooring we are using upstairs. This is the look she’s going for. The flooring is European oak that’s smoked and treated with a mix of osmo oil to get that variation. If we go with a solid oak staircase it likely won’t match the flooring. The staircase builder has taken the samples away to see if he can match it or get close enough. My joiner is saying while he can easily clad our stair in the flooring his recommendation is have it built in oak. 
 

Our staircase isn’t a feature staircase as it’s hidden behind the kitchen wall. The oak flooring is only upstairs. I’m not convinced an exact match of wood will be that critical and detract from the look. The other way I thought of doing it was to do the treads and risers in a butcher’s block style. That way it’ll have the variation but be very different from the flooring in look. I think materials that come together either need to match exactly or be very different. Close matches look exactly like that close matches. 

 

Edited July 7, 2023 by Kelvin

[Bonner]

I would go for a standard oak staircase from one of the specialists (Pears, StairBox, TK etc). It will be impossible to match the colours due to natural variations, just look at your flooring picture 😉 

[Kelvin]

It’s the variation she wants to match. She’s away at the money and has warned me not to make any decisions about anything that affects the look of the place 😂 🙄
 

I’m using a local guy to build it in the next town over I’ve be trying to use as many local trades and suppliers as possible rather than the on-line places. 

[markc]

You won’t get the variation with solid oak or solid anything, if cladding it may has well be a cheap soft stair but I can’t see cladding looking right at all.

if you want the variation get it made from block oak worktop so you will get a similar look to the floor with smaller blocks.

[Sparrowhawk]

Carpeting the staircase solves the problem.

 

I'll see myself out

[Kelvin]

18 minutes ago, Sparrowhawk said:

Carpeting the staircase solves the problem.

 

I'll see myself out

😂 if only it was that easy. 

[saveasteading]

1 hour ago, Kelvin said:

It’s the variation she wants to match

It's made of dead trees. No two will ever match, snd isn't that the attraction?

[joe90]

1 hour ago, Kelvin said:

has warned me not to make any decisions about anything that affects the look of the place 😂 🙄

I would tell her to crack on whilst you do something else 😉

[Kelvin]

28 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

It's made of dead trees. No two will ever match, snd isn't that the attraction?

of course but not all oak flooring is the same. Some is more uniform after oiling/staining. We have looked at multiple samples of oak flooring and always come back to this one. Well I say we I’ve given up the will to live with it. We’ve had so many samples of flooring sent here I could floor the place with them. It will certainly look varied then. 
 

I’m pretty much settled that we want a solid oak staircase construction. Other half needs to decide on the look. 

[joe90]

51 minutes ago, Kelvin said:

I’m pretty much settled that we want a solid oak staircase construction. Other half needs to decide on the look. 

👍