Expert: Joseph G. Swallow - 8/12/2011

Question
Hi,

My stairs have carpet (over wood) and I'm looking to remove the carpet, and install wood laminate. All the "how to" instructions I've seen about installing laminate on stairs talk about cutting the bullnoses from off steps. I'd prefer not to cut the bullnoses just in case sometime in the future we want to go back to carpet. Is there a woraround that allows to keep the bullnose?

Thanks in advance,

Richard

Answer
Richard,

The laminate or solid treads both have their own nosing.  It is really cutting away one to allow for the other.  It is a good idea to cut off the nosing from the rough treads so that you have a proper, tight connection of tread and riser.  Leaving the overhang will extend your treads out an additional 1-1/2" average in depth and create an unseemly void between the riser and the overhang.  Usually the laminates have a piece call a tread nosing.  In the solid world of stair treads this is a part #8195, 8090, or 8080, depending who you buy it from.   It has the rounded nosing, 1" thick for 1-1/2" then dado's down to 3/4", or, in the case of laminate flooring, to something thinner.  Here's a web link to illustrate this in the solid wood (you would want the version that goes with the laminate to replace your bullnose):
http://www.mantels-stairs.com/Catalog_i10239556.html?catId=357

If, down the road, you want to go back to carpet, you can simply install the carpet on top of the laminate.