Wood stair treads

[rseeley13]

I thought this would be a good place to start. I was approached to see about taking wood stair treads and put 3 rubber strips in them to make them slip proof. Have anyone seen anything like this or know where to get the rubber. The client saw a picture but doesn't have it so I have no idea what it looks like. Any help would be great...

Ryan

[Brady Watson]

I'd be real careful when it comes to stairs. This is why every town has regulations about the distance each step can be in height from one to the next. It can throw the body's natural walking rhythm off and people can fall.

A rubber strip sounds like a trip hazard. I wouldn't reinvent the wheel or get crafty. I would suggest something low profile like grip tape strips...or some other adhesive sandpaper type strip.

You always have to consider the litigious nature of stupid people...and make sure you, your family and company are protected. Stairs are a liability.

-B

[Ajcoholic]

If you buy some non slip rubber sheet (that is designed to cover a stair tread completely) you could cut it into strips, and then use the router to cut/pocket three strips to inset the rubber. Contact cement it in or use two sided permanent tape.

You can also buy a peel and stick anti-slip that can be cut into strips and just stuck on. Ive done that before. On stairs, and even on the running boards of my last truck which was very slick when wet. The rubber stuff solved that issue.

[Ajcoholic]

A rubber strip sounds like a trip hazard.
-B

There are products made for this. They are not thick enough to be a trip hazard and are meant as a stick on, anti slip strip you generally place close to the front of the tread.

As far as stairs goes - our company has made many, many sets of hardwood stairs over the years, and also capped a lot of construction stairs as well. Nothing difficult about it. Just look at the local (usually provincial here in Canada, I would assume similar in the USA based on your state building code?) building code and you should be fine. Usually the rise is to fall within a set limit, and the run/overhang/etc are given also.

[tri4sale]

Uline carries antislip for stairs

http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-9778/Anti-Slip-Tape/Anti-Slip-Treads-6-x-24?pricode=WY493&gadtype=pla&id=S-9778&gclid=CN7RvPaO_ccCFY4WHwodpVMB_w&gclsrc=aw.ds


Googling "stair anti slip" comes up with lots of pictures and products.

Be sure to check with local building inspectors / code to make sure you do the way they call correct. Are you retrofitting existing stairs or building new stairs from scratch?

[rseeley13]

The stairs is for a friend that has a high end house so he wanted to stay way from the peel n stick stuff and all the other stuff that makes it look industrial or dorky. The stairs are existing ones that we will take off and redo.

[scottp55]

Slightly off topic, but building a new Cedar(5/4X6"R decking) wheelchair ramp to replace my tired PT one the snowplow hit.
I was wondering if anybody had cut a pattern and then infilled with sand(or such)/epoxy? They'll be stained to match house cedar and can get a little low on traction when wet. My very first ramp was Ply painted with sand in the mix and worked great.
Thinking chevron/herringbone or such pattern might look nice, and I could just tile the boards through Desktop pretty easily.
Is there a good black sand blasting medium for the infill? Thinking Black Beauty might not give maximum traction, but been 35 years since I last used it and not sure what's available.
Would West epoxy be good for Cedar, and then Sikkens over?
Sorry Ryan,
scott

[bobmoore]

There are epoxy paints with non slip additives available. You didn't say whether exterior or interior. Epoxy normally doesn't do well with U.V. Bb

[tri4sale]

it look industrial or dorky. .

that I think will be the tricky part.

[Burkhardt]

that I think will be the tricky part. And rubber by itself can be more slippy than the tread surface when wet.

I needed a nonslip surface for a trailer ramp and used shredded rubber granulate (they sell it as synthetic mulch) coated with epoxy and applied as a single layer. The epoxy dripping off the granules anchored it to the surface. That did the job but it would probably work aesthetically only in a modernist architecture (i.e. concrete/glass/steel) home.

[scottp55]

(Thanks Bob. Forgot that about UV/epoxy, and yes exterior, eastern exposure. Time to experiment.)

[bleeth]

Once you have the existing treads off you can cut a few stop dados in each one and insert a contrasting wood piece that ends up standing a little proud. A really good hardwood would likely last for years before it got worn down, and forever if the finish was kept up. Think wenge or purpleheart. Just thinkin outside the box here. You can have the tops rounded for a softer look or angled for a craftsman hint.
For the ramp you can mix non-skid sand into just about any coating.

[rseeley13]

Thanks everyone.