Oak Stair Treads

Where do I start with Oak, because there are different varieties used for stair treads, furniture and interior wood trim. I've been using Oak for years, to make cabinets, furniture and parts for stairs. It is an excellent hardwood and I can't think of one thing I wouldn't recommend using it for.


Since Oak comes in different varieties, it also comes in different colors, but the grain designs usually looks similar. Here's the good news, since most of the oak is grown, cut and milled into lumber, in the United States, it's relatively one of the cheaper hardwoods. That was one of the main reasons why I used it, as much as I did. There was a lumber yard by my house that used to sell it for under three dollars a square foot.

Gluing = Excellent, I've never had a problem with gluing Oak and one time I even tried to break a few joints in half, but ended up splitting one of the boards, instead. The glue joints never even separated and I didn't use any wood dowels or biscuits.

Sanding = Good, since it is a hardwoods, it's hard to sand, but well worth the effort. Try to avoid over sanding, otherwise you could create a wavy surface. The grains of the wood are usually harder than the areas in between them and could create problems, with your finish.

Staining = Great, this was one of my favorites woods to work with and it can be stained in a variety of different colors.

Nailing = Difficult, the harder woods are simply harder to nail and almost impossible to screw through, without pre-drilling holes for your nails or screws.

Wear And Tear = Excellent, oak is one of the more popular woods used by stair builders and finish carpenters. Since it's one of the harder hardwoods, it will usually last a little on for than the softer ones.

Janka Hardness Scale = 1200 and up.


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