Tread - Stairway Step

A tread is another word used by construction professionals to refer to the actual stair step. The picture below provides you with two black arrows that are pointing to a stair tread that was cut out of oriented strand board.

Selecting The Right Stair Tread Thickness

The width and size of any stair tread is going to be determined by the with and length of the stairway. You're not going to be able to use 3/4" plywood stair treads, if you have stair stringers that are 48 inches apart.

Even though some building materials will span longer distances, you should still consider using larger ones for stair treads. A good example of this would be using 2 x 12 treads for a exterior stairway that's 36 inches wide.

Even though 2 x 12 will span this distance safely, I've seen it flex, while larger people are walking up and down the stairs or moving large pieces of furniture. A 3 x 12 stair treads would be a much better choice and could last longer than a 2 x 12, if it's maintained correctly.


Stairs / Stair Glossary

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