Staircase Remodeling in Rex, GA

On a stair with an open side, the exposed ends of the treads are what people notice from the living room or entry. That edge can be finished in several ways, and in staircase remodeling it is one of the details that most separates a careful job from a quick one: how each tread end is wrapped, how the risers meet it and whether brackets dress the side.

On a Rex stair with an open side, that edge gets planned first, followed by the related decisions on the closed side, the landing and the floors.

The side of the stair everyone sees

A closed stair runs between walls, and a skirt board covers the joint where each tread meets the wall. An open stair shows its side, and every tread, riser and baluster along that edge is on display. On many builder stairs, that side was covered with carpet or a plain painted board. A remodel can turn it into a finished, detailed edge.

Return nosings and mitered risers

A return nosing is a separate piece of tread material, shaped like the front nosing, that wraps around the open end of the tread. It hides the end grain and makes the tread look like it continues around the corner. The joint at the corner is mitered so the profile runs unbroken.

The riser below is mitered at the open end too, meeting a trim piece or the stringer at a clean 45-degree corner rather than showing a raw edge. Getting those miters tight on every step takes careful measuring, because stringers are rarely perfectly straight and each step can differ slightly.

Decorative tread brackets

Tread brackets are thin pieces of wood, often with a scrolled or simple stepped outline, fastened to the side of the stringer under each tread. They add shadow and pattern to the open side and hide the joint between stringer and riser. Brackets come in many profiles, from plain to ornate, and are usually painted to match the risers or stained to match the treads. They are a relatively simple addition when the open side is being refinished anyway.

Balusters on an open tread

On the open side, balusters stand on the treads themselves, usually set into holes drilled near the end of each tread or into the return nosing area. Their layout has to account for the return nosing, the bracket below and the handrail above, so the spacing stays even and the balusters line up visually from step to step. We plan the drill points before the treads are finished, so stain and coating cover the area around each hole cleanly.

The closed side and the skirt board

The opposite side usually runs along a wall. There, a skirt board covers the joint between treads and wall and gives paint a clean line to follow. When treads are replaced, the old skirt may be kept and the new treads scribed to it, or the skirt may be replaced so it meets the new tread and riser profile neatly. We check the wall for cracks or soft spots where the skirt and any wall rail brackets will be fastened.

Landings and the floors at each end

Landing details follow the same logic as the open side. A landing nosing with a return at its open end keeps the edge consistent with the treads. At the top and bottom, the stair meets existing floors, and the first and last treads are set so the step heights stay even and the nosings meet those floors without a lip. If the floors above or below are carpeted, carpet installation in Rex can finish those edges after the stair work is complete.

Permits for Rex homes

Rex is in Clayton County, and building permits there come from the county’s building permit section, located at the P.K. Dixon Building annex in Jonesboro. Residential remodels, repairs and new homes all get their building and trade permits there, whether mechanical, electrical or plumbing, and the staff verify that the contractor has a valid Georgia license. If the stair work involves structural changes, ask the section whether a permit applies before starting.

Questions about the open side of a stair

What is a return nosing on a stair tread?

It is a piece of nosing that wraps around the open end of a tread, matching the shape of the front edge. It hides the end grain and lets the rounded profile continue around the corner. The return is mitered to the front nosing, glued and fastened, then sanded and finished with the tread so the joint is barely visible.

Can decorative brackets be added to an existing open stair?

Usually, yes. Brackets fasten to the face of the stringer under each tread, so they can be added without removing the treads, as long as the stringer face is flat and sound. They are cut to fit each step, then painted or stained. On a stair being refinished anyway, it is a modest addition that changes the side view a great deal.

Can a closed stair wall be opened to show the tread ends?

Sometimes. If the wall beside the stair is not structural and has no wiring or ducts that cannot be moved, it can be removed and replaced with a railing, and the tread ends finished with returns. If the wall carries load, a beam or post is needed, which makes it a larger project. A visit is needed to tell which case applies.

Get the open side of your stair finished

For a closer look at your stair’s exposed edge, call 404-409-4448. We can visit, check the stringer and tread ends, show you return and bracket options and write down the details in an estimate you can review at your own pace.