The Pros and Cons of Using Pine Wood as Stair Treads

27 April 2022

There are multiple types of attractive staircase treads on the market today, including pinewood treads. If your home has at least one upper floor, you most likely appreciate the stylish appearance of natural wood treads.

Although many homeowners think that only hardwood treads can be durable and practical, pinewood treads are more cost-effective. It is true that pine is not as strong as hardwood. Yet pinewood offers several major advantages when used for your stair treads.

Pros and Cons of Using Pinewood for Stair Treads in Your Home

Essential pros and cons of choosing to use pinewood as staircase treads in your home include the following:

Pros

• Cost-Effective Wood. Pine is low-cost in comparison to hardwood. Pine trees grow and mature quickly, and there are many locations where pinewood is harvested. In addition, the best quality hardwoods can take time to locate and obtain. Pinewood, however, is typically easy to buy from most home improvement stores.

If you are making several updates to your home’s interior at once, choosing pine stair treads will also enable you to spend more in other areas of your renovations.

• Versatile Material. You can select your pinewood from different surface types, from knotty to smooth to complement other elements of your room design. While hardwood may require special tools for cutting and shaping, pine can be cut, sized and shaped easily due to its softer composition.

You can also apply the wood stain of your choice to pine since its surfaces are very light in colour. In contrast, some hardwood surfaces do not absorb wood stains as evenly or completely.

• Aesthetic Quality. If you plan to paint your staircase, pine is the ideal wood for your stair treads. It will absorb the paint evenly and thoroughly, and its smooth, even surfaces display the paint colour well.

Whether you paint your pine stair treads or select an appealing wood stain, this light wood has a style and elegance that will complement and enhance your home’s interior spaces.

• Durable Wood. Pinewood is known to have a strong strength-to-weight ratio. Although pine is harder and more resilient than some other softwoods, it clearly is not as resistant to scratching, scraping and denting as hardwoods.

Yet pine can be sealed for protection using a heavy oil stain surface application that is sealed with shellac. This process can give pinewood significant durability to withstand everyday wear and tear.

Cons

• Surface Damage. When installing pinewood staircase treads, you need to realise that pine is more susceptible to being dented, scratched and scraped than hardwoods. If your home staircase(s) receives heavy-duty use on an ongoing basis, you may want to use a harder type of wood.

• Limited Longevity. Your pinewood staircase treads do not have as long a life expectancy as hardwood treads. Before choosing pine for your stair treads, weigh the advantages and disadvantages of opting for a lower-cost, attractive wood with pleasing aesthetic qualities and adequate, but somewhat limited durability.

By consulting our experts at Planet Stairs located in Ravenhall, Victoria, you can obtain top-rated advice, plans and installation services for attractive home staircase treads. Our experienced team will guide you in selecting the ideal wood, style and finish for fashionable and functional treads.

Our professionals will help you decide whether pinewood stair treads or treads made of a hardwood variety are the perfect choices for your home’s interior.

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