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Ben's Carpentry Ltd.

Selection guides/Edmonton & area

Hardwood Selection for Stair Treads

Which species of hardwood will you use? A lot comes down to how you plan to finish it, whether you are painting, staining or clear coating.

Which hardwood is best for stair treads?

It depends on how you plan to finish them. Ben works in maple, red oak, white oak, hickory, walnut and cherry. Oak has an open grain that takes stain evenly. Maple is tight and near-uniform, so it reads clean and contemporary. Walnut arrives with deep chocolate tone already and needs no stain. Hickory varies most from board to board and is the hardest of the six. Cherry is a warm red-brown that deepens with age and light.

Species

  • Maple from Ben's Carpentry

    Maple

  • Red Oak from Ben's Carpentry

    Red Oak

  • White Oak from Ben's Carpentry

    White Oak

  • Hickory from Ben's Carpentry

    Hickory

  • Walnut from Ben's Carpentry

    Walnut

  • Cherry from Ben's Carpentry

    Cherry

Not sure which to choose?

Book a consultation and Ben will bring the wood and colour samples, so you can see and feel the options before you decide.

Ask Ben about this