Wood flooring
Replacing a carpeted staircase with hardwood is one of the biggest visual upgrades you can make to a home. Kitchener Prestige Flooring converts, rebuilds and refinishes staircases for homeowners, builders and landlords across Kitchener and Waterloo Region.
With more than 16 years and 1,700+ flooring jobs behind us, we have seen every stair problem: uneven risers, squeaky treads, loose railings and builder stairs that were never meant to be exposed. We fix those before the new treads go on.
Our crew is licensed, insured and WSIB covered. Every stair project is built with the Ontario Building Code in mind and backed by a written 1-year labour warranty.
Most builder-grade stairs in Waterloo Region were built for carpet. Under the carpet you usually find plywood or particleboard treads, not finished wood.
We remove the carpet, pad, tack strips and staples, then inspect the stringers and treads. Depending on what we find, we install new solid treads or hardwood caps over the old ones.
Risers are replaced or covered with new paint-grade panels. New nosings, return ends and trim finish the job so the stairs look built, not covered.
The choices you make here decide how the finished stairs look and how long they last.
Solid treads, usually 1 inch or 1-1/16 inch oak, replace the old treads entirely. They are the strongest and most traditional choice.
Retrofit caps are thinner hardwood treads with an attached nosing, glued and fastened over existing treads. They avoid tearing out the old stairs but add height, which has to be accounted for at the top and bottom step.
We match treads to your floor by species and grade. Unfinished treads are stained and finished on site so the colour matches exactly.
For prefinished floors, we make stain samples on offcuts until the match is right. It is worth the extra step on a staircase everyone sees.
White or painted risers with stained treads are the most requested look. They brighten the stairwell and make each step easier to see.
We use durable, scuff-resistant enamel on risers. Kick marks are part of stair life, so we leave you a small can for touch-ups.
The nosing is the rounded front edge of the tread. It matters for looks and for safety.
A full bullnose is traditional. A square or eased edge suits modern homes. On open-sided stairs, return nosings wrap around the exposed end.
Nosing overhang is limited by code, and a nosing that sticks out too far catches toes on the way up. We keep it within the allowed projection.
The railing is often what makes a staircase look dated. Replacing it changes the whole entry.
Wood spindles in painted or stained finishes suit traditional homes. Metal balusters in iron or steel give a clean, modern look and are a popular swap for old wood spindles.
Glass panels open up a stairwell completely. They are ideal for contemporary homes and basements with limited light. We install new newel posts, handrails and caps to match.
The Ontario Building Code sets rules for stairs that protect the people using them. These are the ones that most often cause problems on renovations.
Where a staircase is being structurally rebuilt, a building permit may be required. We will tell you if that applies.
Squeaky stairs are a different problem from squeaky floors. The noise usually comes from treads rubbing on risers or stringers.
With the carpet off, we have the perfect chance to fix it. We glue and screw treads to stringers, add glue blocks underneath where we can reach and pre-drill every fastener.
For floors elsewhere in the house, see our squeaky floor repair service.
A staircase is the one flooring job that truly disrupts a household. Everyone needs to get upstairs.
A carpet-to-hardwood conversion usually takes two to four days, including staining and finishing. We can work alternate treads or one half of the width at a time to keep a path open.
We use fast-drying finishes where possible and give you clear times for when the stairs are safe for socks, shoes and pets.
Typical 2026 ranges in Kitchener and Waterloo:
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Carpet to hardwood, new oak treads and painted risers | $180 to $320 per step |
| Retrofit caps over existing treads | $140 to $240 per step |
| Staining to match an existing floor | $30 to $60 per step |
| Metal baluster swap | $45 to $90 per baluster |
| New handrail and newel posts | quoted per project |
Pair your stairs with new hardwood floor installation or floor sanding and refinishing for a perfect match.
Prefer something softer underfoot? We also do carpet installation on stairs. Every stair project includes our 1-year labour warranty.
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Where this service is in highest demand:
FAQ
Straight answers to the questions we hear most. Still unsure? Call and ask.
Ask for a Free QuoteYes, almost always. We remove the carpet, then either install new solid treads or fit hardwood caps over the existing ones. We check the structure and riser heights first so the finished stairs are safe and even.
We match the species, and we stain and finish the treads on site to match your floor. Prefinished floors can be matched closely with custom-stained treads. We make a sample on an offcut for you to approve.
A full conversion usually takes two to four days. We can work every other tread or one side at a time so the stairs stay usable, and finishes are chosen to let you walk on them within hours when needed.
They need to be very close. Uneven risers are a leading cause of trips and falls. The building code allows only a small difference between neighbouring steps, and adding new treads can create a problem at the top or bottom if it is not planned.
Free estimate
Tell us about the floor. We will call to book a time, measure on site, check the subfloor and moisture, and leave you a written quote.
Prefer to talk it through first? Call and speak to a flooring specialist directly.
Kitchener Prestige Flooring
137 Glasgow St, Kitchener, ON N2M 5E3
Monday to Saturday: 7:00am to 9:30pm
Sunday: 9:00am to 9:00pm