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DIY stairs: Before & After

Wednesday, January 20, 2016 11:30

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(Before It's News)

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Happy hump day! The good is news is that I finished the basement stairs, the bad news is that all I have are these crappy iPhone pics to prove it. Apparently it's been so long since I've blogged that I misplaced my camera's memory card. Seriously, I can't find that thing anywhere!

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I'm thrilled with how the stairs turned out, especially knowing that the entire thing – treads, risers, runners – cost less than $200. We used particle board treads, which remain a little rough to the touch after painting. I wouldn't recommend particle board on a main staircase, but since these steps lead to Adam's teaching studio and Hannah's playroom in the basement, the finish is perfect for us – no worrying about slips or falls, even if the kids veer off the runner.

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I love the runner. I wish I'd been able to purchase a third to continue the look to the very top of the stairs, but these are basement stairs, so it's really no big deal. I used a measuring tape to make sure the runner was centered, then stapled it in place under the lip of each stair, and where the treads and risers meet. The runner has its own rubber backing, so it's holding in place well, and I was able to get a nice tight fit with my staples. I used silver, heavy-duty staples and they're not noticeable at all.

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I added new baseboards at the base of the stairs – a small, but noticeable improvement in my opinion. I still need to repaint the floor, but I haven't had a chance to get to the store for paint just yet. Even with the scratched-up floor, it's a huge improvement from where we started:

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The photo above always makes me feel a teeny bit bad for getting rid of Henry's sleeping spot, ha!

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