Finishing Basement Stairs

Finishing basement stairs is in most cases among the very last things you do in the course of finishing the basement. This is because of all the travel up and down the stairs with equipment and materials needed to do the work down there, and the potential these trips have for doing damage to the staircase. Once the project is just about wrapped up and maybe even after you have furniture moved in down there, it is time for finishing basement stairs and completing that transition between your newly remodeled area and the rest of the house.

The actual stair treads themselves can be done in several different ways. And there are also some other considerations that you should also look at while doing this project. For instance, the drywall needs to be finished and in some cases there will also be some framing needed to provide a landing at the bottom. And lighting and wall paint also needs to be addressed. All these elements are part of the mix when the time comes to do the basement stairs. This part of the basement remodeling job really means the whole project is finished. Here are a few tips to make the job go more smoothly for you and help you achieve the best possible results.

Options for Finished Stair Materials

There are some different ways that you could go in finishing basement stairs as far as tread finish and material is concerned. There are some who choose to simply stain or paint the treads and risers, something that can produce a very nice result if done well. The one thing to consider when choosing this option is whether you are willing to touch up the job every now and again. This is particularly the case for basement areas that are going to be used on a daily bases and that will get a lot of foot traffic.

Vinyl and carpet are another couple viable options that might be selected. Vinyl just sweeps up while carpet has to be vacuumed when it gets dirty; but carpeting is warmer and softer to the touch, and also provides a more sure footed surface to walk on. When finishing basement stairs sometimes you just want to end up finishing the treads according to the material you use in the floor down stairs. If that floor is carpeted, in all likelihood you'll just continue that carpeting going up towards the main floor of the home, for example.

Finishing Basement Stair Walls

One other aspect of working on the basement stairs that must be addressed if you really want a nice finished product is the walls. In many cases there is at least a bit of framing and/or drywall work that needs to be done towards the bottom of the staircase. The bottom few stairs might be wide open with no wall enclosure at all, and this is something you'll certainly want to close up especially if you have children at home. Finishing basement stairs also means getting the lighting right and choosing paint colors and hand rail details.

The choices we make for the walls when finishing basement stairs are equally related back to style and function. When finishing this area you want to choose materials and colors that promote safety as well as looks. Get some pictures and spur some new ideas by working with specialists in the field and find out all that you need to know about finishing basement stairs.

Cost of Professional Basement Remodeling

In many cases, homeowners find that even this part of a project is more than they can really handle on their own. You might need expertise in framing, drywall, painting, carpentry, electrical, and flooring just to get the stairs done. Whether the primary use for finishing the downstairs is for storage or for entertainment, this part of the job is obviously very important because this is how you get down there to do whatever you're going to do. Get some prices from professionals in the field and find out what they can offer in terms of pricing and products.

Use our free form to explore the options that exist where you live and see what prices you can gather for finishing basement stairs. It is simple to get this inquiry going and to select a contractor to work with to get the job done quickly and inexpensively. Just fill out the form and submit it and you will gain access to estimates from several preselected specialists near you. This is a very important area to deal with in basements in spite of the way it's often overlooked, and it's crucial to get it done right because it is only in finishing basement stairs that you can access to the lower floor.