What To Know About Finishing Basement Stairs

Basement stairs need protection from foot traffic and moisture. When deciding how to finish your basement stairs, you've got plenty of great options.

The quality of a basement stairway usually matches the quality of the basement itself. An unfinished basement used primarily for storage likely has a straight, steep stairway with open treads, or perhaps a spiral staircase. A finished basement usually features a more sophisticated staircase with closed treads, and maybe even a landing.

A basement staircase is almost always more functional than decorative. That means its typically made from wood or plywood, without ornate details or extra-long treads. Though its basic, it still needs to be finished to avoid ending up stained, slippery and bug-infested, like the one I rebuilt for my neighbor several years ago.

The climate in a typical basement eliminates one finishing option common for upper-story staircases natural fiber carpet. But you can use synthetic carpet.

Most people will choose a paintable finish, however, because its easy and inexpensive. Paint or a clear finish can also look great, but both are slippery. For safetys sake, its worth it to put extra energy into addressing this issue.

When youre pondering your basement staircase finishing project, think about the following:

If you only use your unfinished basement occasionally, you might be tempted to leave the staircase unfinished. You might even get away with it. But if youre down there with any regularity, finishing the staircase is a must to protect it from foot traffic, and the improvement in appearance is a bonus.

If youre planning to finish your basement stairway, here are some things to think about:

For a wooden basement staircase, painting is your best finishing option. Use a good quality porch and floor enamel for the treads and risers and acrylic enamel for the railings.

Painting is DIY-friendly, color choices give you design flexibility, and paint provides good resistance to moisture, mold and foot traffic. When the paint wears out or you get tired of the color, simply repaint. If the treads or railing are oak or fir, two or three coats of clear polyurethane offer good protection and highlight the natural wood tones.

Other finishing techniques arent quite as easy, but most are still DIY-friendly:

The possibilities for basement stairways are as varied as the people who use them. Here are a few examples:

The treads are painted light gray to match the tile on the basement floor, and the railing coated with a clear finish to bring out the natural wood element.

Protected by a wall on both sides, this staircase features the same carpet as the basement floor, providing a comfy trip between floors for bare feet.

No need for anything fancy for this utility basement. All parts of the staircase are painted to protect the wood from moisture.

Hardwood on basement stairs? Why not? Just make sure you use an engineered product rated for below-grade installations.

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What To Know About Finishing Basement Stairs