Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between a retrofit stair tread and a regular stair tread?

Regular stair treads are typically one inch thick and designed to replace your entire stair tread, whereas retrofit treads are designed to fit over an existing stair tread. To read more about this, please read our blog post about the differences between the two.

What is the difference between the traditional and the modern retrofit treads and how far down does the nose drop?

The modern retread and traditional retread have different profiles - the nose is different. The modern retread features a block like nose, with two radius edges and is 2.25 in. long at its tallest point, and 1.625 in. long under the panel. The traditional retread has a bullnose with a built in cove moulding, and is 1.875 in. long at its tallest point and 1.25 in. long beneath the panel. Please see the product pages for detailed drawings.

What is the depth that the retrofit stair treads will cover?

Our retrofit treads are 10.5 in. on the bottom, from the back of the nose to the back of the panel, and 11.5 in. edge to edge on top.

What is a factory second?

Factory seconds feature machining or additional natural defects that pros can generally work with and work around. They are not a direct substitute for first quality products. They will require work and should not to be used in place of first quality products. These defects may include but are not limited to machining that's out of tolerance (i.e. too thin or thick), incomplete glue joints, end splits, season checking, rough finish/mismachining, too short to make full length, or visible knots/defects on the good side of the tread. If you buy these, please plan on cutting/gluing/routing/sanding and so on. They are great for patching, landings, and other applications where you need some but not all of a tread. Please view pictures for examples of some (not all) possible defects. Because we offer factory seconds at such a deep discount, we are unable to offer free shipping or additional discounts on them. No warranty is expressed or implied. All factory second sales are final.

When will my order ship?

We ship Monday through Friday, and typically get orders packaged and shipped within 24 to 48 hours.

How do you install retrofit treads?

A urethane based adhesive must be used. If you used water based adhesive or low VOC (which substitutes water) you will cause irreversible damage to your treads. The wood will absorb the water, causing it to warp and cup. This will void any warranty you may be offered.

It is important to ensure the entire tread is sealed. You typically will do this before or during the finishing process. Wood absorbs and releases moisture. If moisture gets into your treads at all from a wet subfloor or other moisture source, they will deform and this will be considered an installation error.

Our retrofit stair treads are designed to be glued down with a urethane based adhesive to your existing wood stair tread, once it has been cut to the appropriate size to sufficiently support the retrofit tread.

Typically, this involves cutting the bull nose off of your old stair tread, gluing down your new retread (figure on 1/2 to a full tube of 10oz glue per tread - you want the entire bottom of the tread panel covered) and then optionally using finishing nails to secure it into place.

We strongly recommend you utilize professional installation, or at minimum consult a professional prior to installation.

What species do I need?

Typically, most customers want their treads to match their flooring so they can finish the treads to match.

Does Whitewater make its own treads?

Yes, we are a full service rough mill & architectural millwork manufacturer. We manufacture all of our products in house at our plant in Ohio.

What should I do when I receive my order?

You should check all products and inspect for any damage in shipping. If you encounter damage, please email us pictures of all damaged products, their corresponding packaging and tracking numbers. We will need this to replace your products.

Please note wood is a natural material which absorbs and releases moisture. Solid wood products should not be installed in areas that do not have climate control. Please give your product time to acclimate to the setting by leaving it in a climate controlled room as wood will almost always move. If you do not do this, or you let your product sit outside, we are not responsible for any deformation in your product.

Can you make me handrail, flooring, or other custom wood products?

While we always try to accommodate, we do not run flooring and we generally cannot do small run custom one-off products. We are a manufacturer and in order to keep our prices affordable and costs down, we run our products in large quantities. That said, we are always willing to help, so if you are interested in talking to us about a custom project please head over to our custom millwork page and fill out our custom millwork request form.

How do you grade your stair treads and risers?

Please refer to our grading page.

Do you have as showroom?

No, we do not. We are a drop ship manufacturer.

Can I visit and pick out my products?

Unfortunately we cannot accommodate onsite visits.