The cost to replace carpet on stairs with hardwood is about $100 to $300 per step on 2026 national cost guides, or $1,800 to $6,300 for a typical 12- to 16-step staircase with carpet removal and finishing included. The number of steps, the stair shape, the wood species, open sides and what you find under the old carpet decide where a project lands. This guide breaks the cost down per step, by number of steps and by wood, shows what the price includes, and explains how a carpet to hardwood stair project is priced in Wake County & Triangle Area, NC.
Jump to: cost per step, cost by number of steps and shape, cost by wood species, what the price includes, how a conversion works, refinish or replace, extra costs, price factors, kit vs custom, stair code and the FAQ. Ready to price your own? See our stair remodeling services.
Last reviewed October 2026. Market ranges from national cost guides, not JF Stairs prices.
How much does it cost per step to replace carpet on stairs with hardwood?
National cost guides put carpet to hardwood stairs at about $100 to $300 per step with materials and installation. A typical flight has 12 to 16 steps, so national totals run about $1,800 to $6,300, and all three guides below land on that same total range.
| Cost guide | Per step, installed | Typical staircase total |
|---|---|---|
| HomeAdvisor | $100 to $300 | $1,800 to $6,300 (average $2,400) |
| Angi | $100 to $300 | $1,800 to $6,300 (average $2,400) |
| HomeGuide | $100 to $250 | $1,800 to $6,300 for 12 to 16 steps |
Carpet removal and repairs to the stair underneath are often priced separately from the per-step rate.
How much does carpet to hardwood stairs cost by number of steps and shape?
Multiply the number of steps by the national range of $100 to $300 per step: a 13-step straight staircase comes to about $1,300 to $3,900 before carpet removal and repairs. Angi notes that standard staircases often have 12 to 14 steps, and that turns, landings and curves add cost.
| Straight staircase | At $100 to $300 per step |
|---|---|
| 12 steps | $1,200 to $3,600 |
| 13 steps | $1,300 to $3,900 |
| 14 steps | $1,400 to $4,200 |
| 15 steps | $1,500 to $4,500 |
| 16 steps | $1,600 to $4,800 |
Estimated from the $100 to $300 per step range published by HomeAdvisor and Angi, before carpet removal and repairs, which HomeAdvisor puts at $150 to $1,560 together.
Shape changes the labor more than the wood. Angi ranks straight stairs as the lowest-cost layout, L-shaped and U-shaped stairs as moderate, and curved or spiral stairs as the highest, because every turn, landing and winder adds cutting and fitting. A landing also adds floor area to cover. The number of steps and whether the stair runs straight, turns at a landing or curves are the first two details to include when you ask for a quote.
How much do hardwood stairs cost by wood species?
Oak is the most affordable common hardwood for stairs, at about $100 to $200 per step installed on HomeAdvisor’s and Angi’s 2026 figures. Maple and hickory cost more, and walnut reaches about $300 per step. Engineered hardwood costs less per step than most solid species.
| Wood | HomeAdvisor and Angi | HomeGuide, solid | HomeGuide, engineered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak | $100 to $200 | $120 to $180 | $100 to $150 |
| Maple | $120 to $220 | $140 to $240 | $120 to $170 |
| Hickory | $140 to $250 | $130 to $220 | $110 to $160 |
| Walnut | $180 to $300 | Not listed | Not listed |
HomeAdvisor and Angi list engineered hardwood stairs at $90 to $170 per step across species.
Solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished many times. Engineered hardwood has a thin wood top layer over a stable core, which keeps the cost down but limits how often it can be refinished. JF Stairs installs treads in red oak, white oak, maple, walnut and hickory, stained to match your floors or finished two-tone with painted risers.
What does the cost to replace carpet on stairs with hardwood include?
A complete carpet to hardwood stair project covers five things: removing the carpet, pad and tack strips, repairing the stair underneath, new hardwood treads and risers, installation, and finishing.
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Materials: hardwood treads and risers | $600 to $2,400 |
| Old carpet removal | $100 to $400 |
| Repairs, as needed | $200 to $600 |
| Finishing | $300 to $1,300 |
| Total project, installed | $1,800 to $6,300 |
The table leaves out installation labor, which makes up the rest of the total. HomeAdvisor estimates labor at close to 40% of a hardwood stair project, and stairs with landings, winders or open sides take more labor than a straight stair closed in by walls.
How do you convert carpeted stairs to hardwood?
Converting carpeted stairs to hardwood takes five steps: removing the carpet, repairing the stair, choosing how to treat the old treads, fitting the new wood step by step, and finishing. It is finish carpentry: every tread is cut to fit, and riser heights have to stay within the North Carolina code tolerance.
- Remove the carpet. Pull the carpet, pad and tack strips, and take out every staple and nail.
- Inspect and repair the stair. Check what the old treads are made of, and fix squeaks and loose or damaged steps.
- Choose the method. Refinish the existing wood, cap the old treads with retrofit treads, or remove them and install full new treads.
- Fit and install risers and treads. Each piece is measured and cut for its step, usually working from the bottom up.
- Finish and trim. Fill nail holes, stain and seal unfinished wood, and finish the transitions at the top, bottom and any landing.
Angi notes that a DIY hardwood stair install calls for advanced carpentry skills, knowledge of building codes and specialized tools.
Is it cheaper to refinish the wood under your stair carpet?
Yes, when the wood under the carpet is real hardwood in good condition. HomeAdvisor and Angi both put professional refinishing of a full staircase at $300 to $1,000, and HomeGuide puts carpet removal at $100 to $400, which together come in well below the cost of new treads.
If the steps under the carpet are plywood, pine or full of staple holes, new hardwood treads are usually the better path. Pulling back a corner of the carpet on one step shows which case you have. JF Stairs does both: refinishing and restaining when the existing wood is worth keeping, and new treads when it is not.
Should you cap the old stair treads or replace them?
Capping covers the existing steps with retrofit hardwood treads and usually takes less labor. Full tread replacement removes the old treads first, which takes more work but lets the installer fix squeaks, damage and uneven steps under the carpet. Angi notes that retrofit costs less but may not fix structural issues.
Capping adds thickness to every step, which makes the first riser taller and the top riser shorter. Full replacement can do the same when the new treads are thicker than the old ones. That change has to stay within the riser tolerance in the North Carolina stair code.
What other costs come with a carpet to hardwood stair project?
Carpet removal, repairs to the stair underneath and refinishing are the usual extras in a carpet to hardwood stair project, plus a permit where your city or county requires one. Railing upgrades are optional and priced separately by material and length.
| Item | Typical cost | Cost guide |
|---|---|---|
| Carpet removal | $100 to $400 | HomeGuide |
| Carpet removal and subfloor repairs together | $150 to $1,560 | HomeAdvisor |
| Stair repairs such as squeaks or water damage | $200 to $600 | HomeGuide |
| Refinishing existing hardwood stairs | $300 to $1,000 | HomeAdvisor, Angi |
| Building permit, where required | $100 to $500 | Angi |
What drives the price of replacing carpet with hardwood on stairs?
Seven things set the cost to replace carpet on stairs with hardwood: the number of steps, the wood, the stair shape, open or closed sides, what is under the carpet, the finish and how the stair meets the floors around it. That is why JF Stairs prices each stair as a complete project instead of by the step or by the hour.
- Number of steps
- Every step adds a tread, a riser and fitting time, and a landing adds more wood and more labor.
- Wood species and format
- Oak costs the least among common hardwoods; maple, hickory and walnut cost more. Solid or engineered also changes the price.
- Stair shape
- Straight stairs cost the least. L-shaped and U-shaped stairs with landings, and winders with pie-shaped steps, need more cutting and fitting.
- Open or closed sides
- A stair closed in by walls is simpler. An open side needs finished tread ends and careful work around the balusters.
- What is under the carpet
- Squeaks, damaged treads or uneven steps add repair work before the new wood goes down.
- Finish
- Prefinished treads save finishing time; site-finished treads allow a stain matched to your floors or a two-tone look with painted risers.
- Transitions
- The new wood has to meet the floors at the top, the bottom and any landing cleanly.
Is a DIY stair tread kit cheaper than hiring a stair contractor?
Yes, up front: a DIY retrofit tread kit lowers the cost to replace carpet on stairs with hardwood because you supply the labor. Angi puts a DIY hardwood stair install at about $1,000 to $3,000 in materials and tool rentals. The gap narrows once you count the time to cut and fit every step, finishing, and fixes for riser heights or open sides that a standard kit was not made for.
| DIY stair tread kit | Custom treads by JF Stairs | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Lower | Higher, one fixed written price |
| Fit | Standard sizes you cut and fit on site | Each tread fitted to its step |
| Finish | Limited catalog colors | Stain matched to your floors, or two-tone with painted risers |
| Code | Checking riser heights is up to you | Planned around the code requirements for your stairs |
| Installation | Your weekends, or an installer you hire separately | Installed in days, not weeks, by the crew that designed it |
A kit can work for a basement or utility stair. For the stair in your entry, which sits next to your floors and is seen every day, custom treads are usually the better investment. We design, build and install for you, not a kit.
Does replacing carpet with hardwood on stairs have to meet code?
Yes. Under the North Carolina Residential Code, the riser heights within a flight of stairs cannot differ by more than 3/8 inch, and the same limit applies to tread depths (sections R311.7.5.1 and R311.7.5.2).
New hardwood treads change the height of the first and last riser of a carpeted stair. A project that ignores this can leave a stair out of tolerance and easier to trip on, so planning the new tread thickness against the floors at the top and bottom is part of designing the stair. Whether a permit is required depends on your city or county and on the scope of work; your local building department confirms it.
How does JF Stairs price a carpet to hardwood stair project in Wake County & Triangle Area, NC?
JF Stairs is a family-owned stair contractor in Wake County, NC that designs, builds and installs staircases and replaces carpet with hardwood on existing stairs. We price every carpet to hardwood stair project as one job with a fixed written price, never by the hour. Your price comes from your free 3D design, based on the number of steps, wood, stair shape, open sides, repairs, finish and railing.
Every JF Stairs project runs through founder Jorge Felipe da Silva, who leads the design and the team of stair specialists that builds and installs it. You talk to the owner, not a call center.
- Start with a free virtual design consultation. Send photos or a short video of your stairs, and we review the space with you.
- See your stairs in 3D. Choose the wood, stain and riser finish before anything is built.
- Get one fixed written price. The whole project, in writing, before work starts.
- Our own crew installs it. Installation takes days, not weeks, and we clean up every day.
We replace carpet with hardwood on stairs across Wake County & Triangle Area, NC, including Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Apex, Wake Forest, Holly Springs, Morrisville, Garner, Chapel Hill, Clayton, Fuquay-Varina, Knightdale, Wendell, Zebulon and Rolesville. See our stair remodeling services.
What do you need for an accurate carpet to hardwood stair quote?
A few photos and details get you most of the way to an accurate price for a carpet to hardwood stair project:
- The total number of steps.
- Whether the stair runs straight, turns at a landing or with winders, or curves.
- Whether one or both sides of the stair are open.
- Photos of the stair from the bottom and from the top.
- A photo of one step with a corner of the carpet pulled back, if you can, to show what is underneath.
- The floors at the top and bottom of the stair, so the new wood can be matched or transitioned.
- Your wood, stain and riser color preferences, and whether you want to update the railing.
Send them with your request and we will turn them into a 3D design and a fixed written price.
How we put these numbers together
The ranges in this guide for the cost to replace carpet on stairs with hardwood come from national home cost guides (HomeAdvisor, Angi and HomeGuide) reviewed in October 2026. The cost by number of steps multiplies their per-step range by the number of steps. The riser and tread tolerances come from the North Carolina Residential Code, as applied in formal interpretations by the NC Office of State Fire Marshal. The labor share is HomeAdvisor’s estimate. They are market ranges, not JF Stairs prices, and we review them every year.
Carpet to hardwood stairs cost questions
How much does it cost to change stairs from carpet to hardwood?
The cost to replace carpet on stairs with hardwood is about $100 to $300 per step on 2026 national cost guides, or $1,800 to $6,300 for a typical 12- to 16-step staircase with carpet removal and finishing included. Oak sits at the lower end of that range; walnut, open sides, landings and repairs push it higher.
Is it cheaper to carpet or hardwood stairs?
Carpet is cheaper up front: Angi puts carpeting a staircase at about $300 to $650, while national guides put hardwood at about $1,800 to $6,300 for a typical flight in 2026. Solid hardwood treads can be sanded and refinished instead of replaced when they wear, and a runner adds the grip of carpet to a hardwood stair.
How much does it cost to replace carpet on 13 stairs with hardwood?
About $1,300 to $3,900 for 13 steps at the national range of $100 to $300 per step in 2026, before carpet removal and repairs. HomeAdvisor puts carpet removal and subfloor repairs at another $150 to $1,560, and turns, landings or open sides add labor.
Is it cheaper to refinish the hardwood under my stair carpet?
Yes, if it is real hardwood in good condition. HomeAdvisor and Angi put professional refinishing of a full staircase at $300 to $1,000 in 2026, well below new treads. If the steps under the carpet are plywood, pine or full of staple holes, new hardwood treads are usually the better choice.
Is replacing carpet with hardwood on stairs worth it?
HomeGuide calls hardwood stairs worth the investment: solid hardwood lasts for decades with care and can be refinished instead of replaced. Angi estimates hardwood stairs return about 60% to 80% of their cost at resale. Carpet costs less up front and is softer underfoot.
Can new stair treads match my existing hardwood floors?
Yes. JF Stairs color matches the stain on new treads to your existing floors, and can also finish the stair two-tone with stained treads and painted risers. You see the wood and finish in your free 3D design before anything is built.
How long does it take to replace carpet on stairs with hardwood?
Installation takes days, not weeks. The full timeline depends on the number of steps, the repairs needed under the carpet and the finish you choose.
Are hardwood stairs slippery?
They can be, especially with a polished finish. A stair runner, anti-slip treads or an anti-slip finish adds traction, and JF Stairs can install a runner on new hardwood stairs.
Do you need a permit to replace carpet with hardwood on stairs?
It depends on your city or county and on the scope of the work, so check with your local building department before work starts; where a permit is needed, Angi puts typical fees at $100 to $500. Either way, under North Carolina’s Residential Code the riser heights in a flight must stay within 3/8 inch of each other after the new treads go in.
Does JF Stairs charge by the hour to replace carpet on stairs?
No. We price each carpet to hardwood stair project as a complete job with one fixed written price, based on your free 3D design.
Get a free carpet to hardwood stair design and quote
Send us photos or a short video of your stairs, and we will design the new treads in 3D and give you one fixed written price.
About the author
Jorge Felipe da Silva, Owner & Founder, JF Stairs
Jorge Felipe da Silva is the owner and founder of JF Stairs, a locally owned and operated stair contractor in Wake County, NC. For more than 12 years he has led staircase design, build and installation projects across the Triangle, for new construction and remodels alike. Every JF Stairs project runs through Jorge: he guides the design with the homeowner and leads the team of stair specialists who build and install it.
JF Stairs is SMA-certified, licensed and insured, and rated A+ by the BBB.
