Q: Our house was built in the 60’s and the stairs to the basement are very narrow. We made the problem worse by adding a Berber carpet to them. Should I remove the carpet and add a piece of hardwood to the front edge of each step? My foot is a ladies size 8 and without shoes my foot barely fits on the stair tread width. You need put your foot sideways to go up or down.
A: Your treads do not meet code for width. You need to go buy solid slabs and install them on top. Cut the existing nosing or overhang back, flush with the riser and secure the new, wider slab. You can veneer the risers.
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