Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler Hard wood or laminating flooring?

. Yeah, J.P; she can really stroke a fire well. Or is it stoke? Either way, I wouldn't recommend distressing your wood with a bunch of other guys. Now that's distracting!

Wood on stairs is slippery. I've gone down mine on my ass more times than I care to remember. And no, I wasn't drinking; not every time anyway. Typically, when wood is chosen, it is only the outer most six inches or so on the runers and carpet is installed between the wood ends. You might want to consider doing something like that.

Laminate is slipper too btw.

Mike brings up a very good point--I'd be pretty nervous about that.

Does the staircase have a railing?

D'oh I guess I should have read the original post. I didn't realize this was for stairs. In no way, shape or form would I ever install wood or laminate on a full stair case, a riser or 2 is OK. As Mike said it is too slippery for my liking, the carpet runner with wood on the sides looks elegant and is much safer, IMO. Depending on the tiles this might work a little better but even they can be a little slippery.

At first mp said staircase, then he said floor, so I wasn't sure if it was one or the other or both. Definitely need a runner on the stairs if they were done in hardwood.

Skateboard grip tape.

Bren R.

I actually told my parents to put some of that grip-tape down on their deck steps after my mother slipped on them last year.

When I got the quote from my stairs, it was quoted to do them in oak. The slipperiness of wood on stairs is a very valid point, but I've seen just as many staircases with wooden stairs, as I have staircases done in carpet. Carpet can also be very slippery, especially when people are wearing indoor footwear such as slippers. A quick search online will yield some complaints of people slipping on both types of material.

If there's a railing, and it's being used for its utility, it will drastically reduce the chances of slipping down the stairs.

Am I right in thinking that oak wouldn't be as slippery (pending it's not stained to a mirror finish) as hardwood or laminate?

Isn't that why they call them SLIPpers?

Reagrding Oak, not in my experience, it is still a smooth surface once finished properly like any other hardwood. Any hard surface is inherently more slippery than softer, textured ones, textured being the key component.