Q. A few years ago, I removed the carpeting from two flights of stairs and replaced it with maple hardwood. They look beautiful, but they’re very slippery. A few months ago, I fell down the s… ...

Wooden stairs are much more than a functional element. They combine art, design and practicality. In this guide we will delve into choosing the design and up to maintenance tips.

Q: I would like to replace the worn-out old carpet on my stairs with either hardwood or engineered wood/laminate. Like the carpet, my Pomeranian and I are also “older” and my family and… ...

Tried-and-True Advice “A lot of the time, wooden stairs start squeaking due to fluctuating humidity levels, which cause the stair treads and risers to shrink or expand.

Q. I live in a home built in 1968 that has a full basement. The basement stairs are the problem. Although the basement wall seems plumb, the wooden stairs are bowed, which makes them come apart at … ...

Q: I read (and kept) your April 9 column "Restore wooden steps to preserve beauty." I, too, own a Victorian house, in Oakland, with wooden stairs that need to be restored. Your article was very ...

Home Fix: Dwight Barnett answers home-improvement questions. This week's topic is on how to level the steps of an old staircase.