Should you choose ply or pine for your covered staircase?

May 12, 2020

For customers wanting to cover their staircase in carpet, flooring, tiles etc. You will be looking for either a ply or a pine staircase. These are your cheapest options as you would not want to spend your hard-earned money on a hardwood staircase that will be covered later. But which option should you choose?

The difference:
– Style: Ply is a closed cut-stringer, where as the pine is a closed full-stringer
– Price: Ply is cheaper than pine
– Application: Ply is designed to be installed in between walls (no balustrade), pine can be installed with balustrade

Ply – Cut-stringer

Pine – Full-stringer. They may look the same to the naked eye but if you see below on the wall you will see the stringer which has been painted white to match the wall.

Really your decision comes down to personal preference. If your staircase is going in between walls then we recommend you go with the ply option. It is cheaper and still looks great. It is just as strong as pine and perfect for any covering of choice. Some customers like to have the stringer on the wall is it acts as a wall protector. If this is you then you would go with the pine option.

If your staircase is in need of balustrade then you will need to go with the pine option, however you can opt to have a cut-stringer to the wall side if you prefer that look. There is also an option to have a hardwood stringer which you could clear or stain for a different look. This would be an upgrade to your staircase and cost a bit extra. (See below for photos of this look).

If you would like us to quote options for you, feel free to send through your plans and we will get a quote to you. Our friendly staff are always happy to help, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact our office.