Initial Preparations

• Wooden steps must be securely nailed into place and sanded to provide a flat surface, with any dips or depressions filled in with latex patching or epoxy caulking compound. Ceramic tiles should be sanded, and any glaze or wax removed prior to stair-tread installation. Loose tiles should be secured, and grout cleaned and filled with a cement patching and leveling compound to create a flat surface. Steel staircases need to be cleared of rust by sandblasting or another abrasive treatment and sealed with an anti-corrosive metal primer. Any dust, dirt, oil, adhesives, solvents, paint or other coatings should be removed before you install stair treads. Treads and adhesive should be kept at room temperature for at least 24 hours before, during and after the installation and should be screened from direct, intense sunlight.
  
  

Installation

• Measure the width and depth of each step, because slight variations can make a big difference in fitting stair treads. Mark dimensions using a pencil and steel straightedge so any excess at the back and sides can be removed. Using your straightedge as a guide, cut treads with a linoleum knife. Slide the tread into place and check again for fit, trimming any rough or awkward edges. You may need to trim the stair tread's nosing, where it extends over the step, to fit properly. Wipe down tread and step surfaces with denatured alcohol to remove any foreign material or contaminants before applying adhesive.
  Contact adhesive should be used for vinyl or rubber treads, and the latter can also be glued with rubber flooring adhesive. Plan on completing two steps at a time, or you can alternate steps. Spread adhesive on step surface and nosing, as well as the tread's underside. The space between step and tread nosing must be filled with epoxy nose caulking, so apply a bead along the internal angle of the stair tread. Fit tread securely to the step, and beginning with the nosing, push back firmly while you hold the rear portion of the tread up. When nosing is securely in place, work from front to back, pressing the tread firmly down on the step. Use a hand roller on the surface of the tread, making sure that the tread nosing fits securely against the step nosing, to ensure a tight and complete seal.
  Keep traffic off the stairs until the adhesive has bonded firmly, and refrain from washing or treating the stairs for at least one week after treads are installed.