A new wooden staircase can transform your hallway and give the entire property a lift. Even replacing the handrail will make a world of difference to the look of your home, and of course it’s much quicker and cheaper than installing a full set of stairs.

However, choosing which materials to use is not always easy. We take a look at some of the different types of wood available for stair construction.

scandinavian pine

Also known as European redwood, this pale yellow softwood is produced on renewable plantations, making it a good environmental choice. Attractive and affordable, with a knobby appearance that adds character, pine is ideal for anyone on a budget. And of course, if you intend to carpet or paint your staircase, you may feel there is no point in spending on expensive materials that will only be covered.

southern yellow pine

This is the largest, hardest, and strongest type of pine; in fact, harder than many hardwoods. Southern Yellow Pine is a durable, sustainable and cost-effective wood with an attractive gold color and distinctive large grain pattern. Grown abundantly in the southern US, it is ideal for stairs, flooring, and furniture.

hemlock

An attractive and versatile softwood with a soft sheen, hemlock has a straight, light-colored grain that can be varnished a deep gold color. Plus, it’s virtually knot-free and easy to work with. This makes it a great substitute for more expensive woods like oak or ash, so it’s worth considering if your budget is tight. Hemlock can also be stained, varnished, or painted.

Oak

There are several types of oak, with white oak being the best choice for stairs. Prized for its strength and durability, it has a beautiful knotless grain that never seems to go out of style. In fact, white oak is so dense that it is almost waterproof, which is why it is used to make, among other things, boats, wine barrels, and outdoor furniture.

Another advantage of white oak is that the grain is very stable, with little variation in pattern and shade. This makes it easy to combine new stairs with existing oak fixtures such as baseboards, flooring and doors. It also very easily accepts wood treatments.

There are two main sources of white oak: the United States and Europe. American white oak is more widely available and therefore less expensive, with a straight grain and pale bisque color. European oak has a slightly darker golden honey hue with a distinctive wavy grain pattern.

Ash

This premium hardwood is even stronger than oak, with a mostly straight grain and attractive colors ranging from cream to pale brown. The most abundant type is the American white ash. Heavy, hard and highly impact resistant, it makes an excellent stair tread. Because it has an open grain, ash is very flexible, so it can be shaped to produce a variety of curved stair parts.

sapele

This reddish-brown hardwood resembles mahogany and is, in fact, in the same family. With a distinctive tight interlocking grain, it provides a strong, cost-effective alternative for use on furniture, flooring and cabinetry, as well as stairs. Sapele is harder and more stable than mahogany, with a dense structure that is highly resistant to rot and almost completely waterproof. This makes it ideal for both outdoor and indoor use.

Idigbo

Native to West Africa, idigbo is a pale yellowish-brown hardwood with a variable grain that can be straight, slightly irregular, or interlocking. It is often chosen as an inexpensive alternative to oak and can be stained, varnished or painted. Although idigbo is not as durable as oak, it offers a good level of strength with little shrinkage and can be shaped to produce attractive curved stair parts.

Nut

There are various types of walnut, but the most commonly used in stair construction is American black walnut. Strong and stable, this premium hardwood has a mostly straight grain and ranges in color from dark chocolate to pale brown. Black walnut is expensive but versatile and extremely strong. It can be carved into elaborate shapes, making it ideal for intricate stair components such as balusters, scrolls, and newel finials.