Abstract:
An apparatus for refacing an existing stair step without having to remove the existing step in its entirety or cause destruction to the existing step and surrounding structure includes includes a stair tread, a nosing, a cove moulding, a riser cap, and a shoe moulding. The tread-cap apparatus may be placed over an existing stair step, thereby overcoming the need to remove or destroy the existing stair step as is common with typical stair refinishing processes.

Description:
CLAIM TO PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of our co-pending U.S. provisional patent application entitled “Retread Newstep” filed May 1, 2007 and assigned Ser. No. 60/927047, which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to an apparatus for renovating a stair step or set of stairs and more specifically, an apparatus for refacing a stair step or set of stairs without requiring the removal of the entire stair step or set of stairs. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    To replace or renovate a stair step or set of stairs, such as in a residence, it is often required to remove a large portion of the step and involve a large amount of labor and destruction to the stair step or set of stairs in its entirety, and to any structure surrounding the stairs. The typical process involves sanding, planing, patching, and replacing the stairs, thereby creating a large mess and disruption to any existing components of the home, such as, for example, destruction to any trim along the stairway, paneling, drywall, or flooring adjacent to the stairway. This process can also be costly and time-consuming. 
         [0006]    Thus, there is a need to be able to replace or renovate steps or stairs without involving the problems of the above. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Accordingly, an embodiment of the present invention depicts an tread-cap apparatus for refacing an existing stair step, wherein the tread-cap apparatus includes a stair tread, a nosing, a cove moulding, a riser cap, and a shoe moulding. The tread-cap apparatus may be placed over an existing stair step, thereby overcoming the need to remove or destroy the existing stair step as is common with typical stair refinishing processes. 
         [0008]    Another embodiment of the present invention includes a tread-cap apparatus further comprising a first substrate layer for strength, such as a cross-grained veneer layer, placed between the stair tread and the existing stair step. Another aspect of this embodiment includes a second substrate layer, such as a layer of formica, to improve the adhesion of the tread-cap apparatus to the existing stair step. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The teachings of the present invention can be readily understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1A  provides a perspective view of a tread-cap apparatus, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 1B  provides an exploded view of the tread-cap apparatus shown in  FIG. 1A ; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  provides a perspective view of the tread-cap apparatus shown in  FIG. 1A  with a modification, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0013]    To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    An embodiment of the present invention includes a tread-cap apparatus  100  for refacing an existing stair step, as shown in perspective and exploded views in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , respectively. The tread-cap apparatus  100  comprises a stair tread  102 , a nosing  104 , a riser cap  110 , a cove moulding  112 , and a shoe moulding  114 . In  FIG. 1A , the nosing  104  is connects to an edge portion of the stair tread  102  and is placed adjacent to a top portion of the riser cap  110 . The cove moulding  112  connects to a bottom portion of the nosing  104 . Finally, the shoe moulding  114  is placed near a bottom portion of the riser cap  110 . 
         [0015]    To apply the tread-cap apparatus  100 , an existing nosing of the existing stair step is removed along with any cove and shoe mouldings that may exist. Removal of the existing cove and shoe mouldings provide for the riser cap  106  to be flush against an existing step riser of the stair step when applied. The tread-cap apparatus  100  is then fitted onto the existing stair step with the stair tread  102  covering an existing step tread, the riser cap  110  covering the existing step riser, and the nosing  104 , the cove moulding  112 , and the shoe moulding  114  then being placed accordingly. 
         [0016]    An aspect of this embodiment includes a first substrate layer  106  to provide additional strength and stress absorption to the tread-cap apparatus  100 . The first substrate layer  106  further can be used to reduce any stress to the nosing  104  and prevent the nosing  104  from breaking off. To prevent the nosing  104  from breaking, a slot joint  108  is cut into a portion of the nosing  104 , beginning from a back portion of the nosing and extending partially towards a front portion of the nosing. An edge portion of the first substrate layer  106  then is inserted into the slot joint  108 . 
         [0017]    The tread-cap apparatus  100  can be applied to an existing stair step using a layer of adhesive  116 , such as a polyethylene or polyurethane based adhesive. The adhesive layer  116  is placed onto the existing step tread and step riser, and the tread-cap apparatus  100  is placed onto the adhesive layer  116 . 
         [0018]    In another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 1B , a second substrate layer  118  is added to the tread-cap apparatus  100  to improve the adhesion of the tread-cap apparatus  100  to the existing stair step. For example, a layer of formica may be used to provide improved adhesion between the tread-cap apparatus  100  and the existing stair step, as well as improved strength and stress-reduction. 
         [0019]    The tread-cap apparatus  100 , that is, the stair tread  102 , the nosing  104 , the riser cap  110 , the cove moulding  112  and the shoe moulding  113 , can be manufactured as individual and separate components to be connected during application. Alternately, these components may be manufactured as a single unit cut from a single piece of material. The tread-cap apparatus  100  can be made of wood, of composite materials, or a combination of wood with composite materials. Further, the tread-cap apparatus  100  can be pre-finished with any color, paint or stain to match construction surrounding the stair step or as preferred by an owner. 
         [0020]    The components of the tread-cap apparatus  100  may be customized to any dimensions desired. For example, an embodiment of the present invention includes a tread cap-apparatus dimensionally sized to reface a common stair step such that the apparatus includes a stair tread having a thickness of three thirty-seconds of an inch, a veneer substrate layer having a thickness of one-eighths of an inch, a formica substrate layer having a thickness of one thirty-seconds of an inch, and an adhesive layer having a thickness of one thirty-seconds of an inch. The nosing can be dimensionally sized to have a height of one and one-fourths inches as measured from a top surface of the nosing (wherein this top surface is flush with a top surface of the stair tread when the nosing is placed adjacent to the stair tread) to a bottom surface of the nosing. The riser cap can be dimensionally sized to have a thickness of one-quarter of an inch. The cove moulding and the shoe moulding can both be dimensionally sized to have a thickness of one-half of an inch. An alternate embodiment of the present invention includes a tread-cap apparatus with a stair tread manufactured into multiple pieces to simplify the application of the apparatus to an existing stair step. 
         [0021]    In another embodiment of the present invention, one or more substrate layers can be layered beneath the stair tread  102  with different thicknesses in different locations of each layer in order to accommodate multiple thicknesses in an existing stairway, such as, a tongue and groove flooring stairway system, illustratively. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  shows a tread-cap apparatus  200  similar to the tread-cap apparatus  100  as described with respect to  FIGS. 1A and 1B . In  FIG. 2 , the tread-cap apparatus  200  comprises a stair tread  102 , a nosing  104 , a cove moulding (not shown), a riser cap  110 , and a shoe moulding  114 . Further, the apparatus  200  comprises a side cap  202  attached adjacent to a side portion of the stair tread  102  and a side portion of the nosing  104 . The side cap  202  is used as a decorative trim when a side of the stair step does not abut against a stairwell wall. 
         [0023]    Although various embodiments which incorporate the teachings of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, those skilled in the art can readily devise many other varied embodiments that still incorporate these teachings.