Stair tread overlay and manufacturing process

Abstract

A stair tread overlay and a riser overlay made from solid wood for fitting over a conventional, exposed wooden stair having a generally rounded nose like those found in most residential general construction staircases and prefabricated staircases. The tread overlay and riser overlay cover the exterior surface of a conventional wooden stair from stringer to stringer to hide a construction grade stair tread and riser below that are made from a composite material or unsalvageable hardwood to present an attractive, solid wood surface that is finishable. One or more manufacturing processes for manufacturing a stair tread overlay and a riser overlay. The manufacturing process comprises the forming or milling of wood blanks, to fit over a conventional, exposed wooden stair having a generally rounded nose like those found in most residential and prefabricated staircases.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a solid wood stair tread overlay, said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) cutting raw material into at least one board of a desired thickness;   (b) cutting the board to a desired length;   (c) machining the board edges;   (d) grain matching at least two boards;   (e) adhering the edges of the two boards together to create a tread body;   (f) cutting raw material into at least one nose block;   (g) cutting the nose block to desired length;   (h) grain matching the nose block with the tread body;   (i) adhering the nose block to the tread body creating a tread blank;   (j) machining the inside of the nose block to create a concave shape; and   (k) machining the outside of the nose block to create an outside nose shape.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adhering of the edges in step (e) is by glue and pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adhering of the nose block in step (i) is by glue and pressure. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the machining is performed in at least one pass. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nose block is adhered to the bottom of the tread body in step (j). 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nose block is adhered to the edge of the tread body in step (j). 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tread blank is secured to a machining table using suction. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tread blank is secured to a machining table using at least one fixture. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a CNC machine is used to machine the nose block. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a router is used to machine the nose block. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nose block is machined before being attached to the tread body. 
     
     
         12 . A stair tread overlay manufactured according to the method in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a solid wood stair tread overlay, said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) cutting raw material into at least one board of a desired thickness;   (b) cutting the board to a desired length;   (c) machining the board edges;   (d) grain matching at least two boards;   (e) adhering the edges of the two boards together to create a tread body;   (f) cutting raw material into at least one nose block;   (g) cutting the nose block to desired length;   (h) grain matching the nose block with the tread body;   (i) adhering the nose block to the tread body creating a tread blank; and   (j) forming a concave shape on the inner surface of the nose block.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the adhering of the edges in step (e) is by glue and pressure. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the adhering of the nose block in step (i) is by glue and pressure. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein forming the concave shape on the inner surface of the nose block is by milling the nose block. 
     
     
         17 . A stair tread overlay manufactured according to the method in  claim 13 . 
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing a stair tread overlay, said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) cutting raw material into at least one board of a desired thickness;   (b) cutting the board to a desired length;   (c) machining the board edges;   (d) grain matching at least two boards   (e) adhering the edges of the two boards together to create a tread body; and   (f) forming a nose on the end of the tread body wherein the nose has a concave inner surface.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the inner concave surface of the nose is formed by milling. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the adhering of the edges in step (e) is by glue and pressure. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the nose block is adhered to the end of the tread body by glue and pressure. 
     
     
         22 . A stair tread overlay manufactured according to the method in  claim 18 . 
     
     
         23 . A method of manufacturing a stair tread overlay nose, said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) cutting raw material into at least one nose block;   (b) cutting the nose block to a desired length;   (c) machining the inside of the nose block to create a concave shape; and   (d) machining the outside of the nose block to create an outside nose shape.   
     
     
         24 . A stair tread overlay nose manufactured according to the method in  claim 23 . 
     
     
         25 . A method of manufacturing a stair tread overlay, said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) forming a stair tread body from wood material, wherein the stair tread has a front edge; and   (b) forming a nose on the front edge, wherein the nose has a concave inner surface.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming the nose includes the steps of:
 adhering a nose block to the stair tread body; and   milling the nose block to the concave inner surface.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming the nose includes the step of:
 adhering a nose block which has already been milled to have a concave inner surface to the stair tread body.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming the nose includes the step of:
 forming the nose by pressure molding wherein the wood material is a wood fiber and epoxy mix.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming the nose includes the step of:
 forming the nose by pressure molding the front edge of the tread body around a convex mold.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming the nose includes the step of:
 forming the nose by bending the front edge of the tread body around a convex mold.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming the tread overlay includes the step of:
 forming the tread overlay by pressure extrusion through an extrusion mold having a profile with a nose having a concave inner surface.   
     
     
         32 . A stair tread overlay manufactured according to the method in  claim 25 .