Outdoor Stair Treads

The term outdoor stair treads can refer to two different yet related things. It can refer to the actual structural parts of the staircase you step on, the steps, or it can refer to treads placed on the underlying structural parts, commonly made to be non slip.

The structural part of the stairs you step on has commonly been made of wood, although other materials such as stone and metal grating are also used. If wood, it is typically treated for outdoor use and/or painted relatively frequently. Wood will rot, and there are “wood like” synthetic substitutes available that do not rot. I replaced two back steps with Trex from Home Depot and I expect it to outlast me! Trex is a composite product made from wood and plastic fibers from reclaimed or recycled resources.

More commonly and correctly outdoor stair treads refers to materials placed on the preexisting wooden or other step material to provide non slip capabilities, for decoration, and to help protect stairs from wear.

Common materials include rubber, vinyl, aluminum, carpet, and much more.

Rubber is quite common, and the treads may be permanently attached via adhesive or tacks, or the treads may have non skid backings and merely be laid down like welcome or other mats. These have the advantage that they can easily be picked up to have the dirt and other junk shaken out of them.

Rubber outdoor stair treads sometimes have bird, flower, and other garden decorations on them, and are typically inexpensive and easy to install. There are many varieties available, and some even are heated to melt ice and snow. These typically plug into a wall socket.

Vinyl is often used as a less expensive option to rubber.

Carpet is also very common.  Sometimes it’s made from one piece of outdoor carpet that is attached to the stairs, much as an indoor staircase would be, or oftentimes individual rugs on each step.

You’ll find a variety of outdoor stair treads at most hardware and department stores,  as well as online.