Step 1 · Step 1: Carefully Remove the Old Treads

Gently wedge your pry bar under the edge of an old tread. Tap the pry bar with your hammer to begin lifting the wood. Work your way around the tread, repeating this process to loosen it from the screws. For any especially stubborn fasteners, a reciprocating saw can be a great help. Safety first: be extremely careful to cut only the old screws or nails, not the underlying stair stringers (the support beams your treads rest on). Damaging the stringers can create a much bigger project.