How much do wooden stairs cost? 2026 prices and an example

indekscen.pl editorial team · published 30 September 2026 · prices according to the 5 October 2026 index

In 2026, wooden stairs most commonly cost PLN 400 per tread for a stringer staircase made from domestic timber (typically PLN 350 ‑ 540), excluding the balustrade and installation. According to price lists, a complete set of wooden stairs, including materials and labour, costs around PLN 17,800. Pine or spruce treads are the cheapest, at around PLN 275 each.

Wooden stairs are priced differently from most work in a home: a joiner primarily charges per tread, then prices the balustrade, finishing and installation separately. This is why two quotes for “oak stairs” can differ by several thousand PLN even though both are fair. Below, we break the price down, calculate examples for straight and winder stairs, compare timber species and explain what to ask the joiner. The figures are medians from public price lists and guides, compiled in the price index.

How much do wooden stairs cost?

Wooden stairs usually cost PLN 350 ‑ 540 per tread for a stringer staircase made from domestic timber, while the median from price lists is PLN 400. This price covers making and fitting the tread itself, but excludes the balustrade and surface finishing. The cheapest quotes in the sources start at PLN 200, while the most expensive reach PLN 900 per tread.

When a joiner quotes a price for the complete staircase, price lists show a figure of around PLN 17,800 for stairs including materials and labour. A complete overview with quotations from price lists is available at wooden stairs.

Median and typical range from public price lists, as at 5 October 2026. Each price includes a source and quotation on the service page.

How much does one stair tread cost?

One wooden stair tread costs from PLN 200 to PLN 900, with the timber species being the main factor determining where the price falls within this range. According to the sources, a pine or spruce tread costs around PLN 275, placing it at the lower end of the range. Beech and ash fall in the middle, while oak sets the upper limit.

Stair element	Price (median)	Notes
Pine or spruce tread	PLN 275	cheapest option
Stringer stair tread made from domestic timber	PLN 400	excluding balustrade and installation
Complete staircase including materials and labour	PLN 17,800	depending on the number of treads and timber species
Wooden balustrade (balcony balustrade as a reference)	435 PLN/linear metre	stair balustrades can be more expensive
Loft ladder installation	PLN 400	a different category of stairs

The difference between pine and oak is not just the price. Pine is soft and more easily dented by heels, so it is more often used for stairs leading to a cellar or a loft used only occasionally. For the main staircase in a house, most buyers choose oak or ash.

How much do wooden stairs cost in an example: straight and winder stairs?

At the median price, a straight staircase with 14 treads costs around PLN 5,600, typically PLN 4,900 ‑ 7,600, excluding the balustrade. Fourteen treads is typical for a house with a floor-to-floor height of around 2.7 m and a comfortable riser height.

Winder stairs, which turn a corner, usually have more treads, and each winder tread is cut to size individually. With 16 treads, the median cost is around PLN 6,400, typically PLN 5,600 ‑ 8,600, but in practice joiners charge more for winder treads than for straight ones because each has a different shape. If a quote for winder stairs is clearly higher than the number of treads multiplied by the rate, this is usually the reason.

For both examples, the cost of the balustrade and surface finishing must be added if they are not included in the price. At this stage, it is best to ask the joiner for an itemised quote covering treads, risers, stringers, the balustrade, finishing and installation.

How are wooden stairs priced?

Wooden stairs are priced by counting the treads and adding the separate items that joiners normally list individually. To compare quotes, check each one against the same list:

1. Number of treads and geometry. Straight stairs are the cheapest. Winder stairs and stairs with a landing cost more because they require more cutting and a more complex structure.
2. Timber species. Pine and spruce are the cheapest, beech and ash fall in the middle, and oak is the most expensive.
3. Type of construction. Stringer stairs, with treads set into side beams, carpet-style stairs, with treads fitted over concrete or steel, or self-supporting stairs. Carpet-style stairs can be cheaper than stringer stairs.
4. Risers. Closed stairs have risers, while open stairs do not, affecting the amount of timber and labour required.
5. Balustrade. This is always a separate item and often one of the largest costs in the entire order.
6. Finishing. Oiling and waxing are cheaper than applying two coats of varnish. Distressing and brushing cost extra.
7. Installation and travel. Check whether they are included or added at the end.

How much do wooden stairs over concrete cost?

Wooden stairs over concrete, meaning covering an existing concrete staircase with wooden treads, are effectively a carpet-style construction: the timber does not need to carry the load, so the treads can be thinner and the stairs may be cheaper than stringer stairs. Our median of PLN 400 per tread applies to stringer stairs, so when covering concrete you can treat it as an upper reference point. Our sources do not yet provide a separate rate for a tread fitted over concrete.

Stairs over concrete involve one additional risk: uneven concrete. If the concrete staircase has inconsistent riser heights or uneven edges, the joiner must level them or fit each tread individually. Ask about this before signing the contract, as levelling is sometimes added to the price only after an inspection.

Which stairs are the cheapest?

Carpet-style stairs made from pine or spruce are the cheapest, with price lists putting the cost of one tread at around PLN 275. Straight stairs without a landing or risers and with a simple spindle balustrade are also cheaper.

Several decisions can reduce the bill more than negotiating the rate:

• A straight flight instead of winder stairs, if the house design allows it.
• A cheaper timber species for secondary stairs (cellar, loft), with oak used only where people walk every day.
• Oil instead of varnish, if you accept the need for periodic maintenance.
• A simple balustrade. Turned balusters, glass and stainless steel increase the cost more than changing the timber species.

If the stairs are only intended to provide access to an unused loft, consider a loft ladder: loft ladder installation shows a median of PLN 400 for installation alone in an existing opening, excluding the price of the ladder itself.

How does the cost of new stairs from a joiner compare with renovating old ones?

Renovating an existing wooden staircase is usually cheaper than ordering a new one if the structure is sound and only the tread surfaces are worn. Stairs are renovated in much the same way as flooring: sanding, filling gaps, then applying varnish or oil. parquet floor sanding with varnishing has a median price of 115 PLN/m², but for stairs, joiners are more likely to charge per tread because working on small surfaces takes longer. You can read more about sanding itself in our article on sanding and varnishing parquet flooring.

New stairs are worthwhile when entire flights creak, the treads are cracked or the interior layout is being changed. When building a house, stairs are priced together with the finishing work. A broader overview of costs is available in the article on the cost of building a house.

What should you ask a joiner before ordering stairs?

• Does the price per tread include the riser and stringers, or are they charged separately?
• What is the moisture content of the timber, and has it been kiln-dried? Wet timber cracks and creaks after installation.
• Is the balustrade included in the price, and what are the balusters and handrail made from?
• What finish is included: oil, wax or varnish, and how many coats?
• Who takes the measurements, and are installation and travel included in the price?
• What is the lead time, as made-to-measure stairs usually take several weeks to produce?

You can find more joinery and furniture services in the crafts and furniture category.

„Za sam stopień w konstrukcji policzkowej z drewna krajowego zapłacisz orientacyjnie 450-900 zł”

uslugi-remontowe-balkon.pl, 2025, source

„Nam za jeden stopień drewniany bez barierki powiedziano 200-400zł w zależności jakie drewno wybierzemy.”

forum.gazeta.pl, source

„Koszt jednego stopnia wykonanego z drewna dębowego wynosi średnio od 200 do 600 zł.”

projektydompl.pl, source

The prices in this article come from public price lists and construction guides. Each price is accompanied by its source, date and a verbatim quotation on the service page, and we update the medians together with the index (as at 5 October 2026).

Frequently asked questions

How much do wooden stairs cost in a detached house?

Komplet schodów drewnianych z materiałem i robocizną kosztuje według cenników około PLN 17,800. Przy liczeniu od stopnia typowe schody z 14 stopni to przy medianie około PLN 5,600, bez balustrady.

Are carpet-style stairs cheaper than stringer stairs?

Schody dywanowe bywają tańsze niż policzkowe, bo stopnie opierają się na konstrukcji betonowej albo stalowej i nie potrzebują bocznych belek. Nasza mediana PLN 400 za stopień dotyczy konstrukcji policzkowej, więc to dobry punkt odniesienia do porównania ofert.

How much does a wooden balustrade cost?

Balustradę stolarze liczą osobno od stopni. Jako punkt odniesienia: drewniana balustrada balkonowa z montażem kosztuje około 435 PLN/linear metre; balustrada schodowa z toczonymi tralkami i zakrętami bywa droższa.

How much does loft ladder installation cost?

Sam montaż gotowych schodów strychowych w istniejącym otworze kosztuje zwykle PLN 350 ‑ 440. To zupełnie inna kategoria niż stałe schody drewniane na piętro.

Is it better to varnish or oil wooden stairs?

Olejowanie i woskowanie jest zwykle tańsze niż lakierowanie dwuwarstwowe, ale wymaga częstszego odświeżania. Lakier lepiej znosi intensywne chodzenie, olej łatwiej naprawić miejscowo.

Translation of the original Polish article dated 30 September 2026. Quotations from price lists are in Polish, as published by the companies. Read the original in Polish.

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