Red Oak is one of the most familiar hardwoods in American homes — warm, durable, and widely used in flooring, millwork, and stair systems across the country. Clear grade takes that familiar species and presents it at its most consistent: a clean face, uniform color, and a grain pattern that reads as organized and refined from tread to tread.

For homeowners and contractors who want the warmth of Red Oak without the variation that comes with character or rustic grades, Clear Red Oak Stair Treads are the straightforward choice.

What Clear Grade Delivers

Clear grade — also referred to as select or FAS grade in hardwood grading — means the face of the board is selected for a clean, knot-free appearance with consistent color and grain. It's the grade you choose when uniformity matters: when each tread needs to closely match the next, and when the staircase is expected to look polished and intentional across the full run.

In Red Oak, clear grade brings out the species' warm pinkish-brown tones and open grain pattern in their most organized form. The grain is still clearly Red Oak — pronounced and textured — but without the knots, color shifts, or variation that lower grades include. The result is a tread that looks consistent and well-crafted without sacrificing the warmth that makes Red Oak a go-to species for residential staircases.

A Practical Species for a High-Traffic Application

Red Oak is a hard, dense domestic hardwood that performs well on staircases. It holds up under daily foot traffic, mills cleanly, and has a long track record in residential applications across the country. Its open grain structure gives it a natural texture that's visible and tactile — a quality that some homeowners specifically look for in a wood stair tread.

Red Oak is also one of the most common hardwood flooring species in American homes, which makes clear grade Red Oak stair treads a practical choice for remodels and replacement projects where matching existing wood is a priority. If your home already has Red Oak floors or millwork, these treads offer a straightforward path to a cohesive staircase.

Sizing and Thickness

These treads are available in the following dimensions:

• Lengths: 34" to 60", available in every inch increment
• Depths: 10", 10.5", 11", 11.5", 12"
• Thickness: 1" or 2"

A 1" tread is standard for most traditional stair systems where the tread rests on a closed riser. A 2" tread adds visual weight and a more substantial feel — a common choice when the staircase is a design feature or when the system calls for additional rigidity. If you're replacing existing treads, measure the current thickness before ordering to make sure the fit is right.

Edge Profiles

Three nosing profiles are available for the front edge of the tread:

• Square Edge: A sharp, 90-degree front edge. Clean and modern, and an interesting contrast against Red Oak's warm, traditional character.
• Eased Edge: Corners are lightly softened without changing the overall square profile. A practical middle ground that works across most interior styles.
• Bullnose: A fully rounded front edge. The most traditional profile, and a natural fit for craftsman, colonial, and classic interiors where Red Oak has long been at home.

Comparing Your Options in Red Oak

Clear grade is the right choice when consistency is the priority. If you're drawn to Red Oak but want more natural variation — knots, color shifts, and a less uniform face — our Character Grade Red Oak Stair Treads offer the same species with more of its natural range on display.

If the grain pattern itself is the deciding factor, our Rift Sawn and Quarter Sawn Red Oak Stair Treads offer specific cuts that produce distinctive grain orientations regardless of grade. Rift sawn gives you tight, linear grain with no cathedral pattern. Quarter sawn adds a subtle ray figure that flat-sawn boards don't produce.

If you're also considering other species, we offer clear and select grade stair treads in Walnut and a range of grades in White Oak — each with its own color palette and grain character.

Custom Sizing

If your project requires dimensions outside what's listed here, call us at 1-800-874-5181. We mill our own products and have more flexibility on custom work than most suppliers. We're glad to help you find the right fit for your staircase.