Stair problem.

I am new to this group and this is my first question. I live in a bi-level style house. When you enter the front door there is a small landing ~ 5’6” x 6’6”. Then stairs go up or down from here. The staircase in question ,for now, is the stairs leading up. They always seemed a little steep but I never really gave them much thought until now. I recently installed hardwood floors (3/4” red oak) on the upper level. The floor and the stairs were carpeted with floor having a 3/4” plywood subfoor. After completing the floor I moved to the stairs and that is when I noticed the problem and then understood why the stairs always felt steep. The stair tread is only a 2×10 which was covered with carpeting, which is a less than 9” without the carpeting. There is about a 7 1/2 inch rise. There are 5 treads six steps total counting the top which is the floor. The total run is 41”.

I think this is the result of a missing course of block in the lower level which is less than 8’ high. So in order to accomodate this I think they made the stairs smaller than they should have. Poor planning, shortcuts, whatever, it no longer matters. I have to try and fix it.

After tossing around a bunch of ideas I think the best thing I can do is make the tread a little wider and use the existing 2×10s as the base for a hardwood cover with a bullnose over hang. I can probably add two inches to each tread. But I am limited by the landing. I know I could also cut back into the floor area to give me more room and actually add another step but that would take a lot of rework with the floor and the railing above the stairs. So I am thinking if I keep the rise the same but actually extend the run a little on each step it will be safer and not feel so steep. I did not notice it so much when I was younger but my dad always seemed to go up and especially down with caution. Now with a bad knee and getting older I know why.

Any suggestions or thoughts would be appreciated.

Now I am off to replace a bathrtub fa;ucet. Been dreading the thought of this one for years as the builder did not give me an access panel, so I have to remove all the tiles before I can even start.

Thanks

-- Ron - Kutztown, PA