Guide · Updated October 2026
Dog-Proofing Wooden Stairs: Repairing Chew Damage and Preventing It
How dog-chewed wooden stairs are repaired, what it costs in Singapore and practical ways to stop puppies chewing and scratching your timber staircase.
Why dogs chew stairs
Teething puppies chew whatever is at mouth height and has a firm edge, and stair nosings are exactly that. Bored or anxious adult dogs do the same. The good news is that chewing is usually limited to the bottom few steps.
How the damage is repaired
- Shallow marks are filled, shaped back to the nosing profile and sanded.
- Deep chewing is cut back to sound timber with a clean square cut.
- A new piece of matching timber is glued and pinned in, then rounded to match.
- The repaired steps are stained to match and varnished.
Prevention that works
- A baby gate at the bottom of the stairs during teething
- Plenty of chew toys, rotated to keep them interesting
- Bitter-taste spray on the nosings for a few weeks
- Exercise and company: bored dogs chew more
- Trimmed claws, and a satin finish that hides scratches
Cost
Dog-chew repairs start from $350. If the treads are also scratched by claws, polishing the whole flight starts from $350 per flight.
Related staircase services
Staircase Polishing
Buff, clean and re-varnish worn timber stairs in a day. From $350 per flight.
From $350 per flightWood Staircase Repair
Loose, creaky, broken or damaged treads and nosings repaired with matching timber.
From $350Broken Tread Repair
Cracked, split or missing pieces on stair treads replaced with matching timber.
From $350Dog-Chewed Stairs
Chewed nosings, claw marks and pet stains repaired and refinished.
From $350Scratch & Dent Repair
Scuffs, scratches, dents and gouges in timber stairs removed or filled.
From $350Discoloured Stairs
Grey worn paths, sun fade, black water marks and yellowed varnish restored.
From $350Sanding & Varnishing
For worn-through stairs: sanded to bare timber, sealed and varnished like new.
Quoted after inspectionParquet Staircase
Parquet and strip-timber clad steps and landings polished to match your floors.
From $350 per flightStaining & Colour Change
Walnut, dark or two-tone treads with white risers, tested on a patch first.
Quoted after inspectionWant your staircase fixed and looking new again?
Send 3 or 4 photos of your stairs on WhatsApp, including a close-up of the damage, and get a price, usually the same day.