replacing carpet with wood on stairs
 

I paid a local flooring company to replace the carpet on my stairs with hardwood. My question concerns the riser they used. It looks like laminate product< it is white and shiny. You can see the glue pattern thru it. The installer called it particle board and said he could paint it if I preferred. I wonder if paint will stick to this. He plans to use latex paint. I'm not sure if this product is standard but it doesn't look like the risers in my daughters house (she had hers done last year). I expected a painted wood riser. Is this shiny stuff paintable? Was it just a cheap sub for wood? Help! I need advice please! What are standard risers made of? Thanks

It sounds like particle board with a melamine coating. It could be tricky to get paint to stick to it. If the carpenter that builds a stair that he knows will be carpeted, they will usually use a plywood product. I have never seen melamine used on risers but if it is good shape and there are no exposed edges, it may be ok. poplar or a primed pine product is generally used.