Creaking Stairs Repair Advice

[mwilkinson]

Hi,
Total novice DIYer here.
I live in a typical run-of-the-mill 90s 3-bed detached on a large development.
As I am having my staircase carpet replaced, I decide to remove the old carpet and take the opportunity to have a go at fixing the many creaks and squeaks on the stairs.
I gained access from underneath by removing bits of plasterboard and have done some repairs as recommended in various internet videos/posts.
Despite this, the stairs seem to be just as creaky as they were before i started.
Then I realised that there may be another reason for the creakiness.
On the underside of the stairs are what look like tongue-and-groove floorboards. They are loosely attached to 1 or 2 risers. They are then further held in place by the plasterboard which primarily forms the ceiling of the under-stairs cupboard. Effectively, the plasterboard pushes the floorboards againts the edge of the risers where they meet the treads. My staircase is a single winder and on both straight sections of the staircase, there are a set of 3 "floorboards" spaced evenly across the stairs. Due to the flexibility of the whole arrangement, stepping almost anywhere on the stairs causes these floorboards to bend and creak. That's the theory anyway.

My question is....are these extra "supports" needed? I know little about staircase construction but I am so tempted to remove them as I have not seen this feature mentioned by anyone and haven't seen them on any staircase diagrams.

I have attached some pics in which I try to show what these "floorboards" look like:

Any help/advice would be gratefully received.
Thanks

 

[foxhole]

Boards have been added to take the plasterboard without which there would be nothing to hold it.?

 

[mwilkinson]

Thanks Foxhole.
I get that the plasterboard needs to be secured to something but are the boards actually needed to support the stairs as well?

 

[foxhole]

No , they serve no purpose other than to provide a fixing for the plasterboard.

 

[Doggit]

Unfortunately, you have cheap MDF stairs there, and they've been nailed as well as screwed. Take the plasterboard and boards down, and then get someone to walk up the stairs, and see what's moving, and where the noise is coming from. You may be able to put in a few wedges and screws, and maybe some more glue, but it may be that you've got to be a bit more drastic, and construct some better supports for the treads.

 

[big-all]

check the company laying your carpet do not plan to damage the stairs again by forcing the carpet between the back off the tread and the riser as i find this is the most common cause off creeks on stairs

 

[bobsuerita]

biggest problem as above make sure they screw the grippers too no nailing

 

[foxhole]

Stairs looks fairly crude. Maybe diy construction and/or repaired ?

 

[Doggit]

Ply treads and MDF risers is fairly common for cheap stairs, but you're right in terms of the wood with labels on it. Someone may well have already tried to solve the issues, the repaired comments viable. As the propertied on a large development, it's possible, but unlikely that they were home made, but anythings possible.

 

[RigidRaider]

Do you know what I would do? I would make a watery solution of PVA glue and squirt it into all the places where there's movement. You can't make a silk purse, etc. etc.