Help with Squeeky staircase

[kiteman69]

Afternoon / Evening all.

I took this afternoon off to complete what I thought was going to be a 10 minute job...................Nothing is ever that easy

After removing the old carpet from my staircase I was wanting to stop the stairs in my 1970s house from squeeking.

I was expecting to be able to screw the treads back down onto the "risers". I imagined the treads would have been supported on a saw tooth type frame............I hope that makes sense.

But instead the treads are routed into the stringers themselves.

I have seen people mention that it is best to tackle this from underneath the stairs.

However I would prefer not to do this as I have just had the underneath replastered and papered and I don't want to undo that work.

A possible solution I came up with was to remove 1 tread at a time by cutting it in half.

With it out of the way I would then fix 2 38mm pieces of wood from one stringer to the other then either place a new tread on top (which would not go into the routed stringers) or utilise the ones that I had removed in the 1st place.

I hope all this makes sense

ANY help on this would be greatly appreciated

 

[HERTS P&D]

I had this problem with my staircase, it was driving me mad.

What I done was to screw from under the front nosing of each step and screw up at an angle into the string.

I done this on every step, gues what. It worked no more noise.

Andy

 

[regsmyth]

I would avoid cutting out the treads if at all possible.
They form part of the structural strength of a staircase.
They are usually slotted over the risers, and glued blocks on the underside keep them rigid and quiet. However over time wood can shrink, and only a tiny amount of movement in the joint can cause a lot of noise.
Consider drilling some holes into the joint from the top of the riser and injecting some glue?
Or some carefully selected screws down into the riser could also work.

 

[big-all]

DONOT cut the treads
is there a gap between tread back and riser[can you easily push a screwdriver in]??

 

[kiteman69]

Glad to see I am not the only one HERTSDRAINAGE2010.

Yes, I can push a flat driver between some of the treads and the riser, (I am assuming the riser is the vertical piece of plywood at the back of each step), this was how I found out that there was not a supporting sawtooth type frame at the back.......using a torch I was able to see the top of what I assume is the plasterboard below)

I fully appreciate that I should not cut all the treads at once as they are intagral part of the stair case.

But would I not be making the staircase stronger if I remove one tread, properly secure a couple of lengths 38mm2 wood between the stringers with nails and or "no nails", then put the tread back into place?

Or am I just being a ****

 

[big-all]

buy some 5min foaming pu glue
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Adh...sd3198/Polyurethane+Wood+Adhesive+750g/p93568
work from top to bottom
open the gap a few mm with a screwdriver
quickly run a bead along the gap
give the glue time to sag into the gap if required
remove screwdriver
do not touch the foam for 2 or 3 days
apply a further bead off glue if required
trim the excess after 2 or 3 days

use a magazine or newspaper to run onto and stand the glue on
do not get where you dont want it if does leave it to dry iff its solid
if it gets on cloth or carpet not easy to get out so remove or cover carpets
always use old clothes
you can use the stairs after 5 or six hours but longer the better

 

[kiteman69]

Thanks Big All for taking the time and effort to right such a thorough reply.

Thanks also for finding the product for me to buy (That would have been my next question).

However, after reading your post several times, looking at my stairs, reading your post again, holding my chin for a while, I don't see how it would help.

I can't put my finger on where the noise is coming from.

Are you suggesting it is the weight of my foot on the 2nd tread pushing the lower riser down (at the front of the tread) which looks like it is nailed onto the 1st tread which then resonates creating the creak?

 

[big-all]

the tread get support from the riser under the nose and the back is held rigid by the riser at the back
in otherwords the tread is 4 or5 x stronger supported back and front so will not move
noise is caused by surfaces rubbing together rather than wood moving on its own

think off a ruler on edge it is many times stronger than flat

 

[geraldthehamster]

Glad to see I am not the only one HERTSDRAINAGE2010.

Yes, I can push a flat driver between some of the treads and the riser, (I am assuming the riser is the vertical piece of plywood at the back of each step), this was how I found out that there was not a supporting sawtooth type frame at the back.......using a torch I was able to see the top of what I assume is the plasterboard below)

I fully appreciate that I should not cut all the treads at once as they are intagral part of the stair case.

But would I not be making the staircase stronger if I remove one tread, properly secure a couple of lengths 38mm2 wood between the stringers with nails and or "no nails", then put the tread back into place?

Or am I just being a ****

DON'T start cutting the treads!

Where you have gaps between the bottom of the front of a tread, and the top of the riser underneath it, I would apply PVA wood glue in the gap, then drill a fine pilot hole (or two, or three) down through the tread into the riser, and screw down firmly.

Cheers
Richard

 

[kbdiy]

It might help if you could identify what timber has been used to make the treads and risers. I have seen several different combinations of thin plywood risers/MDF risers/softwood risers and MDF/softwood treads. The reason I mention this is that it will help decide which of the methods above will be most effective. For example, screwing down through the treads into the risers may not work if the risers are thin sheet ply, as it will just split and make matters worse.

If you're not sure, then post a couple of pics on here first.

 

[big-all]

DON'T start cutting the treads!

Where you have gaps between the bottom of the front of a tread, and the top of the riser underneath it, I would apply PVA wood glue in the gap, then drill a fine pilot hole (or two, or three) down through the tread into the riser, and screw down firmly.

Cheers
Richard

this is very similar to my followup advice except
tape underneath the nose to seal the gap
3 or 4 x 6mm holes in the tread aimed down toward the front top half off the riser
pump in foaming glue
stand on the tread 2 or 3 times to move glue
clear the overflow on a daily basis
leave the tape on for several days as the glue can skin over and take several days to cure this will be helped with daily use helping to break the skin and further help it foam and set
when finished drill out the top 10mm and fill with wood filler
if you see any signs off liquid glue leave open for a couple off days then drill out again till no liquid glue is noted

 

[kiteman69]

Just to close this off. My stairs are now 99% creak free.

I assume when the new carpet is laid they will be 99.9999999999% creak free.


Thanks to everyone (especially Big All) who helped me sort this out

Ps, the risers looked liek they were 3-5 sheet ply so I could not screw into them

 

[big-all]

as long as no one tries to hammer the carpet into the joints you have just repaired
which is what i suspected had happened in the first place hence the question and answer given