By Greg Vanden Berge
I would imagine most people don't even know what it wood
stair cleat is, in construction we have so many words that describe the
same thing. A stair cleat is another word for a thread bracket.
In other words it's the part of the stairway that connects the stair
stringer to the stair step. Wood stair cleats have been used for years
and over time, most of them will develop the same problem.
Most wood stair cleats loosened up and create a safety hazard. If the
stairs are located outside in extreme weather conditions, for example,
if it rains or snows a lot, extremely humid humid weather, or extremely
hot and dry temperatures, your staircase might not last that long, if it
is or isn't maintained properly.
It's not a bad idea to use steel or concrete for stairways in these
climates.
If you're ever walking up a set of stairs with wood cleats and the stair
steps feel a little loose or wiggly, make sure you examined the stair
cleats for safety. It's not uncommon for someone to be walking up or
down a set of wood stairs and having the stair step or tread giveaway
because the wood cleats has loosened.
If the wood stair cleats are nailed to the stair stringer, the nails can
loosen up, causing the stair cleat to become loose, as you walk up and
down the stairs applying pressure to the stair cleat, this will create
movement in between the stair step and the stair stringer. This could
cause the stair cleat to crack, break and separate the connection
between the stair step in the stair stringer.
I would suggest using metal brackets instead of wood cleats. The metal
brackets will not crack or disintegrate like some wood cleats. Metal
brackets of course can loosen up and should be maintained regularly.
If you decide to use wood stair cleats, I would suggest using screws
instead of nails and drilling holes in the wood stair cleats, most of
the time this will prevent cracking the wood stair cleat. Try to use a
thicker material for the stair cleat, for example using a 2 x 4 with lag
screws and washers would be better than using a 1 x 4 with nails.
If you're walking up a set of stairs and a stair step feels loose,
contact the owner of the property and let them know, they have a problem
with their staircase.
Metal Stair Tread Brackets Metal stair tread brackets are used instead
of wood cleats and for plenty of good reasons. Wood stair cleats or
tread brackets often become a safety hazard over time, as the wood
starts to deteriorate.
|
|
|
