|
Stair Repairs Stair
Don'ts
Squeaking Stairs
Squeaking stair steps as you walk up and down the stairs are usually
caused by a piece of wood rubbing against another piece of wood or a
piece of wood rubbing against a piece of metal. As you are standing on
the area that is squeaking you will be able to apply pressure with your
foot on the space that is squeaking and let the pressure off creating a
up-and-down motion. You will be able to pinpoint where the squeak is
coming from using this method.
|
|
|
The most common form of stair squeaks are from the nails working there
way loose as the wood begins to shrink caused by moisture evaporation
from the lumber. Causing the wood stair tread to rub on the nail
creating the squeaking sound. Another form of stair squeaks is when the
back of the tread rubs up against the front of the stair riser. This is
caused by the wood flexing as pressure is applied to it while walking up
and down the stairs. The tread will rub on the front of the riser
creating a squeaking sound. |
There Are a Couple of Ways to Fix This
If you have carpeting over wood stairs you will be able to screw through
the carpeting and the padding into the tread and into the stair
stringer. The problem here is actually finding the stair stringer. To
find the stair stringer take a hammer and lightly tap on the carpeting
above the squeaking sound. You might actually hit the head of the nail
and drive it in and temporarily stop the squeak. But more than likely
you will have to tap on the tread and listen for sound difference. If
you're hearing and feeling a hollow sound then you are not where the
stair stringer will be. As you continue tapping tried to feel and listen
for a solid sound and you will be in the general area of the stair
stringer.
As you locate a solid sound move some of the carpeting strands away and
start to screw a 2 inch long screw into the stair tread hoping to hit
the stringer. If this screw does not feel like it is grabbing anything
and will not pull the stair tread down you probably missed the stringer
the stair stringer is usually an inch and a half wide. If the screw did
not pull the stair tread tight then remove the screw and move it over an
inch in either direction (take your best guess as to which direction).
If you do not hit the stair stringer repeat this procedure moving to
your right or left until you get the stringer to pull the tread down
tight eliminating the squeaking sound.
You might have to put more than one screw in to stop the squeak. This
does not require removing the carpeting and you will not see the screws
after you are finished. If you find yourself using more than 10 screws
to stop a stair squeak you might have structural damage which will
require removing the carpeting in the stair tread to solve the problem.
A special note to remember, make sure you screw
the screws down to where the head of the screw is not sticking up
creating a trip hazard in the stairway itself.
Repaired Handrail By Cutting
Off Safety Hazard
|
