should you nail or screw stair treads

The advantages of using adhesive that attach stair treads include reduced use of nails or screws, simple installation and the ability to easily bond most types of surfaces together. To finish installing the rubber stair treads, take a hand roller and run it over the rubber stair tread and also over the nose of the tread. N E WE L P O S T I N S T A L L A T I O N F O R P O S T -T O -P O S T S Y S T E M S 1. Repeat the same process again with the next riser, followed by stair tread and so on until all stair treads and risers are installed! Rubber stair treads – could be fastened with screws or nails or glued. Nail length being a minimum of twice the thickness of your tread and of 16 gauge or larger. pl premium is what i would recommend if you cant find it, the difference is the floating glue has more elasticity to it and is what you want for joining hard wood. This causes the wooden treads to rub against the risers and stringers, and all of it to grind against the nails and screws that hold it all together. The first tread might have to be screwed and plugged on the top, because of limited access. Nail/Screw in place. The flat side with the nail holes will rest against the riser (front) of the stair. But I'm not sure what dimension lumber to buy or how wide the gap should be. Best Stair Treads For Wood. There will be times when fastening may be limited, so a good adhesive is critical. The first thing to do is to mark all of the newel and baluster positions you need. Any of the type of stair treads I mentioned above are suitable for wooden steps. 10. 11. The nails serve as this "clamp". All screws in this project were pre-drilled. ters on the stair tread. Because Liquid Nails' products are labeled very similarly and packaging can vary between location and retailer, we strongly discourage the use of any other brand of adhesive, including Liquid Nails, for your stair installation. This DIY Basic will provide tips on installing non-slip stair treads. The answer is both. Place treads on blocks and risers. Most construction adhesives dry hard. On these stair treads, I sat on top of them while Dan drilled in the screws so we were guaranteed a tight fit. Re-attach the newel post and tighten up the rail fastener. From contributor F: Four to six 15 gauge per tread, four maximum per riser, one large tube of goo per 3-4 treads. In addition to simply being walked on, seasonal contractions and expansions of the wood further contribute to the loosening of the joints. Place treads on blocks and risers. Then use a jigsaw to finish off the ends of the tread. Most of these adhesives have a greater amount of moisture than what is suited for solid wood and is known to cause cupping of solid wood treads at the job-site. The edge of each baluster should be 1.5” from the front edge of the stair tread. NEWEL POST INSTALLATION FOR POST-TO-POST SYSTEMS. In Part 1 of this Stairs Makeover series, we shared the reasons we chose to cover our steps with hardwood stair treads – and we outlined some other choices you may want to consider to upgrade your own steps. Nails and screws will work their way out and leave the tread loose and squeaky. In this article, we’ll look at the pros and cons of screws and nails and how each should be used when constructing a deck. Test the fit by placing the strip tightly on the corner of the stair tread. Don't miss your favorite shows in real time online. Drill three appropriate size starter holes on the back-edge of the tread (the next riser placement should hide nail holes). Last, the riser is shimmed tight to the tread (if necessary) and a pocket screw driven between each carriage draws everything up snug and squeek-free. With screws, you simply remove them and fix the problem. Step 2 Brace the Top Tread. The point we’re at here is the install. If your strip has a curved side, this side will go on the top (the tread) of the stair. Also, when screwing or nailing, I often screw up. However, you should watch out for the nail splitting the nosing of the stair, which is common on old stairs. I helped with cutting the strips for our risers and nailed in all the nails. Installing laminate flooring on stairs is definitely one time you won’t use do it as a floating-floor system, so don’t use underlayment.You will need to glue and screw (or nail) the laminate down to the stairs themselves. Anchor back and front of treads using 1 1/2" or 2" 6d finish nails, place nails at the center and at each end over joist or stringers. Nail/Screw in place. Set nails using a nail punch, avoid over-nailing. Treads should be attached with a combination of adhesive and nails. Now install the landing tread at the landings and any current balconies and the top of your staircase. Add a 2x4 brace between the stringers at the top step, which will give extra support for the final tread. Install with an impact driver. The landings are at the top of the stairs if that matters. Underneath each tread, on both ends where the tread fits into the stringers, a wooden wedge is driven to tighten the tread and hold it in place. Nail these in place. If you tear off the existing treads still use construction adhesive but on the stringers. Joe: 7/11/09 11:20 AM: Use treated TORX head deck screws made for treated lumber. Any face nails should be punched below the wear levels prior to filling or finishing. Should I use screws or nails to join the stringers to the supports? For example the center point of a 1.5” baluster would be 2.25” from the edge of the stair tread (1.5” baluster/2 = .75” + 1.5” edge room = 2.25”). What thickness should stair treads be? Here are the measurements: Stair One: Landing: 50.25" x 37" Stairs: 4 steps, each 42" wide. e. When calculating and planning the staircase sub- structure, it is recommended that you use the most widely accepted relation between riser and tread riser height plus tread width equals 7.5 – inches. Space the holes on the treads evenly since the wood filler will be visible after the steps are finished. The adhesive is much more important than the fasteners. Simply finish nail the risers after and fill with putty. Lee Wallender Check the Nail Contact Points . Predrill first. Once you have removed the old nosing, measure in 3 different places underneath the stair tread to determine the depth of the nosing. Nail the tread in place so the short side of the bevel is against the rough stairs and the long side faces out. No matter how you do it, try to avoid big nail or screw holes in the tread. The glue should be a Liquid Nails® or construction-type glue dispensed from a glue gun. The future is uncertain, thus you should always choose to screw when possible. Glue allows the wood to expand and contract with sustaining damage and reduces the stairway’s sound attributes, such as squeaking stairs. We used 2 1/2” nails for the stair treads. Most of these adhesives have a greater amount of moisture than what is suited for solid wood and is known to cause cupping of solid wood treads at the job-site. If you are lucky and these stairs will be closed underneath after you get done, you can do all of this from the underside, and just reach in over the one you are on. DRILL and screw, is the recommended procedure, with a very strong emphasis on DRILL. It can all add up to a heck of a racket. Apply wood glue to the step and attach the tread. You can also nail two nails apart at 45 degrees on the tread next to the wall. You will then need to use a saw (a circular one works best) to cut the tread. Nail the riser to the framing beneath it. The center point of the balusters can be determined by calculating the width of the baluster, dividing by 2, and adding 1.5. If you leave the rough treads on, glue the entire surface with construction adhesive using a notched trowel to help prevent squeaks. Cut the tread to length and turn the width to allow for a 1-inch overhang. Re: screws or nails for exterior stairs? 9. Screw in your treads from the under side through the small blocks. Repeat until you … Finish screws would also be a good option to secure the new treads. Also asked, should you nail or screw stair treads? You can then fit each pair, screw thru the bottom of your riser into the back of the tread, then, pocket screw from the back of that riser into the skirt. Start at the bottom and work your way up the steps so that you can add extra screws into treads from the back of the riser above it. Lay the stair gauge on top of the piece of wood that will be the new tread and trace the edges with a pencil. Now install the landing tread at the landings and any current balconies and the top of your staircase. Plus do I use screws or nails? Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. When replacing the tread it is recommended that a hole is drilled, to accommodate the screw or nail that you will be using to fasten this tread. Because Liquid Nails' products are labeled very similarly and packaging can vary between location and retailer, we strongly discourage the use of any other brand of adhesive, including Liquid Nails, for your stair installation. As you may have noted from the sketches and text above, typically building codes for stairs specify minimum stair tread thickness (1" if supported by a riser at front, or 1 1/2" thick treads if the stairs are open-construction without risers), but they do not specify a maximum allowable tread thickness. 2. Some guys glue and screw down plywood to the stringers first for more support but its up to you. Carpeted stair treads – normally come with non-slip backing so there’s no need (normally) to glue or nail them to each individual step. You should use nails to attach the deck’s joists and stair stringers to its framing. My Dad has made the comment a few times (after having a bit of a fit over me wanting to buy a nail gun early on)….”I’m sure glad I talked you into getting that nail gun.” Oh, that man! You should use screws to attach decking and railings to the framing. Also, should stairs Match upstairs or downstairs? Don't fasten treads and or risers with only nails or staples. You can just glue the risers but that's not something I'd personally do either. How about for attaching the treads? This will hide all the fastners. I do the same process for the risers as well. Use a pencil and draw a straight line from one side of the stair tread to the other. For the treads, you could probably just set heavy stuff on them if you are careful. I usually shoot my treads down with 2 1/2" gun nails front and back then drill and hand nail a 16d finish in the center of each stringer.This helps to pull the tread down and seat it very firmly. This wedge is far superior to simply nailing or screwing the tread down to the stringers. Screw up through the front of the stringer at about a 45 degree angle, then screw down through the back of the tread where the riser will sit. Before attaching stair treads it’s best to stain and finish them – this post discusses all of that too. Those nail guns were so fast and made this job a breeze to do. Bevel cut the 3 edges on the under side of your tread, as so you will get a better fit. Pa-pow!! 6. It keeps the tread tight, and prevents most “squeaking” later on in life. I'd use adhesive and a few Brad nails ( 18 gauge ) will suffice. Make sure that the nails will meet solid wood. All 4 sides of the riser. Label the underside of the tread for the bottom step with a 1, the second step with a 2, and so on. If you don't have an impact driver, rent one. Nail these in place. When you lift up the stair gauge from the step, the angles and lengths will stay in place if you’ve properly tightened the screws. In most cases, the replacement tread will be oak, which is hard, and very difficult to work with, unless you understand the material. thanks . Finish after wards, it will be easier to make the nail holes disappear. Don't use the stringer as a level for the treads. Since the adhesive takes so long to dry, I have found that this approach can lead to some slipping if there is any slope at all (you'd be surprised). Measure the distance on top of the nosing. The first thing to do is to mark all of the newel and baluster positions you need. Intro by Robin Steps by Ed. Hammering the nail may not be sufficient, so you may have to strike in a new nail to close the hole. Use for the entire assembly. The problem is that you must put "clamping" pressure on the adhesive. Having no putty holes makes a much more professional looking job. Time online buy or how wide the gap should be a Liquid Nails® or construction-type glue dispensed from a gun. Try to avoid big nail or screw stair treads, I sat on top of tread. Could probably just set heavy stuff on them if you do it try! At 45 degrees on the top of them while Dan drilled in the so... Holes in the screws so we were guaranteed a tight fit pencil and draw a straight from... 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