Squeaky Bottom Stair

[des.lavender]

I have a brand new (uncarpeted at present) staircase where the bottom riser appears to be about 1mm too short which then allows the tread to flex and emit a squeak from the joint between the two. Admittedly there's no glue there as I was left by the builders to fit the bottom riser in situ. I have a mind to get some glue in there but, ideally I'd like to put in a tiny bit of packing under the riser to stop the movement. Any ideas as to what would best achieve this? I'd thought of a thin piece of hard plastic but haven't found anything suitable.

 

[gregers]

post a pic.
if im reading it right why didnt you push the riser up before fixing it?

 

[des.lavender]

Hi greg, this was the situation I was left with after the builders had installed the staircase, screwed it to the wall, plastered etc. So I was left with no bottom riser and even had to cut it in two widthways in order to fit it. The builder had given me some old b*llocks about not wanting the riser to "pop out" when they were going up and down stairs all day. Truth was he should have lined up the staircase, measured then cut and fitted the riser. Knob!! There again there's no guarantee he would have got it spot on.

So I measured the distance between the top of the rebate in the first tread and the floor too the best of my ability but it must have ended getting cut about 1mm too short - was still a pig to fit, mind you! So I'm left with needing to pack out between the bottom of the riser and the floor but it can't be more than 1mm. That's what made me think of a thin strip of plastic, you know a bit like the stuff that they bind pallets of bricks.

It's got to be something that be forced in but not get compressed. I'll still try to get some glue around the joint afterwards just to stop the squeaking anyway.

 

[Belboz]

FWIW - You can get 1mm plastic packers but they are only about 40mm in length so you may need to use several. If the gap is 1mm then they may fit in snugly without the need for glue.

Difficult to assess without seeing the problem though...

 

[des.lavender]

That sounds interesting. Where do they sell packing pieces, DIY places? Not at home so can't take a pic. But, basically imagine that in the 'diagram' below that the first part represents the riser that I've had to cut in half in order to fit it in and the floor is the bottom line with the gap inbetween being around 1mm that I need/want to pack out.


|_______|_____|
_____________

Does that make sense?

 

[gregers]

screwfix or the likes will sell plastic packers.
or ask a couple of passing window fitters if they have any?
or maybe you could cut some wedges.

 

[Silvertip]

If it's only a mm, you could roll out a length of dpc and cut to length and slide under, or fold it in half to double the thickness to suit.

 

[jabuzzard]

To be honest for 1mm I would just inject some wood glue. I would recommend this stuff as it foams up a bit to make sure the gap is fully filled and no movement is possible.

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p78519

 

[Ellog]

Hi des, have you sorted this stair prob? Just read your original post. Anyway I would suggest that cutting the riser was a no no to begin with but even fully assembled stairs can creak. I assume that all other treads are ok. Stair assembly past the first riser should have the bottom of the riser back nailed into the back edge of the tread below it, this gives support to the tread. The use of glue blocks ties the top of the riser and the front of the tread, except in your case.
Does the bottom thread creak when weight is applied to the centre only and not when stood on at the strings(sides)?
I would suggest you might cut a piece of 6mm ply so that it covers the original bottom riser but a tighter fit between floor and underside of front edge of bottom thread. If this cures the creak then screw through into the original riser. Hope you haven't fitted the carpet yet.