Main wooden stairs renovation

[Zane Webb]

Hi there, I have a 1930s straight staircase which is in decent condition structurally but requires some attention. My plan is to renovate it by cladding over existing treads and risers and fix the squeaks from underneath - thankfully I can gain easy access as it is all open.

The main issue I have is that the bullnose bottom step is 22cm high from the floor. And 22cm is the max allowed by the regs as I understand it. The remainder of the steps are each 18cm.

Is it possible therefore to replace just the bottom step relatively simply? I can perhaps fix battens and or angle brackets (with possible use of pieces of plywood screwed in at the back of the step) to the underneath/sides for increased support to the newly installed step? Shall I perhaps use some small screws sparingly and wood glue liberally?

Or maybe I should I find a professional? But to be honest I'm a bit loath to do this because I've already done so much work on my house which BC have passed.

Any advice and tips would be very much appreciated! Thanks

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[Deleted member 174758]

Surely you'll have the same issue at the top as well, where the last tread is smaller where it meets the landing?

Is it possible therefore to replace just the bottom step relatively simply? I can perhaps fix battens and or angle brackets (with possible use of pieces of plywood screwed in at the back of the step) to the underneath/sides for increased support to the newly installed step? Shall I perhaps use some small screws sparingly and wood glue liberally?

No, it isn't quite that simple. It's because the treads and risers are all held in dovetail shaped housings by glued wedges. This photo shows the construction used:

You can actually get away with cutting out the bottom tread and riser, but I would then ensure that both the stringers are adequately fixed down to the floor (with largish angle blackets) - this is because the bottom riser is sometimes (but not always) used to fix the stairs to the floor at the bottom. I'd make-up a new bottom step as a sort of (inverted) plywood box with a planted-on nosing to match the other steps, fixed to the floor and screwed to the stringers and the lowest remaining riser. This will require access from beneath the stairs, so the last bit of the underdrawings would need to come out

The cut-outs are to allow you to get a cordless screwdriver in there, If access from beneath isn't feasible, the cut-outs could always be put in the front of the step and covered over by 6mm plywood after the box has been fitted.

I'd be wary of depending on a couple of battens screwed into the risers as the gives no support in the middle of the tread whereas a box does

BTW, yes, well within the capabilities of a competent DIYer

 

[foxhole]

Hi there, I have a 1930s straight staircase which is in decent condition structurally but requires some attention. My plan is to renovate it by cladding over existing treads and risers and fix the squeaks from underneath - thankfully I can gain easy access as it is all open.

The main issue I have is that the bullnose bottom step is 22cm high from the floor. And 22cm is the max allowed by the regs as I understand it. The remainder of the steps are each 18cm.

Is it possible therefore to replace just the bottom step relatively simply? I can perhaps fix battens and or angle brackets (with possible use of pieces of plywood screwed in at the back of the step) to the underneath/sides for increased support to the newly installed step? Shall I perhaps use some small screws sparingly and wood glue liberally?

Or maybe I should I find a professional? But to be honest I'm a bit loath to do this because I've already done so much work on my house which BC have passed.

Any advice and tips would be very much appreciated! Thanks

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Regs don’t apply retrospectly.

 

[Zane Webb]

Thanks to you both, that's great advice.

Jobandknock, the top step riser height is currently 195mm but with cladding it would be between 170-175mm.

I like the idea of adding a plywood box to the bottom step. I could then get the height close to the rest of the steps risers - except of course for the top one which would be about 25mm lower.

 

[big-all]

just a though
because you have an overly large bottom step and a slightly smaller top step is it possible its already overclad as 21mm pine would be my choice so would give you a raised bottom step then even treads including the top but possibly thinned out top step to match floor covering height
now i know your bottom step is 40mm more but you get my general thinking ??

 

[Zane Webb]

Thanks for your suggestion, big-all...there is no cladding on stairs at the moment. I could thin out top step it is a good idea