Caulk Seal Cracking on Staircase

[Deryck Tintagel]

We have a staircase that turns through 180° as you go up (there is a name for them but I cannot remember it!) and I have had problems with the caulk cracking away between the quadrant bead on top of the stringer and the wall. It appears to be adhering to the bead but coming away from the plaster leaving a small but noticeable gap.

I re-caulked when I decorated last year but the gap has since reappeared. I have recently bought a new tube of Evo Stik caulk for another job so I could try this. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do to help stop it?

Thanks!

 

[cwhaley]

They are called U-turn stairs I believe. I had the same issue in my house when I re-decorated the landing. Instead of repairing every time I fixed a pine bead along the stringer where it meets the wall and painted it to match the wood. It's made the stringer look a bit more stylish and has hidden the crack.

 

[Deryck Tintagel]

I have the bead on the stringer that covers the gap between that and the wall. It is the caulk on the top edge of the bead to the plasterwork that cracks - it was looking quite smart until I noticed this morning!

 

[conny]

If the beading is easy to remove then take it off and clean all old caulk off. Using 'flexible' caulk lay a bead along the join and then bed the beading onto it. Finally run a fresh bead along the top of the joint.
If there is excessive movement in the stairs when you walk up them you may need to place heavy weights on the stairs until the caulk has skinned over but the caulk must be a flexible type.