Noisy stairs are killing us :(

[Sard]

Hi all,

Can anyone advise how I can fix my noisy stairs without replacing the whole lot? I have access to the underside (as shown in the photo). I also saw a video where a guy screwed in block of timber into the risers and then tapped in wedges to support the treads. Would this work or anything else I can try? Should I try tapping in the wedges on the sides?

 

[DiyNutJob]

You need to find out which bit is making noise and why it is making nose. Then, you are ready to fix.

 

[Sard]

I believe it's the tread rubbing against the riser

 

[JohnD]

So you mean creaking and squeaking noises? Not thumping and clattering?

On all treads? Or just some?

 

[Sard]

Creaking and squeaking and it happens on probably half of the threads

 

[Alec_t]

Have you tried tightening the screws?

 

[Sard]

I put those screws in to see if it would help, but it didnt

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Are those treads chipboard or MDF? If the treads are as skinny as the risers then they're always hoing to be moving. Maybe try a spine under each tread (bit of 2 x 1, vertical, ideally fixed from above, if thats not possible then glue and don't use the stairs for a day)

 

[DiyNutJob]

Find and confirm a single piece that is making noise and concentrate on that. Ignore anything else. Once you can fix one, you can fix all. Disassemble that piece and work out why it is making noise. Is it flexing, rubbing, or something else?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Disassemble that piece and work out why it is making noise. Is it flexing, rubbing, or something else?

As you obviously understand how a closed riser staircase is assembled would you like to explain to all of use just how you do that? (Dismantle BTW, not dismantle). Making a glib statement like you have just done without any accompanying explanation is as useful to anyone reading this as a chocolate fireguard TBH

Sorry, OP

 

[Deleted member 174758]

OP - the msin things to check are

1. Treads - are any of them split?

2. Wedges - are they all there and are they tight in the housings? (grooves) There should be a wedge behind each riser on both sides, and a wedge beneath each tread on each side

3. Glue blocks - does each tread have three or four triangular glue blocks on the underside, in the inside corner where the tread and riser meet? Are the glue blocks firmly stuck to BOTH components?

These are the three most common areas you need to investigate before going and willy nilly dismantling anything

 

[Sard]

OP - the msin things to check are

1. Treads - are any of them split?

2. Wedges - are they all there and are they tight in the housings? (grooves) There should be a wedge behind each riser on both sides, and a wedge beneath each tread on each side

3. Glue blocks - does each tread have three or four triangular glue blocks on the underside, in the inside corner where the tread and riser meet? Are the glue blocks firmly stuck to BOTH components?

These are the three most common areas you need to investigate before going and willy nilly dismantling anything

1. No
2. All wedges present, but I haven't tapped them in any further, as they look glued in from when the house was constructed, but I suspect they need to be tapped in further as the wood may have shrunk since installation
3. Yep, 3 per step

 

[johnny2007]

Mdf staircase...
Whoever had the idea to use mdf to construct staircases needs to be shot at dawn...

 

[Deleted member 174758]

All wedges present, but I haven't tapped them in any further, as they look glued in from when the house was constructed, but I suspect they need to be tapped in further as the wood may have shrunk since installation

Mdf staircase...
Whoever had the idea to use mdf to construct staircases needs to be shot at dawn...

I have to agree with @johnny2007 - MDF has it's uses, but this isn't one of the IMHO

OP - you'll need to isolate the individual steps which are causing problems and which part of each step is the issue. I'd hazard a guess that you'll find most of the issues in two areas:

1. Where the edge of the tread enters the stringer

2. Where the riser is grooved into the underside if of the tread, just behind the nosing

There are other areas where creaking can occur, but the tread/stringer seems the most frequent and is generally down to a loose wedge or two (even if they are glued in place there might be a gap). If that is the case, then the wedge needs to be removed, cleaned up, coated with glue (PU, ideally), tapped back into the housing then driven forwards the back of the riser using a hammer and a piece of timber (e.g. an offcut of 2 x 1in lath) as a drift to ensure a tight fit

 

[DiyNutJob]

As you obviously understand how a closed riser staircase is assembled would you like to explain to all of use just how you do that? (Dismantle BTW, not dismantle). Making a glib statement like you have just done without any accompanying explanation is as useful to anyone reading this as a chocolate fireguard TBH

The first step is work out what is the problem. Disassembly is the second step. Disassembly could be cutting the piece away, and replace with a new piece. Here's a video of a typical structure and assembling steps:

The repaired structure needn't be identical to the original. The key is to repair one step to complete satisfaction before rolling out the technique to other steps.

MDF absolutely is not suitable for tensile loading. This looks like a cabal design, and worth cutting away.