Refinishing stairs

[santastic]

I have a couple important questions before I begin my biggest project so far. I have ripped up the carpeting on my stairs and plan on installing maple stair treads(and risers) onto existing stairs. (2 x 11 treads).

First I would really appreciate some input on what type of adhesive to use to glue the pieces on. I really want to avoid any screws in the new wood, unless absolutely necessary to make sure they don't budge.

Secondly I will be finishing the maple with a stain AND polyurethane. I wanted to confirm that i should leave the bottom of the tread, free of those 2 things, so that the adhesive will stick directly to the wood.

I do have access to the back of the stairs, so i could screw through the back/underside of the treads and risers, if necessary. But i would like to avoid risking splitting this pricey wood.

thanks, s

 

[santastic]

The stairs as they stand now are void of carpet, and we are now down to bare wood. The tread are 2 x 11's, and the risers are 3/4 inch plywood. The 2 x 11 protrudes 1 inch from the riser(a 1 inch nose)

The stairs are open underneath, but both sides are against a wall, so there are no skirt issues. The stringers will be sanded and painted the same color as the walls.

I have purchased 1 x 10 inch stair treads with the 1/2 inch for the nosing round at the end.(total depth 10.5 inches) Also, I have 1/2 inch thick maple risers.

In a perfect yet simple world, I would like to cut off the nose of the existing 2x11 so that it is flush with the riser, for a "perfectly" square (~90 degree) stair, place the riser so that it goes all the way up to the top of the existing 2x11(now cut to 2x10 once the nose is gone). Then place the new tread on top, (10.5 inch, plus a half inch riser behind it would again, give me a 1 inch overhang). The only thing exposed would be the new tread, and new riser, with no unsightly constructions grade wood to be seen with the naked eye.

The maple will be stained with a minwax stain, either a natural or other light color, since the top of the stairs meets with birch laminate. Then i plan to top the stain off with minwax fast drying polyurethane.

Any advice is welcome.

thanks, s

 

[sidecar_jon]

Well personaly i'd use just pva and put weight on top to keep it down while it sets, no screws.... that sort of area of glue will hold anything.

 

[santastic]

is there a certain type of adhesive/glue you would recommend?

 

[sidecar_jon]

is there a certain type of adhesive/glue you would recommend?

PVA wood glue... all the makes have diferent claims but i use the cheepest.( i think its everlast with a label thats trying to look like evostick! £2 for a half litter) I have a friend whos an Industrial Chemist and an expert in glue. He uses Any reputable brand PVA to make guitars in his spare time.

 

[santastic]

Thanks, i have gotten one other reply on another site, where the gentleman told me that glue wouldn ot be enough. I don't see why it wouldn't it i let the right glue set properly.

thanks again,
s

 

[sidecar_jon]

Usualy other fixings are used to clamp the glue joint while it dries. Think of the surface area you are asking it to join, its huge compaired to the forces its going to experience. Glue spread liberlay on two flat surfaces and clamped or held together in some way will hold easily. The thinner the glue joint (glue is britel in big lumps but flexible when thin) the better and the cleaner the wood the better.

 

[sidecar_jon]

a thin PVA joint is stronger than the wood its holding.

 

[gord55]

Santastic, am I missing something here? Using the sizes you give, the new overhang for the nosing would surely be 3/8", not 1" ?? If you're building out the risers a constant ½", then the new tread has to be the same width as the original (11") if you want the same nosing...

...and pva would be the best option.

 

[big-all]

could be misunderstanding this

but the only way i can see this working is

batton on front off the riser[1"thick] new riser from top of old tread to under nosing off new tread[or into a slot in the new nosing]

so the new tread will be the thickness of the wood higher[a trip hazzard]and 1.3\8"further forward
have i got this right so far!!!

 

[santastic]

I think my math is correct. Here it is again...

the current tread is 2" thick, 33" wide, and 11" deep.
It has a 1" overhang over the current riser. So in other words, Once I cut off the current 1" nose, i will have a 10" surface to deal with, and a 90 degree stair. I plan to put a 10.5 inch tread, plus a 1/2" riser behind it. So i am putting 11"(10.5 + .5) on a 10" tread surface, which leaves a 1 inch excess to hang over the edge.

Thanks for all the input. I'm glad to hear that you believe glue will be strong enough. And I did not realize that "more doesn't always mean better".

A final question, i plan to put stain and polyurethane on the top, and plan to leave the bottom plain wood for the adhesive. Is this the right plan?

thanks again.
s

 

[big-all]

ok you must remove all old varnish to give the glue a chance
you dont need"lots"off glue just sufficiant to cover all areas

it may be easier with the treads to dowel or screw from underneath]because if the glue dosnt pennetrate the wood all over[because of varnish oil stain whatever]
you may get sqeeking

if you take the nosing off beware off skewnails or screws[at an angle]
you may have to reglue and definatly have to put countersunk screws in to the old tread through the old riser[not scewed]but dependant on how much its set into the tread

and untreated wood on the glue are as you say

good luck and watch out for the trip hazzard!!!!!

 

[petewood]

cut off the current 1" nose, i will have a 10" surface to deal with, and a 90 degree stair. I plan to put a 10.5 inch tread, plus a 1/2" riser behind it. So i am putting 11"(10.5 + .5) on a 10" tread surface, which leaves a 1 inch excess to hang over the edge.

s

Yes but you are also putting another riser under the new overhang, which will reduce your overhang to 1/2" ?

 

[santastic]

Correct, maybe I should use 3/4 inch, or even a full inch risers instead. I'm be happy with a 3/4 inch overhang.

 

[santastic]

nevermind, the lightbulb just went on! That won't help either.....any suggestions? Maybe i will have to be happy with a 1/2 inch overhang....because I cannot find any premade stairs treads more than 10.5 inches in total.