Weak MDF treads & risers

[Vonnell]

I have a staircase in a house 9 years old where both the treads and risers are made from MDF. The joint at the front of the treads has held, but more or less every step has had the riser break away from the rear of the tread.
Originally, 3-4 screws were used through the risers and token blobs of glue can be found. Screws have then snapped or pulled free from the treads so each step makes a lot of noise where treads grate on loose fixings.
I imagine I can carpet bomb each step with new screws and glue, but is this going to last?
Any other solutions or advice on suitable fixings is much appreciated.

 

[mattysupra]

nothing else you can do apart from install a good quality stair case.

 

[Vonnell]

someone suggested screwing an L shaped timber support to the back of each step. I could route some 2 by 2 and fix through the tread and risers, or make out of two separate battens I suppose.

 

[big-all]

much better to renew the stairs but if you decide to repair them
assuming the riser is around 9mm
i would take 2x2"par
take your table saw with guard removed for maintainance
set the fence at 18mm and blade at 21mm depth 2 passes will give you a21x21mm rebate

cut to the exact length cut back wedges flush
use foaming pu glue 2 screws each end into the string and 5 or six screws from the treads and risers into the timber angleing into the timber from the step back edge at about 30% to save spliting the wood edge

 

[Vonnell]

Thanks for that. I'm removing the plaster board under the stairs to get at the rear, so I'll need to use 2 lengths each step as there's a batton fixed mid way to support the boards.

 

[mattysupra]

much better to renew the stairs but if you decide to repair them
assuming the riser is around 9mm
i would take 2x2"par
take your table saw with guard removed for maintainance
set the fence for 18mm and blade for 21mm depth 2 passes will give you a21x21mm rebate

cut to the exact length cut back wedges flush
use foaming pu glue 2 screws each end into the string and 5 or six screws from the treads and risers into the timber angleing into the timber from the step back edge at about 30% to save spliting the wood edge

how good are you at posting images bigman, anychance you can draw that up for me and post it? I cant see in my head what you mean! sounds like a plan tho!

 

[big-all]

would definatly remove the batton as cutting the new cross members will not allow the weight to be transferred to the strings moving the load to the string is the most important point in my humble oppinion

whilst you are under there check all wedges and blocks are tight

 

[big-all]

much better to renew the stairs but if you decide to repair them
assuming the riser is around 9mm
i would take 2x2"par
take your table saw with guard removed for maintainance
set the fence for 18mm and blade for 21mm depth 2 passes will give you a21x21mm rebate

cut to the exact length cut back wedges flush
use foaming pu glue 2 screws each end into the string and 5 or six screws from the treads and risers into the timber angleing into the timber from the step back edge at about 30% to save spliting the wood edge

how good are you at posting images bigman, anychance you can draw that up for me and post it? I cant see in my head what you mean! sounds like a plan tho!

absolutly rubbish at images or photos
which bit needs clarifying matty!!!

 

[Vonnell]

Point taken on the batton, do you reckon its worth screwing through the strings into the timber frame, as there is a fair bit of flex around half way up?

 

[big-all]

Point taken on the batton, do you reckon its worth screwing through the strings into the timber frame, as there is a fair bit of flex around half way up?

yes several screws but make shure you pack out any gaps between wall and string so you secure the stairs in situ rather than trying to pull them appart
check the string is dead strait before securing [not bowing sideways]

 

[Vonnell]

Will do, thanks for all your help.

 

[mattysupra]

much better to renew the stairs but if you decide to repair them
assuming the riser is around 9mm
i would take 2x2"par
take your table saw with guard removed for maintainance
set the fence for 18mm and blade for 21mm depth 2 passes will give you a21x21mm rebate

cut to the exact length cut back wedges flush
use foaming pu glue 2 screws each end into the string and 5 or six screws from the treads and risers into the timber angleing into the timber from the step back edge at about 30% to save spliting the wood edge

how good are you at posting images bigman, anychance you can draw that up for me and post it? I cant see in my head what you mean! sounds like a plan tho!

absolutly rubbish at images or photos
which bit needs clarifying matty!!!

all of it Dont worry bigman, a drawing would of been nice but if you cant do that sort of thing then dont worry about it! Think the op understands what you mean.

 

[IJWS15]

Can you get to the back of the stairs?

Had a similar problem, buiilder's carpet fitter had nailed carpet to the risers and as the risers were nailed on it had pushed the risers off the nails. Took the boarding off the back while boxing in to create a cupboard under the stairs and put in 6-8 screws through each riser into the tread plus no-more-nails in the gap. Not moved or creaked in three years since it was done.

N.B. DO NOT Nail the girpper rods on afterwards - glue them on.

 

[Vonnell]

And was this with MDF treads and risers?

 

[IJWS15]

And was this with MDF treads and risers?

MDF risers, timber treads, should still work but use longer screws into the MDF, I used 1" 8s. They will pull thought the MDF before they pull out of the timber. Nothing shows under the carpet.