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Stair tread support

Don | Posted in Construction Techniques on October 10, 2002 08:55am

I asked this question on the “Hidden Crown” thread and no one ever went back to it after I asked the question – musta cursed it!

Here goes, again.  I reinforced the two center stringers of a 54″ wide staircase w/ a pair of 6″ deep channels.  Sistered them to the stringers and the associated 2X6 reinforcements w/ 5  1/2″ bolts.  Nice and stiff, now.  But…When I removed the temp 2X6 stairtreads, I noticed that the nails holding the treads came right out because they were not perfectly cross grain in the stringers.  They were at about a 45 degree angle. 

What I want to do, since my labor is costed at about 10 cents an hour, is install some nice, hard yellow pine (YP) 2X4’s on the sides of the tread surfaces of the stringers for the finish treads to be nailed to.  I would glue & screw the YP to the stringers; they would allow the tread nails to be perpendicular to the YP, hopefully preventing squeaks 20 yrs down stream.

Am I crazy or just out to lunch?

Don 

The GlassMasterworks – If it scratches, I etch it!
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  1. r_ignacki | Oct 11, 2002 12:14am | #1

    crazy? no.   go ahead, you could also glue(construction adhesive) and if you want the nail oriented that way with the grain, angle the nail. S crew riser to tread from backside.

    listening for the secret.......searching for the sound...

  2. jascher | Oct 11, 2002 03:23am | #2

    Not a bad idea, but I'd probably use YP 2x8 and make gussets instead.  Might seem like overkill, but the added depth of the gusset will support better than a 2x4.

    1. Don | Oct 11, 2002 03:37am | #3

      Not sure how a gusset would be installed.  Stringers started out as 2X12's.  When step notches cut out, became essentially 2X6's.  Carp sistered a 2X6 to each stringer.  I have now sistered a 6" steel channel to the 2X6 w/ 5 bolts.  I was truly surprised at how much stiffer that made stringers.  About the only area left on the side of the stringers are the triangles that define where the treads & risers are attached.  I THINK that the stringers are Douglas Fir.  They are clear and fairly soft.  I chose YP because in my experience it is harder than Hammered Heck (to paraphrase Jiggs) and once they accept a nail, refuse to ever give it up.  My floor trusses are a special grade of YP (Dense) that I never knew existed, and I can see what they mean.  Driving a nail in their members is like driving a nail into concrete.  I would use Liquid Nails (Unless you recommend a stronger adhesive) and use strong deck screws instead of drywall screws.  I would drive the screws through from the stringer into the attached YP to get threads into the most tenacious wood available.

      DonThe GlassMasterworks - If it scratches, I etch it!

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