From Carpeted To Wooden Stairs

robtlem

Ripped out the carpeting over glued and nailed plywood on stair stringers to upgrade to oak treads and painted risers. The problem... as with everything else in this house, nothing is square or level. The stringers were cut to be out of level by 1/8" to 3/16". Unfortunately the riser and tread both slopes to the front edge of the step. Six steps are visible from the side. Some have suggested just fitting to what is there. I'm leaning toward installing the risers to make the treads level.
Installing a wood shim behind the riser is easy. The question?.... After the riser is installed should I use wood shims or what type of leveler to provide added stability to the tread?

Deadhead Derek

pics?

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Deicide1

Need to know what type of stairs these are...what types of stringers were used etc...


You probably can't add material on top of existing as it will change your rise and possibly make it out of code and the top step will be shorter than all the others.

Post pictures if you can.

Jeremy E

Can you cut a thin tapered slice off the top of each flat on the stringers to make it level (sawzall?), then shim the treads up to a height that meets code?

Gus Dering

And the bottom step too tall. Risers should not vary by more than 1/4".
Another vote for a picture

robtlem

go to flickr.com/photos/robtlem/?saved=1 to see the requested pics
As I said nothing is really as it should be in this house. I believe the original builder was not a carpenter and had never participated in a home construction.
The bottom step riser is 7.25" and the remainder of the steps are around 8". Putting wood over the treads will bring the bottom step to 8'' and I already installed hardwood flooring in the second floor landing and that rise will be 8' as well. So all steps will be 8" when done.
The stringers are 2x but I can't see them.
The question?.... After the riser is installed should I use wood shims or what type of leveler to provide added stability to the tread? are some levelers better to nail through or glue to?

Deicide1

If it were me, I'd probably pull the stringers and start fresh, as the type of stringers used don't necessarily work great with riser/treads that have to be face nailed, but I don't recommend you doing that...so do this...

Pull the treads and risers off. Cut the risers so that, when the treads sit on them, they will be level. Shim the gap between the stringer and treads.

I believe you're planning on using oak risers and treads...so, you'll need to drill and plug them with 3/8'' oak plugs.


It sounds like you're kind of in over your head, so take your time and make sure you use some PL or atleast construction adhesive so the stairs don't squeek.

Gus Dering

What he said

robtlem

if I didn't do a project every time I asked for an opinion nothing would ever get done. /Users/lindalemelin/Desktop/stairs3.JPG

Trimcat

Cut an outside skirt board to the correct rise and run and nail it on regardless of what the existing staircase is doing. Before you nail it make sure all the treads and risers are not going to hit the existing staircase anywhere. SOLIDLY shim each tread and riser as needed to be level, plumb, and square. Use lots of PL polyurethane glue to avoid squeaks.

Cheesy3

I hope you can post pics.

wallmaxx

Here's his link and pix

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robtlem/?saved=1

chris klee

can you pry the old treads and risers off? if so that would make it real easy to shim the new treads up to level.

Gold Tie

Wow those are a mess!!! I wouldn't even second guess yanking those things!!!

irockwithdirt

I would make the open treads dead nutz to the 7th tread and cheat it out from there. If you have to cut the horses so be it. Will these new stairs have carpet? From skirt to skirt? Is there a 2" or more offset in the wall where the stairs go from open to between walls?

TempestV

by the time you level them up, your rises will be pretty screwy. For the amount of time it would take to level each step and cheat it to even rises, you could probably cut new stringers that actually set the steps level.

atnas

After seeing the picture, I agree with doing a redo. You will be time ahead by pulling all the crap out and starting over on the bare horses (assuming they are decent). Of course it is your choice but, I would not hesitate on ripping that mess out.

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VBuilt

I did a lot of finish work years ago and did a job just like this.
I am sure most would say that the stringers typically shrink back at least a bit in this manner.

My problem was that the underside of the stairs were finished/plastered.
I took the treads and risers off- carefully.

I then cut new stringers and sistered them to the existing stringers with loads of glue and screws- worried about squeaks.

As I recall i had the room to "kick" the stringers forward a tad to avoid"bumping into" the old stringers at the crook.

Don't know what others might think but it worked for me and never had a call back.

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loneframer

It appears to me that the original stringers may have been very high in moisture content, as the lumber shrank it would cause the riser to fall back and the tread to drop off. If a total rebuild is in order, use LVLs or the dryest lumber you can find. As far as shimming goes, it can be done, but you will likely be completely bald upon completion. Use Gorilla glue and hardwood shims and predrill all fasteners.

rbsremodeling

Do you guys do remodeling or just new construction? why is this even a hard task

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