creaky stairs

[rickus]

My stairs are really creaky - there was a small ammount of woodworm 5 years ago, which i treated and is ok now, i also put in some small noggin-things in the underside of the riser and step, glued with gripfill . . . ( i know!) but this made no difference. Should i use a glue that expands a bit and squirt it along all the joints? from underneath as its carpetted)? its really annoying coming in late and creaking up the stairs!! any ideas?

 

[AndyT]

There should be nice snug-fitting wedges along each riser and tread, holding them into the strings. First step is to knock all the wedges in good and tight.

 

[Rob Platt]

My stairs are really creaky - there was a small ammount of woodworm 5 years ago, which i treated and is ok now, i also put in some small noggin-things in the underside of the riser and step, glued with gripfill . . . ( i know!) but this made no difference. Should i use a glue that expands a bit and squirt it along all the joints? from underneath as its carpetted)? its really annoying coming in late and creaking up the stairs!! any ideas?

Don`t come in late.
All the best
Rob

 

[rickus]

thanks Andy and Rob!
I know what you mean by the wedges as i helped make a set of stairs with a carpenter a few years back, but there arent any on these stairs - they were made in 1900, according to someones dated signature. . . .

 

[mack9110000]

Maybe now's the time, for the wedges :wink:
mack

 

[Rob Platt]

There`s loads of reasons for stairs to start creaking. Or have they always creaked and its got worse? If they creak throughout they may well be kanckered. If its in the odd place then is it on the centre of the tread at one edge or all over. How has it been constructed? You say no wedges so what is the construction? Have you removed any understairs support i.e. a cupboard or some underboarding that would have been acting as a stiffener? Need more info to advise.
All the best
Rob

 

[Woodchips2]

Why not buy your wife some ear plugs and she won't hear you coming in late?

Regards Keith

 

[The_Stig]

Wood is a natural living product, they probably just creak from a change in humidity, if you've recently put the central heating on and its on high then the timbers in the house are going to start to slowly dry out, this movement will lead to some loose joints in the stairs giving the creaking when you walk on them. Surely if you can't have wedges because the stringers haven't been cut for them then you could re-enforce them with some solid noggings?

 

[eggflan]

Whip up the stair carpet and sprinkle some talcum powder over the squeaky joints , its the joints rubbing against each other causing the creak and the talc stops them rubbing :wink:

 

[Deejay]

Morning Rickus

If you can't get access underneath the stairs you could try talcum powder brushed into the loose joints.

It's treating the symptom rather than the disease, but it does sometimes work.

Edit - like Mic just said while I was typing

Cheers

Dave

 

[rickus]

thanks everyone - the talc idea sounds like the first thing to try, and then move on to more/longer noggins if the talc doesent wotk. let you know how i go on. thanks again.

 

[andy king]

Hi Rickus,

The tendency for stairs to creak isn't usually associated with the wedging into the strings (although it can have an effect and they should be knocked in tightly if they have slackened slighly) The main cause is usually the plough groove between the tread and tongue on the riser rubbing aginast each other.
Traditionally this is counteracted with glueblocks, simple triangular blocks rub jointed between the tread and riser on the underside.
A domestic stair normally has three per tread/riser.
Over the course of time these can loosen and then allow the tread to move, or they fall off completely.
Central heating is a cause of many a squeak and gap opening up! It soulds like your stairs maybe doesn't have glueblocks, so it might be worth putting some in.
As the stairs are in situ, it might be best to rub joint them in, but also secure with a couple of panel pins while the glue grabs, and stay of of them as long as possible so that the tread is at its higher point while it sets otherwise you'll force the block down and reintroduce the problem.

hope this helps.

cheers,
Andy