S
sinuslinus
Träskalle
· Östergötlands län
· 6 024 posts
sinuslinus
Träskalle
- Östergötlands län
- 6,024 posts
Ignore the angle brackets. Do as usual instead.
Take a router and cut grooves in the treads for the risers. You may need to rabbet the riser so that it fits into the groove. Screw the risers to the lower tread and apply silicone in the groove to prevent squeaking.
I would screw from above with a 6 mm screw of appropriate length and plug the hole. Start by countersinking the hole with a Forstner bit (that's what it's called in Swedish) to get nice edges. You can order plugs from the joinery that made the stringers if you don't want to drill your own.
Make sure to make the treads from glued wood boards with vertical growth rings so they don't warp.
Finish before you screw everything together to make it a little easier...
Take a router and cut grooves in the treads for the risers. You may need to rabbet the riser so that it fits into the groove. Screw the risers to the lower tread and apply silicone in the groove to prevent squeaking.
I would screw from above with a 6 mm screw of appropriate length and plug the hole. Start by countersinking the hole with a Forstner bit (that's what it's called in Swedish) to get nice edges. You can order plugs from the joinery that made the stringers if you don't want to drill your own.
Make sure to make the treads from glued wood boards with vertical growth rings so they don't warp.
Finish before you screw everything together to make it a little easier...
The wife wants steps without glued joints, which significantly increases the risk of warping and cracks. As might be evident from the picture, the style of the house is quite rustic, so cracks become part of the charm.
Warping is worse. The plan there is to take furniture-dry 50 mm lumber (270 mm width) and plane it down to flat steps with a thickness of 30 mm. The hope is that they remain flat.
Screwing from the top and plugging was my original plan, but then I got worried that it might not be enough, i.e., that the screws would gradually wear into the steps. What do those of you with experience think?
Silicone was a good tip! I will definitely use that instead of glue.
There might not be any surface treatment, perhaps just toning down the steps a bit. The wife’s department..
Warping is worse. The plan there is to take furniture-dry 50 mm lumber (270 mm width) and plane it down to flat steps with a thickness of 30 mm. The hope is that they remain flat.
Screwing from the top and plugging was my original plan, but then I got worried that it might not be enough, i.e., that the screws would gradually wear into the steps. What do those of you with experience think?
Silicone was a good tip! I will definitely use that instead of glue.
There might not be any surface treatment, perhaps just toning down the steps a bit. The wife’s department..
S
sinuslinus
Träskalle
· Östergötlands län
· 6 024 posts
sinuslinus
Träskalle
- Östergötlands län
- 6,024 posts
You're not making it too easy for yourselves. 
The stairs are going to be there for a while...
I would guess you're referred to doing something custom as you mentioned in your first post. If you use 5 mm screws, make sure the holes are at least 8 to allow for movement. And use a rounded head with a flat underside. But I would choose steel, partly because it won't be visible anyway (in the closet...) and it shouldn't be hard to find a sufficiently strong profile from a metal workshop or wholesaler. A wooden strip likely won't be stiff enough.
Screwing from above is better in my opinion. If you do as above, the screw only pulls in 25mm; if you screw from above, you can use significantly longer screws.
I'm used to Cutters, and they work well with a Torx head. 6x80 or something like that.
If you plan to plane down pine planks to 30mm, buy 38 mm. Do you have access to a jointer and planer? If you plane off 20 mm, aside from all unnecessary waste, it will warp. If you groove the underside, the risk of warping is reduced.
I strongly suspect that even the creaking will become part of the charm...
The advantage of your construction is that you'll be able to loosen the treads and risers and redo it if it creaks too much.
I don't believe in using a center dowel (träplugg) because it locks the movement in relation to the stringers.
The stairs are going to be there for a while...
I would guess you're referred to doing something custom as you mentioned in your first post. If you use 5 mm screws, make sure the holes are at least 8 to allow for movement. And use a rounded head with a flat underside. But I would choose steel, partly because it won't be visible anyway (in the closet...) and it shouldn't be hard to find a sufficiently strong profile from a metal workshop or wholesaler. A wooden strip likely won't be stiff enough.
Screwing from above is better in my opinion. If you do as above, the screw only pulls in 25mm; if you screw from above, you can use significantly longer screws.
I'm used to Cutters, and they work well with a Torx head. 6x80 or something like that.
If you plan to plane down pine planks to 30mm, buy 38 mm. Do you have access to a jointer and planer? If you plane off 20 mm, aside from all unnecessary waste, it will warp. If you groove the underside, the risk of warping is reduced.
I strongly suspect that even the creaking will become part of the charm...
The advantage of your construction is that you'll be able to loosen the treads and risers and redo it if it creaks too much.
I don't believe in using a center dowel (träplugg) because it locks the movement in relation to the stringers.
Thank you, very good points there!
Tracking is definitely a good idea, but since the steps become visible from the side, it is probably not possible for aesthetic reasons.
I will outsource the manufacturing of the steps because I don't have a planer.
Tracking is definitely a good idea, but since the steps become visible from the side, it is probably not possible for aesthetic reasons.
I will outsource the manufacturing of the steps because I don't have a planer.
I have made templates out of a masonite board to guide the hand router.
You nail four strips in place, 2 parallel that determine the path for the router. The other two are start and stop.
Now you can make an exact path with the hand router. You can actually see in the masonite exactly where the path will go.
You nail four strips in place, 2 parallel that determine the path for the router. The other two are start and stop.
Now you can make an exact path with the hand router. You can actually see in the masonite exactly where the path will go.
I have built a staircase according to the same principle. Stringers made of glulam and overlaying steps of 30 mm oak which I imported from Poland. I glued the steps with construction adhesive, not a screw or nail in the steps. So far, they have stayed in place.
It is an "L" staircase and the four steps in the turn were an exercise.
It is an "L" staircase and the four steps in the turn were an exercise.
The steps have been glued for over a year now without any problems. In a vacation home with slightly varying temperatures, 15 C and above. (in Gotland)
My thought was that if it doesn't work, I can crawl under the steps and fasten them in one way or another.
My thought was that if it doesn't work, I can crawl under the steps and fasten them in one way or another.