Does that railing on your staircase seem a little looser than last week?
Do your stairs squeak every time you walk up and down them?
It’s time to stop ignoring the signs of the problem and call a local contractor in your area who specializes in staircase repair. In northern New Jersey, your solution is Stan Grabowski and his team of skilled craftsman at Small Home Repairs LLC.
Just like anything else, Grabowski says, the longer you put off repairing your staircase, the worse the problem will get. This is why he recommends addressing this type of repair right away, because with stairs, the constant impact from being used daily causes the entire structure to disassemble itself overtime.
Generally, in repair and restoration work, he says that he has yet to see a set of stairs that he and his team could not repair. But, if the problem is ignored and becomes too severe, there are times when a repair is not economical and you’d be better off replacing the staircase entirely.
To help you further understand the parts of your staircase and all the work that goes into a complete rebuild, Grabowski explains the typical process.
Before You Build
- Building a staircase starts with two measurements. The first is the “run” or the overall horizontal distance of where the staircase begins and ends. On a completed staircase, you can find the run by measuring each tread (the actual step) in inches, he says. Then, add all up those inches and you will know the run for that stairway.
- Your second measurement is the “rise.” This is the vertical measurement that is taken from finished floor to finished floor, Grabowski explains, and the height that the new stairway will be built to fit. To find this number, measure the vertical riser (the back of the tread) and the tread itself starting at the bottom of the first step. Continue this measurement, he says, for every step. Once all of these measurements are compiled, you will know what the rise is for that particular staircase.
Staircase Assembly
One important thing to remember about staircase construction, Grabowski explains, is that all the components of the assembly contribute to the strength of the overall unit.
- The stringers are the main supports found at each end of the stairs, he says. If the stairs are wide, then there are some instances where a stringer in the middle is necessary for added structural support. Stringers can either be anchored to a wall or freestanding depending on placement.
- The steps, which are referred to as treads, are supported by the stringers, and sometimes, he says, you may even find that the treads have been built right into the stringers themselves. If the treads are not already attached, then a slit is routed on both sides of the stringer, and the tread is carefully attached and securely fastened.
- The third aspect of stairway assembly is the riser. If you can imagine a step, the riser is the vertical part on the back of each tread. What is important to know about risers, says Grabowski, is that they are also a strong structural component to your overall staircase. Risers are attached to the stringer the same way as a tread. To complete the entire project, the riser must then be attached to the treads as well. While the two are attached from the front of the steps, a second attachment is done on the backside as well, he notes. A wood block is either glued or tacked to the riser and under the front of a tread. Ultimately, this adds extra support and prevents the treads from bowing when used.
Because of how closely each component is linked, and how all parts of a staircase rely on one another, it is important that when you do notice problems that you not only address them immediately, but that you hire the right contractor for the job as well.
