If the stair squeaks when you step anywhere along the front of the
tread, then you can often solve the problem by re-attaching the tread to
its riser where they come together. On the other hand, if you find that
the stair squeaks in another place, such as along the back or to one
side or the other, you probably need to get at the stringers. Typically,
there are three stringers, one on each side and at least one running
down the middle — sometimes more, depending on how wide the stairs are.
Each of the stringers is usually an inch and a half to two inches thick.
Whether you're refastening your tread to the riser or to one or more of
the stringers, you go about it essentially the same way. Since
re-attaching to a stringer is slightly more complicated, given the fact
that you can't actually see the stringer, I'll describe that process in
detail. Keep in mind that this project will be much easier if you have
someone to assist you.
Doing the Tighten-Up
You should be able to tell where your stairs' stringers are by the
position of the existing fasteners, or by looking underneath if you
happen to have access to the underside of the stairs. So you've
determined the layout of the stringers and found the one in particular
that needs repairing — say it is the center one. You want to have your
helper stand on the stair with one foot on either side of the stringer,
compressing them together. You then drill two starter holes into the
tread at opposite 45-degree angles. Remember they're only starter holes,
so you don't want to drill all the way into the structure below. I would
use 8- or 10-penny finish nails for this project, and your holes should
be slightly smaller than the diameter of the nails. You then drive the
nails through your holes into the stringer, setting them a little bit
below the surface of the tread. You can then cover the holes with some
wood putty.
A nail that's been driven straight down has a tendency to work itself
loose and right back out over a period of time because it's constantly
being bounced on and moved around. The opposite 45-degree angles of the
nails create a clamp that will hold the step down.
If your stairs are carpeted, you'll obviously need to remove it before
you can fix the stairs. The carpet does provide cover for your work,
however, so before laying it back down you might want to take the
opportunity to screw your riser boards into the stringers, which will
really tighten everything up.
I hope by following these relatively simple steps you'll finally be able to
sneak down for that late-night sandwich without waking the whole family. A perfectly quiet staircase will be your only surprise!
