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Bouncy stairs

hurnik | Posted in Construction Techniques on December 24, 2003 09:15am

2 years ago I had my basement stairs “redone”.  The old stairs only had 2 stringers and due to the 7′ ceiling height in the basement, were VERY steep to go down.  After falling down them myself, I decided to have them removed and had new ones put in.

 

The new stairs have 3 stringers (2×12 I believe) and “assume” and 8′ ceiling, so I don’t technically have the 6’8″ requirement for the header, but since we’re all short, I’d rather risk whacking my head than falling down a flight of stairs.

anyway, the new stairs “bounce” at little more than I’d like.  What I mean is that if you “bound” down or up the stairs you can “hear” it pretty loud, even up to the 2nd floor and if you stood in the basement and looked at the stairs you can see they ‘bounce” a little.  It’s an open stairway, btw.  The “left” side as you are going down the stairs is a 2×4 wall right below the central support beam.  The left stringer is screwed into that wall in a few places.  The “right” side is totally open.

I was thinking about somehow putting a “support” either under the middle stringer or possibly the right one, but not sure what this would do to the cement floor (in terms of like cracking and stuff).  House was built in ’55 and only had 2 hairline cracks in the concrete floor, but no moisture problems at all (built on sand it is).

My final goal for the stairs is to NOT “enclose” both sides, but to still leave the right-side “open” (with obviously rails and ballisters and such), and to put movable storage units under the steps to a certain point.

thoughts/suggestions?

I’ve noticed that “free standing” stairs in many old houses have a tendency to bounce more than say, “enclosed” stairs where they’re secured every which way but sunday.

–Kevin

 

Reply

Replies

  1. MojoMan | Dec 24, 2003 10:10pm | #1

    If the stringers are in fact 2x12's, you might start by double-checking to be sure they are securely attached to the header at the top, and are all sitting firmly on the floor. A few shims and construction adhesive might help. This could be a quick and simple staring point.

    Al Mollitor, Sharon MA

    1. hurnik | Dec 27, 2003 08:13pm | #5

      Great suggestions from everyone!  Yes, the stairs are "exposed", so I can get access to anything.  I'll try the shims and adhesive first (easiest).

      If that doesn't go, I'll slap a few 2x4 on both sides (I don't have any plans to wall up the stairs or make a "closet" underneath them, but rather to leave them exposed, and try to find some custom cabinets with rollers that are "angled" to "slide" underneath them for storage.)  I think I even saw some good examples in a Fine Homebuilding magazine (I have to go through my old issues)

      --Kevin

  2. dIrishInMe | Dec 24, 2003 10:16pm | #2

    If you can access the underneath of the stairs, you may want to nail a 2x4 or 2x6 to the side of each stringer that is flush with the lower edge of each stringer.  Hope that makes sence.  Don't be stingy with the nails either.  It's a pretty standard procedure (at least for me anyway).

    Matt
  3. Schelling | Dec 24, 2003 11:18pm | #3

    If you run a leg down to the floor under the middle of the middle and open stringers, the bounce will disappear. The floor will not crack since the load is insignificant but you may need to attach and treated 2x4 to the floor to attach the supports.

    1. User avater
      Sphere | Dec 25, 2003 02:12am | #4

      put a post going UP to the well opening where you can also attach the rail...make it a tite fit..that'll do too..

  4. redlead | Dec 28, 2003 01:10am | #6

    Hurnik: Risers, glued (try PL Premium if you haven't) and screwed will stiffen the middle stringer. Also, try to use as heavy a framing piece as will fit up to the notch of the open stringer. If you're serious, you might double up with an lvl. Might be that the installer overcut the plumb and seat (rise and run) cuts, leaving you with not much more than a 2 x 4's worth of meat left. A few moments with a handsaw makes for a much stronger and nicer stringer.



    Edited 12/27/2003 5:16:04 PM ET by Jim

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