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Describe what you mean by "loud". Creaks, echos, other?
they are lod as in clunk, clunk, clunk. actually more like clack,clack,clack.the sound of your feet hitting each step. it's especially bad when the dog runs down em' at 90 mph. the wood on the is 3/4'' and very hard and dry if that makes any diiference
RTC
It sounds like you have some old pine as substrate. If that is it... fear not. The application of the treads will correct the issue if it is not "echo".
FWIW, be sure to have adhesive spread over the entire surface (as opposed to using a glue from a caulk gun). That old pine will suck up the "caulk-type" adhesive and kinda "hump up" in the areas where glue is applied. If the adhesive is spread over the entire surface.. this is much less likely to happen in the inconsistent manner that I am describing (my poor description, I might add).
If it is echoing off that old hard stuff... I have tossed some baffling under the substrate treads to diffuse the echo. You will have to check your local fire code to guide you in choosing something to baffle it with... but I was allowed to use some scraps of non-flammable foam in my area (keep in mind that any material that is not readily seen will be subject to high skepticism by any fire spector... they want to be sure that it will not be toxic, if burning). I just tacked the scraps randomly to the inside of the stair "box" to create the diffusing effect.... then replaced the substrate. Cut the echo down quite a bit.
Edited 2/17/2005 1:03 am ET by Rich from Columbus
Thanks.i will be removing the old treads and risers before applying the new ones and i was going to use a subfloor glue with a caulking applicator.i would put the glue on the stringer lay down the tread and tack it in with a few 16 gauge fin. nails. any problems with that.RTC
Spread that glue evenly over the entire tread surface.... not just out of the tip of the gun. If it is old pine (like I think it is)... the lines of glue will create this "humped effect" that I described. You can use a cove base adapter on the glue gun to more evenly spread the glue (although you will throw away the applicator after its use.. you'll never get it clean again)... but even with that... you will still need to spread it to completely cover the surface (use a cheap, throw away trowel)
To try to further illustrate the "humped effect"... Imagine an old piece of weathered pine... where the surface has numerous humps in the surface. If you don't spread the glue over the whole surface... and it humps... you will have issues with adhesion. Let alone that the pine will "hump" enough to actually create air gaps (I'm talking some instances of humps of 1/32 - 1/16 if the substrate is dry enough.
This may sound like overkill... but the time required to do it right will be about 3 minutes per tread. No big deal... but can be a VERY big deal if it is done wrong.
BTW.. I am assuming that you meant to say that you would be applying the glue to the treads (and risers... which I assume are being done also)... not the "stringer".
One other FWIW... I am not a fan of nails in the treads... and only limited face nailing on the risers. Some applications... the glue, with blind nailing, will be sufficient (along with a couple of nails in the space where the next riser comes down to meet the tread). And of course.. you blind nail the bull-nose.
I did a google and found a pretty decent link for ya... http://www.hardwoodinstaller.com/hardwoodinstaller/stairs-measuring.htm (7 pages... just follow navigation at bottom of page) What they describe almost follows the process that I use for steps.
Edited 2/17/2005 1:53 am ET by Rich from Columbus