Stair treads-To Glue or not to glue
I’m installing 1″ oak stair treads over an existing staircase. I’ll remove the old treads first, of course. I’ve gathered that construction adhesive is good to use for this purpose along with some type of fastener. Do you glue? Why or why not?
There are more old drunkards than old doctors. Ben Franklin
Replies
depends on the definition of glue..a good PL premium bead is helpful, a bead of titebond is useless..due in part to the carriage cuts being more or less endgrain..
some will say the treads will crack with seasonal expansion and contraction, that has not been a factor on stairs I have built. Some of which are 20 yrs. old.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Depends on the fastener. I prefer to screw down the treads, no glue.But it can't hurt.With nails however, the tread can work loose and make squeaks, so glue is a must,PL or some kind of construction adhesive.
I get a couple extra tubes of const. adhv. when i glue the floor, and use that with trim head screws. The screws are tricky , especially in oak. But they are great. Head like a nail but it's a screw.
Tyke
just another day in paradise
G.E. Ely Construction
Ocracoke , NC
I usually build housed stringer stairs and avoid this issue. However, one great solution when, for expample, I have a notched stringer on the main stair, is to fasten the treads from below using PL and pocket screws. It would work just as well finishing off rough stringers as you're doing. Once you use pocket screws, all other fastening methods seem primative.
AndyArguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.