Posted earlier with some questions about replacing particle board stairs (carpeted) with oak. Have started to dissemble existing staircase. One side of it is open (has oak railing already installed) and the other side has the stair tread inletted (dadoed or partial thickness) into the stringer (the 2x timber with the cutouts to support the treads. My new treads are deeper (front to back) than the existing tread. 1. Do I trim the length of the tread to fit? 2. Do I insert the tread into the existing cutout or should I make a new stringer? Instead, can I add a piece of wood to fill in the dado (flush to the stringer’s surface) & then add a horizontal brace positioned to support the tread? 3. The cutout is wider (higher) closest to the riser; I assume for wedges. While I could add some on the lower stairs the last one (top of the staircase) will be impossible – no access. Any other thoughts/suggestions anxiously awaited. Thanks
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Fine Homebuilding is excited to be the official media partner of the 2024 Building Science Symposium series! This event offers builders, tradesmen, architects, designers and suppliers to discuss topics ranging…
Featured Video
SawStop's Portable Tablesaw is Bigger and Better Than BeforeHighlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
First you need to be aware that by code the new tread cannot over hang the riser beneath it by more than a given amount.. 3/4" IIRC. So changing tread width without changing risers may be a problem.
Now if you can get past that hurdle why not just notch the lead edge of the wall end of tread so that it can slip past the end of the dado? That way you get the use of the old stringer without further demo and rebuildng.
Yes the dado is wider at the back to allow for a shim to be inserted and glued into place.