No More Creaks! ~ DIY Stair Repair Tutorial

[@SkillBuilder]

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[@mostamazingmatt]

Put a screw with a nice wide head into the MDF and use your claw hammer to pull the board toward the bottom step while you drive the screw in.

[@daniqueblake5971]

Can I buy this tool instead: Kreg KPHJ310 Pocket Hole Jig Woodwork Drill Guide Stop Collar Kreg 310 ?

[@FarrukhBulsara]

My wife took it upon herself to strip the stair carpet today, remove all the gripper rods and sand it down! She's fantastic. She's now leaving it to me to varnish and paint but I can't do that without at least fixing that annoying creak! I thought to myself "I bet that bloke from Skill Builder has done a video!" Well, here I am and thank you once again for a no-nonsense straight forward video and for showing that even skilled guys like yourself can get stuck sometimes. Keep up the great work.

[@pamelahall9459]

I can’t watch a bloke that wears no carpet protection on his boots.

[@AC-gm6bq]

This type of job is best tackled one step at a time!

[@trig]

Ill get your coat :)

[@marconeill9510]

@@trig tread lightly

[@m.bowyer5045]

BOOM BOOM!!

[@chriswalford9228]

Don't rise to them

[@dobman2011]

you nailed it

[@KyleBevis-u7j]

It’s a relief to know you’re still learning and having to find work-arounds for certain problems Roger. Sometimes it makes me feel like a right amateur, even when I’ve done everything correctly 😅

[@darrenbrignell8482]

I did one of these creaky stair repairs a couple of years ago Roger and like you said mdf has no bite with screws so I screwed blocks of soft wood batten to the risers and treads leaving a good gap between the two to allow them to pull together and being very careful to not actually glue the battens together. I used a thickish PVA from memory and it pulled up a treat. I did notice that the initial problem was caused from no glue being used at all and the tread was also mdf and bright pins also . Such poor tradesmen walking the streets!!!.

[@42RHD]

As ever, lots of great info! Had this on an RSJ joist from my neighbours squeaking through to mine every time he walked over the back bedroom floor. Drove me mad! In the end I had to wing it with plastic lawnmower blades and silicon gel between the floorboard joists and the RSJ during the 40 minutes I got access to his house while the floor boards were up to figure out where the problem was. I now sleep peacefully.

[@noelter]

There's a guy made KZbin about 10 years or more ago, he used a car jack to lift the star step and put a line of gripfill. I tried it and it worked on my MDF staircase going in to the loft. It's still good to this day.

[@darrenpaulgreen]

Hi Roger, pocketholes into MDF don’t grab well even with the square drive screws from kreg. The other issue you have is that you’re driving the screw towards the outer edge of the MDF giving the joint very little strength (they’re designed to go the other way AWAY from the edge, not possible in this case). I’d have temporarily fitted some brackets to the upper side of the stairs to pull the stings and treads together, removing when the PU glue had dried. Though I’m all honesty it’s a pig of a job I try to avoid!

[@plummetplum]

That's a good idea 👍👍

[@ngbc5342]

That is a very good idea indeed - genius in fact!

[@AfricanSouthernCross]

Nice to see how you tackle all the little big jobs others don’t dare to and then to be honest is really honourable….thanks for uploading !

[@megapangolin1093]

Fascinating how you can tackle an apparent.y simple, straightforward job and end up using all sorts of specialist kit and even then something untoward happens. Not for the faint hearted. Great video as always. Like your informal, practical approach to getting the message across.

[@gc8074]

Fair play to this guy working well into his seventies when a lot are packing in when they turn 55 nowadays 👏👏

[@SkillBuilder]

In the future everyone will work until the drop, as nature intended.

[@gc8074]

@@SkillBuilder if the Tories get their way that’s what will be happening

[@johnboyginger]

I just used 3 l-shaped brackets to pull the risers to the tread. Worked a treat.

[@SkillBuilder]

Good tip, I will do that on the next one

[@markwalsh9883]

Me too. If the gap is large partially drive the screws in sequence so all the pull isn't on one screw at any point.

[@johnboyginger]

@@markwalsh9883 exactly yep.

[@redx11x]

What size and type screw did you use

[@johnboyginger]

@@redx11x a few years ago but I think 25mm Hingetight things. Big grippy threads on them.

[@AdrianSams]

If a staircase is correctly made it will tighten up as the timber dries out with central heating. The problem is few people make staircases properly and use the correct materials.MDF has no place in a staircase or the crap whitewood pine in the video. Love the video though Roger and keep em coming.. 🙂

[@trig]

With stairs, and floor boards, lets all go for the belt and braces stratergy of glue and quality screws. Its a crying shame that British building standards dont include quality in their timings when calculating price work.

[@jools2079]

Perfect timing as fixing our squeaky stairs is this weekend's job before the carpet is replaced next week! Thank you.

[@SkillBuilder]

Good luck. I wish I had made up a jig to pull the risers in. Maybe a hole in the riser and a clamp with a hook.

[@jools2079]

Job complete and sorted. Thank you 👍

[@SloopyDog]

I enjoyed the no more creaks video. It shows the problems with using MDF in place of good solid timber. I have a house which is about 150 years old and the squeaking gets on my nerves. Old houses tend to move and in dry weather gaps enlarge, then tighten again when it's wet. I have no access to the underside of the stairs, which makes tightening them up difficult. Thanks again for your video.

[@happydavid13]

Well done for tackling that Roger! One of those jobs no one wants but you attacked it like a champ as always and gave us some great tips! Thank you.

[@2754rich]

What is immensely helpful and commendable, is how you show your little mistakes along the way.

[@bsimpson6204]

Hi Roger, my daughter had terrible squeaking (groaning) floor boards in the back two bedrooms (house 16 years old) the cause wasn't the floor, it was the wall between the bedrooms squeaking against the floor as the floor moved up and down. The 100% solution was to remove the skirting board and screw the floor plate of the hollow wall down to the floor. That fixed it!!..... P.S. 16 screws went in over around 10ft of wall I may yet have a go at her stairs, thank you!

[@youtoob1811]

Sometimes the treads are creaking where they meet the stringers. I found that putting some floorboard screws close to the edge near the stringer was enough to cure 90% of the creaking in my stairs. There's a baton that runs underneath the tread where it meets the stringer, it might take a bit of trial and error to pinpoint the location, but once you've found one, they others are likely to be in the same location. I just put the screws through the tread into the supporting baton, and hey presto, no more squeaking. 👍

[@aaamos16]

A true expert from all angles. Respect.

[@kevinanderson3715]

Now the Mrs knows it's possible to fix our creaky staircase from the top, I've got another job on my list! Thanks for that ;-)

[@CeeDeeWilson]

Thanks you so much for this video. As it goes with this type of repair, nothing was straight forward, access from below would have required replastering, and I'm not sure exactly what I used from your video, but there were several things. Knowing the construction of the treads and risers helped me understand how to screw them together, taking care to get the screw in the most effective place without splitting the wood. I had some slightly thicker wood glue that I poked down with a wooden skewer. Now its all screwed together and dried I have no more squeaks!

[@loafersheffield]

I tried everything to try and solve creaky stairs and floorboards. Then I realise that it was my knees.

[@Mrs_961]

😂

[@sebrickard7356]

😂

[@ameliasuarez1235]

😂😂😂

[@ismaikram5722]

😂

[@towkukus]

Drink some olive oil and put a nail in each pocket. Job sorted. Hopefully no glue needed

[@juliacloughley-sneddon244]

Brilliant thanks so much. Now I will be able to fulfil my 20 year long promise to my mum and fix the attic stairs!

[@frankiegoestohollywood9784]

The method we use is 6mm birch plywood on the face of the risers glued and screwed scribed in tight works every time 👌🏻

[@SkillBuilder]

That is a great idea

[@kevindesilva4588]

I have tried that in the past and it does work but the down side is that the carpet often does not go back quite right

[@user-pf5xq3lq8i]

Added it to the list of Easter holiday tasks..cheers Roger.

[@victorquesada7530]

This is a good resource for me, thanks! It's great to know that there are multiple ways to get jobs like this done, and that it never comes out perfect every time. Here we often have a product called "Liquid Nails" used as a construction adhesive, I wonder if that would have been the right spot for being able to get into the gap without running down behind it too much.

[@davebethell1]

Great solution using pocket screws to pull up the joint. I know a joiner who solved his own squeaking staircase with just the glue and no fixings, but it is a risk, and depends upon the size of the gap. I've got three staircases in my house, which were all fitted at the same time when the house was converted some twenty years ago. Two are solid with no squeaks, but one does. No surprise that the one which squeaks is MDF construction and the two that don't are softwood. Keep up the good work and advice Roger.

[@simonmorris8651]

Nightmare job, well done for taking it on. One of those jobs where the amount of time needed and the degree of success can't be predicted. Really appreciate you taking the time to show how the job/pitfalls developed as you went along. Many thanks 👍👌👏

[@jamesdodger5588]

Quite agree. You learn a lot more seeing the task being done with pitfalls and all rather than if everything goes smoothly first time. This guy is 100% genuine with what he is doing and what can happen to even the most experienced builder.

[@MP-ye1to]

This is so true 😂

[@cliffcarlo180]

When I was a carpet fitter many years ago, we never nailed the gripper to the stairs. Instead, we used a nailless gripper and a quick-acting adhesive. Now you know the reason why.

[@NoHeartAnthony]

You’re lazy?

[@cliffcarlo180]

That's why you purchase nail-less grippers for stairs. It has been available for years now. @@NoHeartAnthony

[@andylowry8439]

The carpet fitter should have screwed the gripper to the riser and not nailed it as hammering can knock the tread and riser apart, this may be the initial cause of the problem. Interesting fix using a pocket screw jig. Nice one Rog.

[@FPL-LARD]

every time..end of.

[@becton98]

Build the stairs properly and gripper wouldn't be an issue

[@andylowry8439]

@@becton98 Yes l agree it would be great if all work was carried out to the highest standards, unfortunately we all know is not the case. Builders are the biggest culprits even admitting to using inferior build materials quality by having notices on the stair risers saying carper gripper must be screwed and not nailed, so as a carpet fitter it would be foolish to go ahead a nail them as you would be the one responsible for their inferior product, it's all about cost and speed. I've been a carpet and floorlayer for over 40yrs and have had to learn how to get around an awful lot of bad workmanship, following behind every trade without exception from plumbers/electricians taking up floorboards etc and not fixing them back securely or not at all, leaving pipe and wire cuttings all over the place, for us to clear up. Expected to trim the bottoms off doors, plinths etc. Would an electrician be expected to lay the kitchen vinyl, or the decorator to lay the carpet. We're expected to move grandfather clocks, grand pianos, cookers white goods and everything in between so we can carry out our days work or walk away without earning a penny that day. I've yet to find the elusive skyhook that we're meant to carry in our back pockets, if you have some you'd make a fortune. I'm starting to sound like Roger on one of his rants lol but you get my drift if everyone done their job properly the majority of these problems would be eliminate at source and make everyone's life so much better.

[@johnriggs4929]

@@andylowry8439 You'd have just loved one site I was on, where the plumber had forgotten to cut the ends off the first 22mm to 10mm manifolds, when he doubled them up. There was no flow to half the radiators on the first floor. Carpet fitters were booked in for ten o'clock, and he was bashing holes in the chipboard flooring with a 2lb hammer, looking for the manifolds. We were following him, repairing the holes, as the carpet fitters looked on, cursing. In the end, they got the hump and sodded off. Can't say I blame them. As for gripperrods being screwed on, well really, when it comes to fixing them to risers, they should be - but obviously it takes time (and do they supply gripperrods pre-drilled, rather than with nails started, which would help?) Depends upon what's been priced for, like everything else. We hadn't priced for repairing those floors - we ended up being paid daywork, which was cr@p.

[@peterb8679]

I used to nail the gripper onto the riser. No problem with decent timber. I now staple the gripper since they cheapened the quality.

[@markentwistle282]

I had the same problem but just used gripfill. 5 years on it's still ok.

[@9P38lightning]

That sir was absolutely perfect timing... Thanks Roger...👍

[@MrFookface]

Great video, thanks. I solved my creaky stairs by pumping adhesive into any gaps between risers and treads. Then used 2 x 60mm screws (ones with threads the whole length of the screw) at a 45 degree angle on each outer edge of the risers. Totally silent stairs now.

[@SailForth9]

interesing. which adhesive did you use? Weren't you worried about screwing the wedges?

[@denniskeogh3422]

Spot on..... did everything, but still had squeaks.... did what you said and bingo, not one squeak. Nowhere else says to do this , but think about it, the side of the riser is loose. Thank you.

[@MrFookface]

⁠@@SailForth9Used Soudal fixall

[@MrFookface]

@@denniskeogh3422No probs! Glad it helped!

[@PeterJFlower]

Briliant video. I love watching and learning when things don't work because those problems would happen to me too. I can enjoy the problem solving and see the solutions. I've never seen one of those jigs before, I'll get one on order today.

[@howardblasingame7961]

Nice video & good tutorial. I enjoyed the common sense approach.

[@decosse01]

As I'm installing my new engineered wood treads with painted white risers over the 'rough' stairs, I am taking opportunity to fix my squeaky treads, particularly the upper ones which are by far worst. I was so pleased to find this guide and thought great! Unfortunately the stair builder did a horrible job - as I tried to install the pocket hole screws, most of them were hitting 'fresh air' behind the end of the tread. And so there is also very little glue area too. I put glue in anyway and managed to get a few of the screws to pull in, nothing that will carry any load as even those that 'bit' are going to be right at the bottom edge of the riser board, but hopefully enough to hold while glue dries (IF there is enough surface contact!). I think I might tackle putting the new treads & risers in slightly differently at those upper troublesome locations: cut the new tread depth about 1/4" shy of the riser and fill that rear void with contruction adhesive before installing the riser - hopefully that should lock all 4 pieces together at that joint.

[@darrenjowett8032]

I use small metal corner brackets. Screw one to the tread, leave a small gap up to the riser PU glue the gap then screw into the riser, it cramps the the two together when it’s dry remove the bracket.

[@joelpww]

You have been an extremely valuable wealth of knowledge throught these years. Always something new to learn from you and the guys at SkillBuilder. Thanks. True savants

[@SkillBuilder]

I appreciate that!

[@PertinaxPertinax]

Hello Roger, re squeaking stairs - have the same problem here but just, had new stair carpet fitted, but fortunately can access staircase from underneath - going to put a 2x2 or similar between riser and tread joint and glue/screw in, as this is where the squeaks are coming from, what glue would you recommend - as ideally it needs to be fairly fast setting as the stairs are used everyday? this is a 1960's staircase so no mdf used, good solid wood. Regards Nick

[@waynerichardson9328]

I fix creaky stairs and floors every day, when the riser separates from the back of the tread like this I take off the gripper from the tread as you have and drive a 50x4.5 chipboard screw into the gripper on the riser leaving half sticking out. You can then put your expanding d4 into the joint and use your claw hammer to pull the screw that’s sticking out as you drive your fixing in. This usually pulls it in tight. Sometimes you may need to run a multi tool blade in first to make sure the gaps clear and both surfaces will meet flush. Most of the time it’s where the carpet fitters nailed the gripper to the riser which breaks the joint, they should be screwed on. The other issue you get with stairs is the riser into tread rebate has gone and I find you can spike 70mm chipboard screws diagonally through the top of the riser into the tread.

[@SkillBuilder]

Good tips. I will try that next time

[@Jamessansome]

If the boards are not pulling together easily due to the MDF could an alternative be glue and hammering in timber strips to fill the gaps, a bit like what you can do with floor boards when the shrink?

[@MarktheOddJob]

Nice shoe covers Roger. I've got the same. Customers are always surprisngly impressed by them, I just don't want any blame for dirty footprints!

[@0skar9193]

Same here, I also have a pair of trainers on the van specifically for wearing inside customers houses

[@cordoroy9515]

Have a 6 month old baby and we only discovered every inch of our house creaks. Doors, floorboards and stairs all creak. Light switches, the kettle and the dog are also much noisier than I ever thought. Came here looking for tips on the staircase, but I reckon I'll just carry on with the creeping tippy toe walking that I somehow think makes me more quiet when scaling the stairs. 😂

[@SkillBuilder]

If I may give you some advice that is not building related, yoou are making a rod for your own back. I had three children and I have three grand children. They sleep through all manner of noises. When my first son was in his cot I was cutting out old iron pipes with an angle grinder and he slept like a ........... baby. Kids can be reassured by noise. If our youngest couldn't get off to sleep we would simply switch the vacuum cleaner on and leave it outside his room. He was asleep in minutes.

[@TheFoxUK]

I had the same problem. I used a small L shape bracket fastened to the tread and then used the hole facing the back board to pull it back to the tread.

[@FPL-LARD]

it will be a short term solution...cut the back off the staircase and seperate the treads from the risers, re glue the joint and glue and screw them or you are just going to have a squeky staircase forever

[@TheFoxUK]

The problem seamed to occur when the carpet gripper was hammered home to hard by the carpet fitters, pushing it away from the tread and then just hid it with the carpet. The L shaped brackets are still there holding it in place and new carpet and gripper fitted over them. At the moment there is no squeaking.

[@merlloyd89]

I did this years ago but as the next guy said it didn’t work for long . Next carpet fitment I took them all off . I’m going to have to remove the plasterboard and do it once and for all .. 😢

[@boomerang2]

Juat discovered the channel via this random recommendation from KZbin. Best things about this video is it shows the issues! Rarely done but so helpful! Likewise purchase links to the tools used. Great video and presentation. And i dont even have creaking stairs 😁

[@SkillBuilder]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@tullgutten]

I bet if you make a [ wood board you can screw to the back and hook a clamp to the thread and then pull it before gluing and pocket screw it would work great. The pocket screws are angled so you not only pull it straight in but also upwards thus making it much more likely to stip out before it gets tight. Gap should be almost tight before even starting the screw in the pocket hole.

[@SkillBuilder]

I did try a couple of things like that with a clamp but it was really hard to get it to move.

[@smilyanpavlov9760]

Best video I've found so far, thank you so much!

[@fivish]

Used The Pink Stuff to fill gaps and voids and it worked well. Goes off very quickly!

[@yngndrw.]

I'll have to give this a go, can't stand creaky stairs. I wonder if driving a larger screw all the way through the middle of the riser would have allowed you to use the claw side of a hammer to pull the riser in, before doing up the pocket screw? That would mean that the pocket screw only has to hold it rather than pulling it in as well.

[@billgreen576]

I learned a lot from this video. Thank you. The main thing I learned was live with the creak. Or better yet think of it like the floors put in to Japanese homes designed to actually creak as a burglar and assassin detector.

[@tsdoesds]

IF you are using pocket hole jigs you really should use pocket hole screws. The system works poorly if not complete. They def do not have to be kreg brand, but they work by having a flat shoulder (bottom head) instead of a conical one (which is used to embed into the wood). I'm pretty sure that is your main problem with the blowouts in the back; you really wanted to tighten down that stair and just drove the last few screws deeper than the others. That and the self tapping tip I think is the two main advantages to the proper screws for this particular system. Try it.

[@bluewanderer9903]

No matter what type of shoulder the screw has in this case blow out will likely happen due to material receiving the thread in combination with very little possible movement. If anything, flat shoulder will cause blowout quicker here, conical will have a little give before mdf lets go. This is a completely different problem than what you are describing which is relevant in cabinetry where you actually have contact between two panels before tightening.

[@tsdoesds]

I disgree. Using pocket screws to pull material, esp mdf is bound to fail. Proper setup (singe the materials together) correct screws and glue would have prevented blowout and made the end result better. That said I understand why everything was done the way it was in this video and I appreciate ”not perfect” videos way more.

[@allongshanks940]

Thank you for explaining ever step by step thought, action and plan

[@spacemanclips]

Not completely related to stairs but creaking floors in my house were driving me mad. I pulled up the carpets and screwed down all the boards. Still same problem. Then realise it was actually the bottom joists of partition walls had been nailed to the floor and were creaking when walking nearby. A few screws at 45 degrees through the skirting, and problem fixed.

[@liamofthornhill]

That's a clever use of the jig Roger

[@danoi99]

EX carpet fitter here. Most new build houses have stickers all the way up the stairs telling you NOT to nail gripper on the riser. I used to pin them on with an electric tacker with divergent point staples, not brads. You can use a lighter hammer, but it's a pain. I used to hate these cheapo staircases. A 16oz claw hammer will unseat the riser no problem. Getting the gripper to tight on a thicker carpet will do the same when you see a fitter hammering at their tamp to get the 30 oz twist to play ball. I do not miss the trade one bit. As for fitting: always start at the top.

[@SkillBuilder]

That is interesting. Also thanks for the tip about which way to go with the carpet.

[@davidpatterson1574]

Excellent video Rodger--great explanation of a cure---I’ve paced the floor trying to formulate a solution to a creaking mahogany open tread staircase, in my own home-and finally managed to solve it with Gorilla glue, and thanks to Amazon,carefully fitting small decorative right angle, drawer brackets underneath each tread, and they are unobtrusive--there is always a solution, to any problem--Thanks again

[@Ender_Wiggin03]

Gripper Rods? We call them Tack Strips here in the US. I eventually need to strip the carpet off ours and sand/stain it to go along with our new LVP flooring. Sadly I have to add new skirts as they aren't finished under the carpet.

[@bearhauscubly]

Genius using the pockethole jig, have loads of the little ones laying around after a trend special offer. Wouldn't have thought to use it on treads.

[@Colin623]

I would of used an L-shaped bracket, screw that to the step first then to the upright, which would pull the two together allowing the glue to dry, but prevent any movement between the two boards, simply cut the gripper into two pieces to sit around the bracket, job done !

[@paolocoletti3424]

​@@Colin623 you should make it clear that you need to leave a gap between the fixed bracket upright and the riser so as to allow space for the riser to move into. Also that you can happily leave the bracket in place as it's masked by the gripper rod height. Problem is its still the mdf suitably gripping the screw issue so screw selection is key. 😫 It really is just a crap material all around for use on a stair basically

[@Colin623]

@@paolocoletti3424 Well I assumed most folk on here watching this video would of known that being DIYers ! but fair enough, shouldn't assume too much I suppose ! 😊 But yes MDF isn't a great material to start with, but using purpose made screws for MDF would be a better option than standard screws !

[@graham6807]

Hi ya Roger. I've got open stairs. No risers or carpet. We had to fit a child gate top and bottom which has made the staircase come away from the wall and caused a few creaky stairs. What would you recommend doing? I was thinking of doing the same with the pocket hole but on the underneath and screw into the underside of the staircase. Anything you can think of to stop this creek and make the staircase stronger. Much appreciated 👍

[@FPL-LARD]

I have a staircase refurb company and I'm sorry but the only way to fix the damage caused by shit staircase construction or the damage cauased by carpet fitters who are over excited with their carpet bolster is to get underneath and re-glue and screw the risers to the back of the tread and also in many cases replace the shit quality glue blocks with a continuios piece of timber conecting the tread to the riser. Carpet fitters batter stairs when they turn up and nail gripper rods on to the treads and risers and ruin the staircase because it's quick and they get paid per fit so they snap a load of grippers at 30 inches or so and nail them on with the pre nailed grippers and couldnt give a monkeys if it cracks the glueline between tread and riser. Once that glueline is broken the starcase will make a noise every time you walk up them...end of story. And don't even get me on the amount of times I have visited a house where the joiner didn't even stilt under the winders on a quarter turn landing. Hmmmm lovely... mdf risers and treads with no sub frame and a carpet fitter with a hammer = A NOISY STAIRCASE

[@retroclickmedia4422]

This is a major problem with KZbin and building - self proclaimed experts. One day there will be a massive law suit when someone takes the advise of one of these "experts" and kills someone or burns their house down. Repair it properly, repair it once, as a chippie of 40 years I must turn down 30% of offered work as the customer is after a cheap job or a bodge.

[@paolocoletti3424]

Architect here, agreed. Do the job once do it right. The ever cheapening of spec builds honestly makes me wince. Really how much more expensive would it be to use glue+screwed ply risers even in a cheap spec stair 😢, £25? . It feels that most UK construction is purposefully designed for future failure to support a maintenance industry! 🤦🏻

[@retroclickmedia4422]

@@paolocoletti3424 We live in a 1950's semi, round here its £250k ish and bullet proof, the new builds are twice that for the same size

[@Paul-XCIV2]

If you use the proper Kreg screws they do two types for different types of wood (fine and coarse threads).. they also come with a ledge in the screw to pull against the ledge that the pocket drill has created.

[@user-pf5xq3lq8i]

Link?

[@kevindesilva4588]

@@user-pf5xq3lq8i just google it they are readily available

[@Ricey1988]

2:36 you do the perfect customer voice 😂 it’s like you’ve heard it before.

[@andycrask3531]

Not sure if that's what you did but I would start from the edges with the three or more screws so they have less work to do pulling in and will hopefully bring the middle in a bit more that starting in the middle first.

[@SkillBuilder]

I tried that but if the edges are done first the middle has nowhere to go.

[@samtyler66]

Great video Roger and very helpful but any recommendations on tackling staircase stringers separating? I've got a staircase that's had a bodge job done of props below to support treads where the stringers have splayed and no longer supported some treads. The wedges have dropped out too. One stringer is against a wall the other open to the hallway (similar but mirrored to the staircase in this video). I'm happy to replace some treads but the staircase is original to the 1894 house. Seems it was a 'property maintenance' company that did the 'repair' not a chippy.

[@Happy-go-luckyno]

its all about d4 glue, its in-between resin and expanding foam and dries rock hard. we use it to install chipboard flooring on new builds sometimes i even assemble the whole staircase with it

[@tedspens]

The MDF might be blowing out where the screw enters it, creating a small mound around the screw. That mound might be preventing it from pulling tight. Just a thought. Thanks for the tips. I would not have thought to use a pocket screw jig. Good job! 👍

[@SkillBuilder]

You are probably right. It is a job I regreted taking on but it worked out in the end and saves taking the board down

[@tedspens]

@@SkillBuilder Definitely, we do what we can with what we have to work with.

[@slippyg]

Did you turn the Grey sliders upside down? Cos mine has the lips that get in the way and raise it up

[@albopastrami9269]

hi thanks for the vid. trying this now. What length of spax t-star stainless steel screws did you use?

[@emmanuellerousseau7314]

I was lucky enough to be able to access below the stairs and a simple painting could stop the creaks!

[@Colin623]

Just a thought, but in that situation I would consider using an L-shaped bracket, not only would it prevent movement between the boards, but if you screw the bracket to the step first, then to the upright, it would surely draw the upright and step together, allowing the glue to dry, once dry cut the gripper into two pieces to sit around the bracket !

[@GraveCareMaintenanceServices]

once the glue has set, why not just simply remove the brackets, makes for a much neater job, just a though

[@gigabyte2573]

@@GraveCareMaintenanceServices Yes you could, but how sure can you be the glue will hold for many years to come ? why not just leave the bracket on, and cut the gripper to finish each side of the 12mm wide bracket, put back the carpet which would leave the appearance exactly the same as it was before ! At least you know you wouldn't have to go through the same process ever again ! But taking away the bracket could lead to the glue drying out over time and you end up with the same problem ! if you are a carpenter then yes just glue it, because you will almost certainly be called back in 10 years time to redo the same work, good for you, but unnecessary expense for the customer !

[@GraveCareMaintenanceServices]

@@gigabyte2573 Fair enough mate, valid point 👍

[@vistron888]

What about the gap between the tread and the riser below, near the bullnose? I glued and screwed those in too. Also, anyone trying to access the back, many staircases are covered behind with asbestos board. So take care.

[@MP-ye1to]

I’ve been asking and waiting for a video on this for ages, thank you for doing this 😊❤ I had to do the backs and fronts (toe) of the stairs aswell , it was very difficult and I had to use a stud finder to give me a rough Guide on where the wood blocks behind the stairs where to screw into. I didn’t think it would help but it did, I missed a few times but it gave me a rough area to screw, not all of the supporting blocks where the same size or position.allow slot of time for trial and error. after doing this and new carpet down, no one is waking up hearing you go around the house. It was so annoying! 😊😅

[@hughtierneytierney3585]

Roger does a good job here I'd say. I think he's a bit generous suggesting that the problem with the risers is due to shrinkage. I think it's more likely that the folks who made the staircase used pins to secure the riser to the back of the tread. For a proper job they should have used screws. I 'm a carpenter and I've seen the problems this causes so many times. How much more would it have cost to have done it properly in the first place? A pound even? A couple of quid?

[@geoffwilliams2802]

Great video. I ordered the Kreg jig R3. Watching the vid and setting up my jig I noticed that your sliders were on upside down. Was that intentional?

[@vinnysurti]

This problem can fixed one step at a time 🪜

[@eddieMurphy11111]

thank you for this video our stairs have been creaking for a few years ever since I fell down them twice and my legs do not move so good but i am going to get somebody to get to the back of the stairs as in the pantry that is under the stairs I will try to let you know how we go on

[@SkillBuilder]

That is by far the best way to cure the creaks.

[@eddieMurphy11111]

@@SkillBuilder I have been told i could replace the ones that are cracked all the way across by getting them out of the back of the stair case

[@citrinuke5]

Is there a solution for stairs that have an electricity box underneath? It doesn't look safe to use adhesive And there is no access to stairs from underneath. Any suggestions?

[@donkeykong7777]

A squirt of 3in1 oil between the joints works wonders!

[@Neil_down_south]

You can get MDF-TITE PZ DOUBLE-COUNTERSUNK MDF SCREWS, might work in this instance?

[@SailForth9]

Excellent video. I have exactly the same setup. Had carpet changed when I moved in but for a range of reasons didn't get it fixed so will tackle it now. I had a builder suggest CT1 adhesive instead, any thoughts?

[@kevinrowe456]

A method I’ve used so many times in the past is simply run a generous bead of sticks like sh*t or stixall where the tread meets the riser into the gap, push a strip as wide as the stairs of thin coat plaster bead in firmly and fix with screws, works a treat.

[@SAXONWARLORD1000AD]

i dont get it

[@grahamsmith9788]

I love the colour on the walls in that customer's staircase, 50 bonus points Roger if you can tell me what it is! 😁

[@SkillBuilder]

Can I cash those bonus points in the post office?

[@GK-qc5ry]

I'd live with the creaking.

[@PulsarDcuo]

How would you deal with split treads that cause squeaks ?

[@BazColne]

Very valuable learning experience shared.

[@aliasgharkhoyee9501]

Would expanding foam work, as it fills the gaps and provides some flex?

[@logik100.0]

Really great tips. Appreciated as I need to fix my stairs soon

[@woodysoft3585]

Did you try the specific Kreg pocket hole screws?

[@SkillBuilder]

yes the heads were too small.

[@carolinerussell5384]

I need this for my stairs Got replaced from top just before lock down and back to being noisy I have them painted and I can see the gaps appearing 😢 Just unfortunate I haven't got a scoobies about most of the drilling holes bit But I'll rematch lots of times make my daughter watch my mother and sisters And we will all get there eventually lol

[@michals692]

I get new build home 7 years ago. Asked builders why stairs creeks like in museum (Keepmot developer). I knew they r MDF board. They said this stairs type r like that😅😅😅. Now it's my next project to fix that.

[@siraff4461]

Just thinking out loud but would plaster board fixings help? Then you're not relying on the MDF to support the thread.

[@semilife]

Great help Roger, a great help I was planning on fixing a few creaks and like this have no real access. Great suggestions.

[@spoonz1065]

What boots are they . Look well comfy

[@pureplay7071]

Yes, you roll stair carpet up and start from the top down

[@richardjohnson4590]

In my experience the hole size in the the 1st piece of wood needs to be just big enough to allow the screw to fit without it biting on the wood. You then need to stop drilling when you hit the second bit of wood, although a smaller diameter drill size is ok to continue drilling into that with for a pilot hole ( if you can find one long enough ) This is so that when you put the scew in, it hits the second piece and and the thread only bites into that piece. This way, the 2 pieces of wood will pull together ok. If the screw is biting in the first piece of wood ( say if you use a drill bit of smaller diameter than the screw) , then when it hits the second piece, of course it will screw into it, but the 2 pieces cannot pull together, they will just remain as they are in terms of the gap and distance from each other. Although this could still stop squeaking, as it will now prevent them from moving against each other, isn't it better if one piece is pulled in tighter against the other piece? So to achieve that, the screw needs to be able to fit and rotate in the first piece and move in and out without it's threads biting on the 1st piece. It only needs to bite into / grip on the second piece, and then, as you tighten the scew up, the 2 pieces of wood can pull towards each other , making a tight fit that shouldn't creak / squeak. That's what i think anyway :)

[@ReclaimDesign]

Fair play to you Roger for giving that a go. I think I would have had an urgent dental appointment if I was asked to do that 😂 You are very calm I can take a leaf out of your book. #swearing is my modus operandi 😂

[@jamie-ox8sg]

Brilliant video thank you verry much

[@ChannelStonie]

What can I say. I like it and I'm going to follow for more. thumbs up 👍

[@mattallen7463]

use a bigger gauge screw put through the riser halfway up then use a claw hammer to pull riser in then screw job done