How to fix loose stair treads

If you have an old stairs and the stairs is making a lot of sound there is a big chance that the stair treads are a bit loose.

Loose stair treads most of the time are caused by shrunken wood or walls that have moved a bit. If, for example, you have a wooden floor, there is a big possibility that your stairs will make that creaky sound.

When a stairs is places it is totally nailed together and later placed in the stairwell by a stairprofessinal. The shrinking of the wood gives the nails space to move and this is where the creaky sounds come from.

If you want to fix this problem there are a couple of things you have to check first.

Is the stairs placed exactly against the wall?
Is the long pole still level and properly mounted on the floor?
Is there movement between the stair treads?
Is there movement between the risers?

Often the stairs is mounted to the wall with a couple bolts. There is a rubber ring placed between the stairs and the wall, the prevent any noises. It could be that those rings are not good enough anymore or have gone hard. In this case the stairs is loose and not leaning into the wall and the stairs is leaning down a bit more. This is a very important thing to check. Make sure the rings are good enough and if not place a rubber strip of special rubber in between the walls where the bolts meet. Place the stairs against the wall and make sure the bolts are firmly tightened again.

Once this is done make sure to check the tread. If there is a small space in between the treads and the risers make sure to firmly tighten the screws again.

If there is a big space in between the treads and the risers the best thing to use is a big tightening screw. This screw is specially made for stairs and needs to be placed in the top of the tread. This gives new pressure to the tread and makes sure it stays close to the riser to prevent any sounds.

Once you have checked your stairs with all the things above, you are able to paint it with a fresh layer of paint or get a beautiful fresh new carpet on yourstairs.

If you choose to paint your stairs, the best option is to also buy an anti slip adhesive strip. This rubber strip is specially designed for stairs and gives a good grip to your feet, even when wearing socks. The strip is very wide so it is also a perfect solution to cover up any holes of screws in the treads visible to the eye.

This way you can create your own safe and beautiful silent stairs again.