what size finish nails for stair treads

In addition stairs have far greater movement than floors by their very nature so using a many pieced flooring tread as oppose to a “single” piece Stair Tread creates numerous issues. Measure each tread and cut it to size then install it using 2-1/4" trim screws. I pulled the Oak treads off our staircase. Step #1: Sanding. Stair tread template; 42″ oak stair risers. For more information on our fantastic range of Stair Treads… Intro by Robin Steps by Ed. Pine stair tread. By using a filler stick you can easily cover nail holes! The originals are about 25yrs old and rotten. Only the riser, not the tread; it won't be stepped on, just kicked occasionally. I need to replace the stair treads and landings on two sets of porch steps outside my house. Forum discussion: Hello everyone. We, at Artistic Finishes, accept and appreciate the natural beauty that comes from real wood. My Dad has made the comment a few times (after having a bit of a fit over me wanting to buy a nail gun early on)….”I’m sure glad I talked you into getting that nail gun.” Oh, that man! Need suggestions for attaching hardwood stair treads. Pa-pow!! Metal stair treads – Building glue and finish nails are used to secure the stairs. If you have trouble with the hand nails bending, cut the head off one nail and use it for a drill bit. Thanks! In Part 1 of this Stairs Makeover series, we shared the reasons we chose to cover our steps with hardwood stair treads – and we outlined some other choices you may want to consider to upgrade your own steps. If your treads are 10 inches wide and do not overhang, you can add a 1 1/4-inch overhang by replacing them with treads made from 1-by-12s that are actually 11 1/4 inches wide. I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with using Liquid Nails or some other adhesive for putting down 1" oak stair treads on top of what was a rugged staircase, and now is bare plywood. We recently removed the carpeting on one of our circa 1970 open stair case treads to find a pine stair tread. This will give you a visual outline of where to place the tackless strips and the carpet itself, when the times comes. Finish nails have small head sizes and will not leave big, ugly holes on stairway “finished surfaces. It seems that current design trends, imply that more than 90% of all the mouldings and stair treads that we sell these days are stained a colour darker than their natural tone. Modern adhesive technology allows for the installation of stair treads without having to drill holes for screws or hammer nails into the surface. Finish nails are best used with a compressed air gun designed to push the nail between the tread and the Stringer. a. This is where most of the problems come from. You can mark your outline in blue masking tape for nice lines, then simply peel it off when you are finished. Hand nails, I use 10d finishing nails, for my gun nails I used 2 1/2 inch. I'd appreciate any suggestions for attaching hardwood treads (5/4 cherry finished out to 1"). Tool List. Last, the riser is shimmed tight to the tread (if necessary) and a pocket screw driven between each carriage draws everything up snug and squeek-free. Fill holes with a repair stick.) Then, replace the medium-grade disc with a fine-grade disc and sand them again. This nosing extends beyond the rough riser, finish riser, moulding and further to create a bullnose detail. Most of these adhesives have a greater amount of moisture than what is suited for solid wood and is known to cause cupping of solid wood treads at the job-site. (On wood subfloors, drill appropriate size holes into the installed stair nose and anchor with 6d finish nails (Fig. The LSCZ adjustable stair-stringer connector offers a versatile, concealed connection between the stair stringer and the carrying header or rim joist while replacing costly framing. Remember, nails bend but won’t break like screws. Finish nails are made from heavier 15- or 16-gauge wire, which means they can handle a greater payload. Step 1 installing the treads. Allowing for a 1 1/2-inch overhang, the minimum depth of the stair tread must be at least 10 inches. Joined Nov 15, 2011 Messages 33 Reaction score 0. Each tread will need to be slightly different in size. Nosings provide a finished look and help protect the edges of the steps from damage. Next Last. No matter what you use as newels, our Bull Nose Stair Treads are the starting point to an awesome staircase. Each tread is 1 board and the landings are multiples of the same material with no gaps in between each board. These stair treads look great with a box newel, a pin top newel, and a attached volute to the rail. The point we’re at here is the install. They appear to have used the same type of stair tread that you'd use for indoor stairs. Benefits of Finish Nails. b. Feb 4, 2013 #1 Greetings, this weekend my wife and I are taking Friday off to tackle this project. many people glue two layers of 3/4 together to make plywood treads. I helped with cutting the strips for our risers and nailed in all the nails. 1 of 2 Go to page. We used 2 1/2” nails for the stair treads. Iron newels are also an option if your are using an iron balustrade. Now it’s time to cut the stair treads to size. The nosing is located on the front of the tread, the side that will face you as you walk up your stairs. 2 | Page Artistic Finishes, Inc. / 2224 Terminal Road / Roseville, MN 55113 / 888816- -5606 / www.artisticfinishes.com Wood – A Natural Product . I usually shoot my treads down with 2 1/2" gun nails front and back then drill and hand nail a 16d finish in the center of each stringer.This helps to pull the tread down and seat it very firmly. A. averagejoemn Active Member. Use wood filler to fill in cracks and holes and wait 24 hours for it to dry before you sand the treads again. As with the deck boards that make up the floor of your deck, you need to use the same 3-1/2-inch deck screws to attach the stair treads to the stringers. It should be approximately 3 inches longer than the flat portion of your stair so it wraps under the lip of the stair, and it must be 1/4 inch shorter than the size of your carpet runner so it adequately pads without sticking out on the edges. If I have room in my rise to run, I screw plywood down first, then I have a full tread to spread glue. 2. Set nails using a nail punch. 15-gauge finish nailer . In other words, 18-gauge brad nails provide a cleaner look than a finish nail without extra touch-up involved. This will result in an unsafe condition. His questions set off a long discussion on stair construction techniques. November 19, 2005. finish nails support brace stair treads ... Cut the Treads. With a smaller head size, it's possible that the insertion point may not even need to be concealed with wood putty. The stairs have 2x10s for treads now because the original owner was going to carpet. You can also go with pine risers as they’re less than $10 apiece, with the oak risers coming for more than $10 ($12 or so). Choose a stain that enhances the richly grained lines of oak, such as a honey or deep red oak color. Simply fill in the nail hole using a filler stick then wipe away the excess wax. Stair treads have their own anatomy, and it is helpful to know what to call the different parts of a tread when you are ready to place an order. Next, make a reference mark on the riser above the tread with a pencil. This includes the recommended 3/4- to 1 1/4-inch overhang. Nosing may extend a maximum of 11⁄8" beyond riser 45" maximum 8d (0.131" x 21⁄2") nails, 6" o.c. Thread starter averagejoemn; Start date Feb 4, 2013; Help Support House Repair Talk: 1; 2; Next. so that it fits perfectly between the skirt boards. First some background: we have a … Cut the tread to the exact size needed using a miter saw. 42” oak stair treads (it’s what you’re stepping on). Once among types of nailers like pin nailer, framing nailer or crown stapler, the finish nailer was rare and expensive, but now the prices have come down and widely used among the DIY carpenters. Just trying to get an opinion. I can not access the stairs from underneath. One aspect of a tread is the nosing. Click to see full answer Hereof, can I use plywood for stair risers? Cut your tackless strips. This is for grabbing nails 3 or 4 inches thick. Installation Tips for Stair Treads, Risers, and Banisters A skilled, experienced finish, cabinet and furniture man is looking at his first-ever staircase — and it's already framed. You may find pine treads for $11/piece, and oak models for as high as $16/piece. Go. Oak stair treads usually sport a bullnose, or rounded, edge along their length. Whether you are looking for a Oak Tread or Glass, Pear Stairs have you covered. Each Starter Tread Kit contains: Bull Nose Starter Tread; curved riser Start by cutting one of the old stair treads short so it fits easier in the stairs. So far, no call backs. Be careful, it gets very hot, also beware, the nail will soften and bend easy after a few treads. As with your joists, stair stringers are supporting a load, which is why you want to use nails instead of screws to attach them to your deck. Here at Pear Stairs, we have a huge range of Stair Treads in various styles and materials, dependant on the type of staircase you have. Because Liquid Nails' products are labeled very similarly and packaging can vary between location and retailer, we strongly discourage the use of any other brand of adhesive, including Liquid Nails, for your stair installation. SturdiStep® stair tread Finish flooring material Full-length panel riser, 19⁄32" minimum, front and back of tread TimberStrand® LSL stair stringer 8d (0.131" x 21⁄2") nails, 12" o.c. Do not use over-the-top step nose molding on individual stair treads. Apply a bead of construction adhesive in a 3" (7.6 cm) serpentine pattern to the back of the cut piece of stair nose and affix to the stair. This will give you something to write on. Our customers often ask us about a solution for covering the holes left by finish nails in stair treads after installation. Roll a pencil up into a piece of fine-grain sandpaper and hand sand all of the corners and edges. The originals are cupped and cracked. You can use plywood for both the risers and the treads if you want to - many people glue two layers of 3/4 together to make plywood treads. Under no circumstances should foam underlayment be placed on stair steps or risers. I have a question on re-attaching hardwood treads to a staircase. I haven't used a surface fastener on my treads in 10 years. Each tread will need much refinishing due… Measure two inches on either side from the stair tread and trace straight lines from the front to back of the stair. A satin polyurethane finish will protect the stain and provide a suitable surface for foot traffic. Start by making a template with all the required measurements, angles, etc. Install the Treads. I'm concerned about wood movement. Start at the bottom and work your way up the steps so that you can add extra screws into treads from the back of the riser above it. Stair Tread & Riser Installation Guide . Before attaching stair treads it’s best to stain and finish them – this post discusses all of that too. So let me offer a few thoughts on how to get the job done and get some awesome results. Those nail guns were so fast and made this job a breeze to do. To finish pine stair treads, attach a medium-grade disc to a power sander and sand the treads. Instructions. Re: stair tread adhesive I use PL or Liquid nails. We love the look of the wood but wonder if pine is a good material, it seems a bit soft for stairs. Replacing stair treads, and maybe risers. Building codes typically require that stair treads be within 3/4 inch of 10 inches wide. Question I need help from experienced stair makers. Most stair nosings have an L-shaped profile so that they wrap around the front edge of the stair tread and down over the riser, the vertical board just below the tread. Wood and Metal Stair Treads. 34). Here is a quick look at how you can easily fill any nail holes left after your stair tread installation. When I only have the stringers, I block between. I am finishing off the treads with stain and polyurethane before I put them down, so I would like to not use nails if I don't have to. They also make stairs safer by providing a non-slip surface and a slight lip that helps keep feet from slipping off a step. Field slopeable to all common stair stringer pitches, the LSCZ connector is suitable for either solid or notched stringers. On one of our circa 1970 open stair case treads to find a pine tread... As high as $ 16/piece on, just kicked occasionally Liquid nails,... That enhances the richly grained lines of oak, such as a honey or red. 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