Need Help with Replacing Stair Treads


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Old 02-21-09, 07:47 PM
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Need Help with Replacing Stair Treads

Currently, I have carpet on my stairs. I am planning to replace all the treads with hardwood. My problem is when I go to remove the treads there is a stringer(false stringer? Skirt board? ) that is covering all my treads. The only way(it seems) is to cut the stringer so I can pull out my treads. If they are false stringers, do I really need them once I installed on the treads & risers? Any suggestion is greatly appreciated.


Thanks,

Randy
 
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Old 02-22-09, 03:34 AM
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Randy, welcome to the forums! You mean the skirt board was cut to the profile of the stairs and installed after the treads?? That is quite odd, and very time consuming. Most skirt boards are installed beside the stringer on either side, which are installed about 2" away from the framing, so you can slip it in place. Then the treads are installed. It is quite obvious, if that is the case, you will have to remove the skirt board to access the treads. It makes the wall look complete to have the skirt boards in place, so, yes, I would reinstall them. Try to remove them without breaking them, so you can reuse them. What size treads (thickness) do you have now?
 
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Old 02-22-09, 04:39 AM
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Chandler, the problem is how do I remove the skirtboards without cutting them? There are 3 screws that were screwed to the wall(on right skirt board). I removed these 3 screws and tried to prey the skirt boards out both they are not moving which leads me to believe they were screws from the sides(but I don't see any screw holes on the skirtboards). The existing treads are 1 1/6" thick and I am hoping/planning to replace them with the same size treads.

The first 4 steps of my stair is open(48" long with left & right return). The next 4 steps
have only right return. The last remains 6 steps are boxed steps(right skirt board begins on the 9th step as you are walking up the stairs). The left skirt board begins on the 4th step as you walk up the stairs).
 
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Old 02-22-09, 11:55 AM
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I know, but confirm with us that the skirt boards were custom cut to the design of the steps. I can't comprehend anyone doing this when there is a better way of doing it during the initial installation. Can you post a couple of pictures on a site such as photobucket.com and copy/paste the HTML code to your reply post. That way we can see what you see.
 
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Old 02-22-09, 05:07 PM
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treads

Chandler, please check out the link below...

Pictures by Randyleeus - Photobucket

Thanks,
 
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Old 02-22-09, 05:34 PM
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I can't believe someone actually cut the profile out. Your best bet is as you suggested in the OP, cut the treads and risers and pull them out. If you look and see that the skirt isn't needed, or the one behind it is sufficient, leave it out and reinstall the new treads and risers. If it would look better to leave the skirts, and you are using the same size lumber or larger, you may get by with just installing new treads and risers. Keep us informed.
 
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Old 02-22-09, 06:32 PM
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Treads

So you are saying I should butt my new treads and risers against the sheetrock?

Another thing that I can't figure is that if you look at the picture from bottom(last picture) when I ripped out the carpet, whatever under it is solid. Which leads me to believe that this stair was not made with the typically stringers(I am off based in this assumption?).

Thanks,

Randy
 
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Old 02-22-09, 07:35 PM
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Actually, cutting the skirt around the treads and risers was done all the time on job built stairs. If they are shop built stairs (most likley) they would have routed the treads and risers into the skirt and you should not take them apart, you will have to re-build the entire stair from the stringer up. On shop built stairs there is no stringer, the skirt is the support for the stair. From the pictures they appear to be shop built.

I do not understand the comment about the stairs not being built with the typical stringer. To know for sure you would have to go below and cut the drywall to look up and see if there are stringers or not.
 
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Old 08-26-09, 06:37 PM
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me too

Is there an update to this thread? I believe I have similar construction, shop built stair where the skirt is actually the stringer. My stairs are excessively squeaky and I'm trying to figure out a way to fix them without tearing up my entire house. I don't have access to the underside although I did get frustrated and knocked a small hole in the underside of a few steps and proved that there are no visible stringers. I was hoping I could just screw them down and then carpet back over to do the repair.

Can I cut out the treads and replace them with new? If that is possible, I'm thinking I could get treads that are cut just right to be able to slide them into position. Slip in on one side and then slide back into the other. Any help is appreciated. I'm so tired of the creaks.
 
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Old 08-28-09, 07:23 AM
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Like Bill62 said, "On shop built stairs there is no stringer, the skirt is the support for the stair. From the pictures they appear to be shop built."

I was replacing a staircase and ran across the shop built problem. They are built in a shop and installed during the constuction of the home. Replacing this would most definitley require replacing the entire stairs - starting from scratch.
 
 

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