Finishing stairs

commercial grade Liquid Nails and Nail Power for wood are very good quality contruction adhesives for wood to wood applications.

Nails will help the wood hold until the adhesive take effect, so dont be affraid to use them. They are also good for holding power should the adhesives ever fail from future deflection, settling, or movement from changes in humidity and climate (seasons).

the backsides and bottoms do not need sealed.

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There are two ways to do any job. The right way and the wrong way. Do it right everytime.

santastic, how is the project going?

I am about to do a similar project and was wondering how you are making out. Are you going top to bottom or bottom to top? Does anybody know if this matters? I plan starting from the bottom and working up.

are you putting the stairs as tight as possible? I have heard they should be tight and have also heard to leave a small gap to prevent squeaks. Do you (or anybody else here) have any input as to how tight teh treads and risers need to be.

What type of nails are you using? anything specific?

I am working with a pre-fab pine staircase that i will be cutting off the nosing and installing red oak treads and risers and looking for all the help and advice i can get!

Thanks!

work top to bottom or you will be standing on your just installed work before the adhesives cure. As much foot traffic as possible should be kept off them until the adhesives cure or you could potentially cause future squeaks from smashing the adhesive lower from the weight of foot traffic prior to cure, then the nails used will still be in the same place, causing movement, and subsquent squeaks from board movement riding up and down on the nail for lack of adhesive that has been squeezed out by foot traffic.

fits should be net .. not lose and not to tight, but net.

galvanized finish nails.

the only other thing i can say to look out for is existing excessive movement in teh staircase system, and to shore or firm it up if needed.

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There are two ways to do any job. The right way and the wrong way. Do it right everytime.

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http://flooringworld.org

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What size finish nails do you typically use? Do you pre-drill and roughly how many nails per step do you use? I was thinking somewhere between 4-6 nails per step if that works.

How much glue is needed. I'm guessing enough to get them to stick but not too much that it will squish out all over the place.

Have all my parts and starting this weekend!