For the home handyman: how to fasten the steps of a wooden staircase. The nuances of installing wooden stairs Fastening the steps of the stairs from the outside

A staircase is a real construction set that can be assembled in several ways from different or identical elements using different ways fastenings and materials. And in most cases, the “constructor” can be assembled independently.

Stair elements

The main and mandatory components are supports, steps and railings. The shape of the elements is noticeably different.

Stringer is a sawtooth-shaped supporting inclined beam to which treads are attached. It can be one or several, the steps on it are installed from above.
The bowstring is an inclined straight beam, but the tread is fixed between two supports.
A step is a flat element of a staircase on which one rests while moving.
Railing - stair railing.

The methods of fastening elements to each other may be different, therefore, for example, load-bearing beams, despite their role as support, may be absent altogether.

Wall – treads can be installed in a load-bearing wall. On the opposite side of the stairs, the steps are fastened together with bolts.
Modules are a connecting element that fastens the treads together and acts as a support beam. For this design, the support on the wall is partial.
Frame – metal structure, consisting of a supporting beam of minimum width - 12–18 cm, and stepped bases

Attaching steps to stringers and bowstrings

Load-bearing beams are an indispensable component wooden stairs, therefore, connection methods are described for wooden elements.

Fixing the tread on the beam depends on the method of its manufacture.

Zigzag protrusions are cut out in a board of the appropriate size according to calculations. Holes are made in the treads, then the stepped elements are installed on stringers and secured with screws. The screws are covered with wooden plugs on top. On the picture - traditional way installation on the stringer.
You can do it differently: attach rectangular supports to the support beam on spikes, and then mount treads on the supports.

Other methods are used to secure elements to the string.

On inside The boards are cut into grooves 2–3 cm deep for steps and risers, if they are provided for in the project. The product is assembled and then completely installed in the opening.
1. The groove may have open edges. In this case, the stepped element is pushed to the required depth into the bowstrings already in place. In both cases described, a screed is recommended.
2. First, additional supports are mounted on the inside of the beam - wooden blocks, a metal corner, and then treads are attached to the supports.

Installation of steps in the wall

The main condition is that the wall to which the installation is made must be load-bearing. Installation on partitions is unacceptable.

Sealing - grooves of the required depth are knocked out. Treads are inserted into the recesses with the end side and sealed with cement. This is the most reliable method, although it has one drawback: when using the stairs, vibration is transmitted to the wall, so the sound of footsteps is heard throughout the house.
Installation on brackets - holes are made for special anchors, steps are mounted to the latter through the brackets. The photo shows a version of the cantilever staircase.
Installation through a wooden beam - used for wooden structures. A beam is attached to the wall, which essentially acts as a bowstring, and then treads are placed on it.

On the opposite side, the edges of the elements are connected using bolts - metal rods threaded. This design looks very lightweight, but is also reliable.

Installing steps on a metal frame

Metal treads are used extremely rarely. The installation technology itself is simple - the metal product is laid on the base and welded, but it requires experience in working with a welding machine. If this method is implemented in a private house, it is advisable to trim the stairs with soundproofing material.
Wooden treads can be attached directly to a metal base. But since wood, unlike metal, shrinks, it is recommended to use a substrate during installation. A fragment of plywood 10–12 mm thick is bolted to the frame, and then onto the substrate liquid nails fixed wooden surface. In the video, the method of attaching the tread to the frame is demonstrated in more detail.

Modular stairs

There are two ways to purchase a wooden staircase - buy ready-made or order individual project, you can also make the product yourself. Many people have spent enough a large amount on the stairs, save on its assembly and try to mount the structure with their own hands.

Serious staircase manufacturers, who care about their reputation and the convenience of the client, adjust all the details at the rough assembly stage. Later the staircase is dismantled and covered with various protective impregnations, painted, if provided, and reassembled. Therefore, self-assembly of such structures does not cause any particular difficulties, of course, if you have minimal skills and necessary tools.

Since staircase structures come in different types, installation methods also differ. But there are rules that apply to all options:

Number the parts if the manufacturer did not do so;
Location of doorways in relation to the interfloor area;
According to the numbering, determine the assembly sequence;
If the walls and floor are not too smooth, then level the surfaces;
Put first those elements that will be difficult to get to later;
If the accuracy of the design is in doubt, then it is better to start installation from the top, then it is easier to adjust the length of the march.

They, in turn, are divided according to the type of fastening of the steps:

Console.

How to attach steps to a wooden staircase of this design:

Using a profile, which is then covered with plasterboard or other material.
They cut into the wall 20-40 cm;
With the help of a cable, it also replaces the handrails;
On the bolts, which are attached to the wall with pins, steps are pulled together on the other edge;
Attached to welded metal stringers.

On the bowstrings

These are boards or beams that cover the ends of the steps. From an aesthetic point of view, such stairs look attractive. And in this case, it’s immediately clear how to install balusters on a wooden staircase.

On the stringers

A very reliable, but labor-intensive fastening, also involves several types (embedded steps, on fillies). Stringers are load-bearing beams on which the steps rest.

Before attaching the balusters, their number and frequency of placement are determined. You can install:

At every stage;
Having missed one;
Having missed two;
Missing three.

However, for safety, it is recommended to make the distance between the elements about 20 cm. If the balusters are very thin and the tread is wide, then you can install two parts per step. Such elements serve as decoration and do not carry a load. The pillars are installed at the beginning and end of the march, if it is long, then in the middle.

Before attaching balusters to a wooden staircase, make markings. All elements must be on the same line, therefore, with different diameters of balusters and posts, mark their centers at the attachment point. An equal distance of 5-10 cm is set aside from the end of the steps; this point will be the center of the hole for the baluster. The thicker it is, the more you need to step back from the edge so that ultimately the part is at a distance of 2-5 cm from it.

6 cm:2 5 cm = 8 cm - this is the desired value by which you need to retreat from the edge, which is also the center of the hole.

Types of fastening balusters:

On self-tapping screws;
On the thorns;
Dowels;
Hairpins.

How to secure a wooden ladder

First, the tools are prepared. Mainly:

hacksaw;
roulette;
level;
brushes;
plane;
pencil and other tools depending on the design (for example, a screwdriver).

Before starting the installation of the stairs, it is necessary to make a drawing and make an estimate, where the height and width are calculated, the shape of the steps and the method of their fastening are designed. But the design takes into account the space that the staircase should allow, the configuration of the structure and the lifting height, as well as the aesthetic appearance.

Screw structures are rarely used even if the area of the room is wooden house very little. The small demand for this type of ladder is due to the fact that it is inconvenient to use, for example, for lifting or lowering massive things. It performs a single function - descent or ascent.

Marching stairs are installed quite often. Its appearance in a wooden house consists of marches consisting of steps and platforms. In turn, they are single-flight and multi-flight. Using this type of model, using all your imagination, you can create stairs to suit any design.

Flight stairs can be straight, they can be made with either one flight or two, which are separated by platforms. The disadvantage of these stairs is that they are very massive and their use in a small room is unreasonable.

They mainly use rotating double-flight staircases, since this design saves space. You can install marches with a curved design, which has a convenient approach angle, where the steps are rotary. When making multi-flight stairs, you can not use platforms, but make turning steps.

To choose a suitable design, firstly, you need to select a space into which the staircase will fit and will not create inconvenience during use. Secondly, you need to make measurements, calculations and draw a drawing with the location of all elements.

There are a lot of requirements and you need to take into account all of them, which ultimately, when made with your own hands, will give an exemplary staircase.

Let's look at them in detail:

The most important requirement– selection of the appropriate ratio “width-height of steps/step depth”. The average, widely used figure ranges from 16 to 25 cm. If you reduce the step width, then raise the board higher than expected, the stairs will become steeper;
Dimensions: width between 80 and 100 cm, width from 35 to 50 cm, riser height - 15-20 cm;
The steps should be either solid wood or laminated wood slats;
The thickness of the riser is usually between 15 and 20 mm;
Speaking about the winder, consider the recommended dimensions: length from 80 to 120 cm, width from 18 to 20 cm, thickness - 2 cm;
The board must be perfectly dried and coated with an antiseptic, have hydrophobic protection, otherwise it will creak as soon as it is saturated with water;
Painting with varnish is a recipe for failure. You can stick a special anti-slip tape, which will look unpresentable. To prevent falls, it is better to cover the board with: carpet, non-slip linoleum, polyurethane, rubber/caoutchouc.

Console.

On the stringers

Balusters are supports for railings that combine decorative function from practical. For a wooden staircase structure, the balusters can be made of a different material:

Glass;
Metal;
Polymer;
Stone;
Combined (wood metal, glass metal).

According to the manufacturing method, wooden balusters are:

With carved elements;
Milling;
Chiseled.

Flat;
Cylindrical;
Square.

For the production of balusters, solid wood of different species is used, both elite expensive and inexpensive: beech and oak, cherry and walnut, mahogany and bamboo, as well as birch, pine, ash, larch and birch. The main condition is not to overdry it, since wood that is too dry is brittle and can split during the assembly process. Wood that is too wet also cannot be used to make balusters; they may crack when shrinking.

Metal balusters are made from:

Stainless steel;
Copper;
Cast iron;
Bronze;
Various alloys.

By manufacturing method:

Cast;
Forged;
Thick;
Welded.

What elements does the baluster consist of:

In the middle there is a central part, which is the main decoration;
On top there is a support for the handrail;
Below is the base.

The size of the balusters depends on the installation methods and varies from 70 cm to 1 m.

Forged and other types metal balusters mounted to the steps using fasteners supplied by the manufacturer. They also go to them decorative overlays, masking fasteners. At the base of the balusters there are holes through which they are fixed to wooden elements with screws or self-tapping screws.

Spiral, marching, half-turn or extension staircases are often cast from concrete. High-quality steel reinforcement and high grades of concrete ensure the strength characteristics of the product. Thanks to reinforced concrete, the structure is not affected by moisture content in the air or various atmospheric influences.

Many people believe that pouring concrete is the most expensive process when arranging a flight of stairs. However, using wood trim is even more expensive. Flaws in cladding masonry technology can increase costs. To avoid this, you should familiarize yourself with the main mistakes made when arranging cladding materials on concrete stairs:

Wood should not be laid directly on stair steps. as this will shorten the service life of the cladding.
Minimum thickness wooden shields- 3 cm. It’s not worth saving - it will reduce strength.
Before finishing cladding surface in mandatory leveled and veneered.
In order not to lose aesthetics in the appearance of the staircase, the wood does not need to be painted.
Before covering the stairs with wood, it must be cleaned of dust and debris. This will increase the adhesion of the adhesive layer between the concrete and the finish.
To hold the plywood more firmly, it is recommended to use not only glue, but also fastening dowels.
You should not skimp on varnish. It must be moisture resistant. You need at least three layers of varnish with drying between each ball.

Concrete spiral staircase trimmed with oak - a favorite finish.

Wooden stairs on a concrete base must be durable and have an aesthetic appearance. The choice of wood material can be made according to grade, shade and economic considerations. Today we offer regular and exotic species. The most common are four varieties. But others also use:

Oak is considered a favorite. Features of the material: strength, interesting texture, pleasant shade and pattern, accessibility. Oak is chosen to provide a respectable appearance. Oak stairs will last long term without loss of appearance.
Beech has a homogeneous structure, high quality, a pleasant shade and a more affordable price than the first position.
Larch is the most affordable and popular material. At the same time, the quality and reliability of products made from this wood are as high as those of oak.
Ash has the highest strength among the listed varieties. It has a beautiful pattern, a wide range of shades from dark to light.
Elite wood species are distinguished by higher cost, but also good strength characteristics. These include wenge, badi, dussie, yaroko, jatobo.
It is possible to finish the concrete staircase with a cheaper material, such as linden or pine. These varieties are different light colors, which can visually reduce the bulkiness of the structure. However, they are significantly inferior in strength indicators, so this finish will last less and will quickly lose its attractive appearance.

To determine the amount of material required for arranging a concrete-based staircase, it is necessary to carry out a calculation. To do this you will need the following parameters:

dimensions of one step: thickness, width, depth;
dimensions of risers;
number of steps and risers.

To construct the step overlays, you need to use wood material up to 1.5 cm thick. The protrusions can be compensated for by roundings and overhangs. To construct risers, thinner plywood is used, since the load in this area is minimal.

It is convenient to walk on the steps if the step width is 60-65 cm. The step can be increased by overhanging the material in the finishing. The overall width of the stairs must be sufficient for stable movement. Due to reinforcement, it becomes possible to expand the flight of stairs without loss of stability.

Wood is excellent option for finishing a wide variety of structures due to a number of positive properties and attractive appearance. In this article we will look at how to decorate a concrete staircase with wood with your own hands so that the result is durable and reliable.

All requirements must be met technological process, each of the stages is very important and has a direct impact on the final result.

In the photo: cladding a concrete staircase with wood literally transforms it

All wooden elements

If you do the work yourself, then necessary materials you'll have to look for it. The easiest way is to invite specialists to take all the necessary measurements and give their recommendations, because in addition to wood for the stairs you will need railings and balusters, as well as other elements that you may not even know about

Components of the structure

A stringer is a load-bearing structure that performs the supporting function of steps and risers, and also bears all the loads.

The bowstring also performs a supporting function. It is a beam with recesses into which the end sides of the steps are installed. Due to the fact that the bowstring cannot withstand heavy loads, it is rarely used.

Steps. The design of these elements consists of horizontal (treads) and vertical (risers) beams. If desired, the stairs can be built without risers, and the gap between the steps will not be closed. In this case, the ladder is considered fragile.

The shape of the steps is made rectangular, rotary, and to give the design originality - radius.

Railings are wooden trim elements such as balusters and handrails. They come in different shapes. Usually the shape depends on the customer's wishes, since they can be made to order.

With a multi-flight structure, a support pillar or several pillars are additionally installed at turns.

Installation is carried out in the following sequence:

First, the load-bearing elements are attached;
Then the steps;
At the very end there is a fence.

How to fasten a wooden staircase on the second floor using bowstrings

There are two types of staircases on bowstrings - when the load-bearing element is on one side, and on the other the steps are attached directly to the wall. And the second option - the bowstrings are on both sides and cover the ends of the steps. Each type has options:

Straight;
Rotary;
In several flights;
With intermediate platform;
With winder steps.

A staircase structure with two bowstrings is first assembled on the floor. If you purchased a ready-made structure that just needs to be assembled, the strings already have special slots for the steps. If the staircase is made at home, then all stages are done independently.

Slots are made in the load-bearing beams (50 mm board) corresponding in size to the thickness, width and configuration of the steps. After the cuts are made, you can prepare the bowstring in advance for attaching to the wall. To do this, through holes are made in it for special anchors at a distance of 30-50 cm from each other along the entire length. Then, placing the string against the wall at the installation site, points for fastenings are marked on it through the holes.

To avoid misalignment or mismatch, a template is made from plywood, with which markings are made on both strings. The marking is done in mirror image. The depth of the slots cannot be less than half the thickness of the board (25 mm). It happens that the slots are made right through and then the ends protrude beyond the string.

If the staircase begins with winder steps, then the slots in each string are made according to their size. On the one hand - for the wide part, on the other - for the narrow part.

As a rule, such stairs are made open, that is, without risers. If there are risers, then slots are made in the bowstrings for them too. Before assembling the structure, all elements are impregnated with fire retardants and antiseptics.

Traditionally, metal stairs are considered the most reliable and durable

Among the various staircase structures, metal ones are particularly durable and stable. At the same time, there are many ways to attach the steps of such a staircase. Installation can be carried out using the following methods:

for stringers;
for fillies;
on the central support plates;
on Bolza.

The best way to install the steps depends on what type of metal frame is used in a particular application.

Special attention should be given to screw models. These stairs differ in almost every aspect. The central axial beam serves as a support for them. If we talk specifically about the metal variation, it is best made from a pipe.

Screw design implies a special type of fastening of steps

Thus, the frame is represented by a central support to which platforms for future steps are attached. Their installation is most often carried out either using bolts and brackets, or welded method. That is, there is no attachment of the steps to the string as such; they are placed on the prepared platform.

Wooden elements are fixed in several places. In order not to spoil the appearance of the front side of the steps, they are screwed with reverse side. If the platform is represented by a frame welded from corner profiles, a board of the required size is selected for each element and laid with a small gap so that when the volume changes, its structure is not destroyed.

Another way to install stair steps is to fasten them with bolts. This approach is most often used in modern designs, in particular, in modular ones.

The peculiarity of this method is that the frame as such may be absent altogether. In this case, the steps are fixed to each other using bolts, and the emphasis is on the wall and support columns.

In order to fix the steps in this way, it is necessary first of all to ensure reliable fastening of the staircase parts to the wall. This design can only be used if it is adjacent to the carrier concrete wall, since flimsy partitions will not withstand the load placed on them.

The position of the steps is determined in a standard way still at the design stage. Then brackets are driven into the wall and with their help all elements are fixed. The steps are connected to each other using bolts along the outer edge. A small indentation is made on the side, and then a suitable hole is drilled. The bolts are placed on the prepared area and secured with screws.

Bolza - a spectacular structural element of the staircase

Since high stairs place a greater load on the lower parts, it is necessary to provide additional supporting elements for every 4-5 steps, depending on the total weight of the elements and the angle of inclination.

Common mistakes when working

Most often, the steps differ in height, but you need to bring them to a single standard, and the easiest way to do this is with a self-leveler. If the differences are insignificant, then you can level the surface using liquid cement mortar. Sometimes it is easier to reduce the height of one step than to raise all the others, in this case a power tool with a special grinding bit for concrete is required

With its help, the surface of the stairs is sheathed in order to protect the steps from moisture and minimize the likelihood of their deformation. You will need material 10-15 mm thick

Both plywood and wooden elements are mounted on special mastics or two-component solutions; they provide the most reliable fastening and create an additional barrier to moisture

Important! In addition, you will need fasteners: dowels, screws, bolts or studs. All this is selected depending on the design features and is calculated individually.

IN modern versions There is even impact-resistant glass as an enclosing structure

Fastening stair steps

The staircase will be more reliable and convenient during active use if the fence is secured to it with balusters. Each support column is attached vertically to the handrail, connecting at the bottom with the beam in increments of no more than 15 centimeters. Such fastening is necessary for the safe placement of the fence and a minimum margin of safety.

Installation of a wooden staircase can be done independently in a short time, but it is necessary to carefully select the wood for the structure to prevent cracking and release of resin over time. Reliable material and competent calculations make it possible to install the staircase for a long time, while none of the parts will let the owner down in terms of service life. Railings and platforms, flights of stairs to any floor must be secured with balusters, so the installation of this element is especially important.

You can fasten balusters on stairs that have a bowstring at their base anywhere, since the fastening is done not on a step, but on a beam. Typically, installation of racks is done with outside in the sidewall of the load-bearing beam. In this case, screws are used, which are screwed into the grooves and covered with decorative dowels.

Experts recommend fastening the structure when attaching it to the bowstring with wood glue (joining them), and fastening it with clamps. Balusters are placed on the beam using dowels and round tenons for fastening. It is necessary to first make a hole in the rack for them, avoiding any backlash. The dowels are inserted tightly into the racks and fixed adhesive solution. The string and the railing are connected by the lower parts of the dowels.

The racks must be secured to the surface of the support beam with studs. To do this, you will need a regular drill and a miter saw. The materials you will need are the bowstring itself, fencing posts, galvanized studs with a thread of at least M6, and PVA glue in a tube. Typical work sequence:

It is necessary to mark the places for attaching the railings in the form of racks. If a complex design is chosen, it is recommended that the project be checked by professionals;
It is recommended to securely fasten the stand and cut it off bottom corners, maintaining the angle of the inclined beam;
Make holes with a diameter of 12 mm for a length of 80 mm;
Drown the pins in the adhesive and insert them into the holes, leaving 7 centimeters out;
Make holes in the bowstring; to do this, the drill bit needs to be secured to 14 mm. Work depth – 10cm;
The balusters are inserted with pins, and the fixation process starts from the outer pillars.

The step is attached to the string of the staircase by insertion or mounting on supporting parts. These include special bars that are attached to the beam using screws on the tread. The tread itself is attached to the supports with the same screws.

Some experts recommend merging the step. In this case, short bars are used for gluing, which makes the surface not solid, but with longitudinal and transverse seams. You can join them in a checkerboard pattern, which is reminiscent of parquet joining.

The option of arranging a staircase with steps embedded in the bowstring with grooves 2 cm deep is allowed. It is necessary to first mark them, retreating from the edge of the edge, and then insert a tread with a riser inside. The easiest way is to screw the board in from the end with a screw.

The staircase and its string will be reliable and safe if the strings are joined on the balusters. In this case, the beam has several sections, the fastening of which is made in the baluster grooves.

The entire incoming load from the top of the stairs is transferred to the fence posts, so during operation the entire structure becomes a single system. The balusters, step and string will be interconnected. The choice of step type does not affect the strength of the structure, but if the steps are joined together, the surface characteristics will be significantly improved.

Mortise mount

You can make a mortise-type fastening yourself using a drill and manual frezer, chisel and jigsaw, screwdriver. It is also worth preparing screws, plywood, wood slats, risers and treads.

The string needs to be marked with a plywood template, in which the tread is cut with or without a riser to the size of the march;
Draw a reference line with a 50mm indent from the edge edge;
Make a fastening for guide rails that slide along the top of the board. The template is moved along the material so that the tops of the zigzag steps are located along the reference line;
Grooves are made in the bowstring, with the obligatory observance of the angle to the location of the fibers of the material. A reliable way to make the correct groove is to use a stencil with a hole in the plywood. In this case, you can use a jigsaw and a drill to make the desired hole size;
The beam is placed on the trestles, a stencil is placed on top of it so that the tread matches, and a fastening is made;
Using a router in a clockwise direction, cut a groove 20 cm deep, after which the corners are processed with a chisel;
Having made the required number of grooves, the staircase is assembled, each step in the groove is coated with glue;
The risers and treads must be secured with a screw, each step from the outside is attached with screws to the string. A decorative plug is installed on top of the fastener.

Fastening with supports

Fastening steps using metal supports does not require milling. The only tools you will need are a hammer and a drill, nails, screws and metal corners. You need to mark the tread according to a plywood template, then fasten the support block with nails. The metal corners are secured with screws using prepared holes. Each step is connected to the supporting element with a screw.

A staircase with a one-sided string, when the function of the second is performed by the wall, is made as a fastening for steps and balusters. To do this, you need to make a bowstring in which to cut mortise grooves with a router. Treads and risers are assembled into steps. The bottom of the step is attached to a groove on the support beam on one side, and to the baluster on the other.

The lower racks are secured to the floor with bolts, connecting the base of the lower step to them with screws. The second stage is installed, fixed to the fence post (handrail). The back of the bottom step is needed to support the front of the next step, and the middle is fixed to the posts. This principle works for all steps in the ladder.

You can choose any method of attaching the steps to the string of the staircase, the main thing is that it suits its design and stylistic design. For the reliability and durability of the product, it must be installed in strict sequence for each type. After this, the structure will serve for a long time without the need for repair or replacement.

The ends of the steps are impregnated with glue, and the inner surface of the slot on one string is coated with it. The step is inserted into the groove and pressed. This is done with all steps, then the same action is performed with another string. After the glue has dried, the connection is duplicated with screws for more reliable fixation.

The caps are deepened by 5-7 mm and then decorated with either plugs or putty. Another option for attaching steps is on metal corners, overlays or on curved supports. Then recesses on the bowstrings are made for them and fixed with self-tapping screws. Then, wooden steps are placed on the metal fastenings, which are also secured with dowels with bottom side so that they are not visible.

Support beam staircase structure, that is, the stringer is the element on which the steps are mounted. Basic fastening methods:

The simplest one is with self-tapping screws. The steps are drilled through and self-tapping screws are screwed into the holes; this type of fastening is called a hidden fastening. To prevent a hole from remaining, it is expanded slightly with a large drill and a plug is inserted. There are fasteners with decorative heads. They are not hidden, since the heads are decoration.
Using cotter pins. Holes with a diameter matching the size of the cotter pin are drilled in the stringer and steps. The step is coated with glue and placed on the stringer. The mount itself is not visible.
On metal bars or corners.
Embedded steps. For them, undercuts are made in the stringer, where the tread is inserted and fixed with wood glue for reliability.
Using dowels (dowels). In this way, the tread is attached to the riser from above, and the riser is connected to the bottom step. At the same time, for steps made of hardwood, the pins are made of soft wood, and for treads from soft wood For dowels, use hard wood.
Metallic ones are used for installation support legs, which are attached to the stringer with dowels.

In all installation options, before attaching the risers to a wooden staircase, they are coated with glue to strengthen the connection of the elements and prevent creaking and loosening in the future. In general, there are three main types of riser mounting:

In the groove - the simplest and most common;
At the end with self-tapping screws;
Using a corner.

In all options, the height of the riser will be different and this should be taken into account when assembling the structure.

In our version of constructing a staircase with your own hands, the most convenient option is to attach the steps to the stringer at the top. This option for fastening steps, in turn, can also be divided into several fastening methods:

Fastening the step to the stringer, leaving the head of the hardware on the surface of the step, bolt-nut or bolt-thread connection in the stringer.
Attaching the step to the stringer with the hardware head partially recessed into the step. The connection is the same as in the first method.

If you choose the first method of attaching the steps to the staircase frame, then in this case it is necessary to purchase bolts with a decorative head and, preferably, a turnkey hexagon. When installing such bolts, the decorative cap will serve as an additional decoration for the staircase, and if during operation of the staircase the fastening of the steps becomes loose, then tightening or replacing the fastening material can be done without hindrance, because access to the bolt and nuts in this case is free and nothing interferes with the work. repair work.

When choosing the second method, when the head of the hardware is partially recessed into the step and the hole is closed from above with a wooden plug or putty. In this case, repairing the steps (replacing or tightening the fastening) will be difficult, since we will have to drill out a wooden plug in order to get to the head of the hardware, and this, you will agree, is not a very convenient option for repairing steps or tightening the fastening.

Fastening the marching structure

Once the entire march is assembled and the glue has dried, it is time to secure the structure in place. Since there is only one flight, its support points are the floor of the lower floor and the platform of the upper one. Therefore, first the length of the bowstrings is measured and, if they protrude slightly beyond the overlap, the excess is sawed off.

The wall string can only be attached to main wall at least 25 cm thick. It must be block, brick or concrete. Holes are made in it according to the markings that were made at the time of preparing the string for installing the steps. Then, by aligning the holes in the string and on the wall, the ladder is securely fastened with the help of anchors.

The staircase is attached to the landing of the second floor using a strip, which is hemmed between strings like a riser. Through this bar the ladder is secured to the landing with anchors. Another fastening option is possible - using corners or plates hemmed to the bowstring.

Installation procedure

To construct such a staircase, light materials are used, otherwise the structure will be too massive and heavy for the floors.

The metal frame has the appearance of a stepped structure. If you use paired stringers, you don’t have to strain too much and fasten the parts directly to them. To do this, you need to drill holes and use studs to attach the steps to the appropriate places. After that, they are tightened with nuts from the reverse side and fixed in place.

Steps can be easily secured to a metal stringer using nuts and bolts

If only one central stringer is used, it is better to install it by fixing the step on an additional platform. To do this, a sheet of metal is screwed to the support, or better yet, welded. You just need to place the part in correct position and screw it on the back side.

Let's look at another way - how to attach steps to a side string. In this case wooden parts can be baited on pre-prepared pins located on the bowstring itself. Or you can cut the grooves exactly according to the thickness of the step and fix it with glue.

Finishing a concrete staircase with wood starts from the bottom.

Installation of facing wooden material on a concrete staircase - labor-intensive process:

Preparation. The height of each step is measured, then leveled to the highest one. For this purpose, self-leveling floor mixtures are used. If the difference in height is insignificant, a thin layer of the mixture smooths out unevenness in the concrete. If there is a high variation in the size of the steps, plywood formwork is made to the required height. It is attached to dowels.
Primer. After leveling, the surface is cleared of debris and dust. Then a layer of primer is applied, which increases adhesion between finishing materials. The mixture should be applied after the primer has completely dried.
Waterproofing. In order to protect it from moisture, plywood sheets 10-15 cm thick are attached to the concrete. This layer is treated with a primer.
Wood cladding. steps from natural wood you can do it yourself, pick it up finished goods, order an individual form. For fastening, three bolts with a diameter of 0.6 cm are used. They are screwed into the lower part of the riser so that their heads protrude slightly. Then the caps are cut off, and the risers are aligned with the steps. Holes are drilled along the marks made and then filled with epoxy resin. Liquid nails are applied to the plywood, and the cladding is attached on top. Holes are made in the abutting riser for attachment to the second riser. The next plywood layer and holes are treated with glue. At this stage on concrete base the first wooden step is laid. You can measure the correctness of the masonry using a building level. This is how the entire staircase is finished.

If after facing works Gaps have formed between one step and the second, as well as on the sides; they are treated with putty or foam.

Fastening a ladder with a turntable

If the design includes an interfloor platform, then first install support pillars made of 100x100 mm timber. Not everyone knows how to secure the support post of a wooden staircase, but in fact there is nothing difficult about it. The number of support pillars may vary. If the platform is adjacent to the corner of the room, then there is only one support pillar and then it is attached to the floor using self-tapping screws and wood glue. The other two sides of the platform are mounted to the walls forming an angle.

For greater stability, two to four pillars can be connected with bars or boards along the perimeter at the bottom and top. The platform will rest on this strong parallelepiped and be drilled to it using self-tapping screws and corners. The beams, in turn, are attached to the floor with long self-tapping screws.

The lower section of the march is attached simultaneously to the platform and the support post; if it is adjacent to the wall, it is also attached to a vertical surface. A vertical cut is made on the support post, the size matching the width and thickness of the bowstring. During assembly, the free bowstring is inserted into a slot pre-lubricated with glue and secured with a pin. The march is attached to the platform using anchors and a horizontal strip located between the strings.

The installation of the upper flight follows the same pattern as the lower one. It is fixed to the second floor landing and to the intermediate one. If the ladder runs along the wall, it is attached to it.

The finishing of the stairs and the floor should be combined.

In order to obtain a high-quality result, it is recommended to pay attention to some tips:

The color scheme of the floor and stairs should be combined in style and shades.
The strength characteristics of the stairs should be comparable to the same indicator flooring. It is better to use wood of the same type.
The facing layer should be more than 3 cm. A thinner coating has a shorter service life.
Wood finishing should be carried out only after leveling and complete cleaning of the concrete base.
The size of the gap between the handrails and the marches should vary between 7.5-15 cm. This is enough for the passage of a fire hose.
The height of the steps should be the same. Otherwise, alignment difficulties may arise. Moreover, it is not recommended to use glue and putty for these purposes. The maximum permissible difference in height is 1 cm. When leveling heights, it is recommended to use concrete solutions with reinforced steps reinforcement mesh.
Inadmissible use wood cladding low quality, since such a ladder will not last long.
Crossbars, balusters. railing It is better to perform the steps in the same style and color. It is permissible to combine wooden stairs and, for example, wrought iron railings.
Cladding should be carried out after major repair work.
To carry out the work, it is necessary to attract specialists with a certain work skill.

Covering concrete stairs with wood provides the following advantages:

compliance with fire safety standards;
increased service life of the ladder;
strength and rigidity of the finished product.

A staircase with wood cladding will decorate the interior, and a concrete base will ensure the reliability and durability of the structure. If you have the skills and knowledge of the technology of covering stairs with wood, you can do the work yourself.

Otherwise, it is better to involve professionals, otherwise mistakes made may lead to additional costs.

Workflow organization

All work is divided into two important stages - preparation of the base and fastening of the main elements. Let's consider each of them in detail, because finishing a concrete staircase with wood with your own hands is a very difficult and very responsible process (See also the article “Wood grade - general information, classification and regulatory requirements to lumber").

Preparation

Work should begin with the preparation of everything necessary, so make sure in advance that all materials and equipment are at hand.

The sequence of events is as follows:

First of all, the height of all steps in the structure is measured, this is necessary in order to determine the difference in parameters. Minor differences do not need to be corrected, but it is still advisable to fill the plane liquid solution to obtain a perfect plane. If the difference is noticeable, you need to prepare to fill the steps; this will require the construction of formwork.
The formwork is attached so that its upper edge serves as a guide for pouring the mortar. To construct the structure, edged boards or plywood with a thickness of at least 10 mm can be used; the frame must be neat so that the geometry of the steps is not disturbed.

If the staircase was built from blocks, you will have to make formwork for all steps, and it is important to initially establish a uniform slope so that you do not have to carry out additional work later

Next, you should clean the surface from dust and dirt and treat it with a primer that will reduce the absorption of the base and improve adhesion adhesive composition. All the features of preparing and using the soil will be indicated by the instructions on the package; be sure to study it, because you may have a concentrated solution, which must be diluted with water.

You can prime the surface before installing the formwork.

Do-it-yourself cladding of a concrete staircase with wood should not be done directly onto the concrete; first, plywood is attached, cut into pieces of the desired configuration. First of all, the sheets are placed on the surface and checked for level; if necessary, chips or slats are placed under them. Next, the surface is covered with mastic and plywood is laid on it; for additional reliability, we recommend using quick-installation dowels.

It is important to choose a high-quality adhesive so that it provides the best joint strength

Main stage

Now let's look at how to cover a concrete staircase with wood with your own hands. Work should begin after the adhesive composition under the plywood has dried, usually this period is about a day.

First of all, steps are cut out of wood for a concrete staircase of the desired configuration. The risers are also prepared, which are most often made of the same material as the main elements. If the product configuration is complex, it is better to order this work from specialists with the appropriate equipment.
The diagram below shows the entire workflow very clearly and easily. The installation of wooden steps on a concrete staircase starts from the bottom; first, 3 holes with a diameter of 5 mm and a depth of 15 mm are drilled in the lower end of the riser on the sides and in the middle, pieces of a threaded rod with a diameter of 6 mm and a length of 25 mm are hammered into them, that is, 10 mm will stick out outside. At the location of these elements, holes are drilled in the concrete, filled with epoxy resin, and the riser is put in place.

This is what the connection diagram of the structural elements looks like

Now let's look at how to attach wooden steps to a concrete staircase, or rather to a plywood base. A groove is cut out at the bottom of the element for the protruding riser, and the next element, which will be located under the step above, is also attached with self-tapping screws. The bases are coated with mastic, after which the finished structure is placed on them, everything is done carefully with constant level checking.

Important! Sometimes, in order to fix a step in the desired position, you need to place a heavy object on it.

Two weights will do the job quite well.

Further covering of concrete stairs with wood is carried out in a similar manner. A riser is attached to the step, and the element is glued to the base. It is important to do the work carefully and efficiently, without unnecessary haste.
If cracks and voids have formed in the end parts, the easiest way is to seal them with polyurethane foam with a low expansion coefficient.

How to attach steps to the string of a staircase?

The installation of railings must be taken very seriously. They must be cut at the same angle, which creates difficulties when sawing by hand, as there is a possibility of error. In this regard, cutting is carried out on special machine. Fence posts are secured to the floor with hardware.

To attach the handrail, a recess with a smaller diameter than the rod is drilled in the string, balusters and in the handrail itself. Then the structure is installed on the pins and secured with self-tapping screws. To ensure stability of the fence, the lower end of the handrail is attached to a post, and the upper end is attached to a wall or a wooden post. The fastening must be strong, since a large load occurs in these places.

Before installing the baluster, you need to accurately adjust it to the angle of the bowstring. Trimming at the base is done at special tool with angle setting. Then the fastening is carried out in the same way as on the tread. Installation on a bowstring is possible if it is thick enough.

If you plan to build a staircase with mortise steps, then the grooves are made from the inside. Their depth should be between 1.5 and 2 centimeters. After this, risers and treads are carefully inserted into the grooves. When working on your own, remember that the bowstring must have cutouts with smooth edges and the same depth.

Pay careful attention to the markings relative position grooves on two support beams. If it is uneven, then unexpected distortion of the staircase structure may occur in the future.

In such cases, experts recommend making special templates cut from thin sheet plywood. To prevent the string from turning into a stringer, the guides should be attached at a distance of 50 millimeters from a pre-marked line.

The markings for the grooves are as follows. Longitudinal lines are drawn on the inside of the beam. They should retreat 50 millimeters from the edges of the beam. If such a need arises, this distance can be reduced to 30 millimeters. Further ready-made template moves neatly along the edge using guides. The location of the steps is marked with a pencil.

Remember that when applying markings to the string of one ladder structure, the location of the grooves must be completely mirror-like.

The lower and upper parts of the support beams must completely coincide with the floor levels. But whether this coincidence will be vertical or horizontal depends directly on the type of structure.

Experts who know all the features of fastening and marking do not advise quickly sawing off the excess ends. It is quite possible that they will be needed for insertion into a special support beam during final installation.

In order to get a reliable and very durable ladder on bowstrings, fastening the side elements is best done using rods. This can be a wooden tie on bolts or wedges, or a metal tie on nuts. Strands are installed at both edges of the staircase and in its central part.

Step mounting options

From the outside it may seem that ladders on bowstrings look monotonous and uncomplicated. But this is far from true. There are a huge number of options for their design.

In order to pick up best option installation, you should study possible methods of installing steps:

Sliding steps are not simply inserted into pre-made grooves, but are carefully pushed into them. The cut-out recess should not only have an entrance for the steps, but also an exit to the outside. In these structures, the treads can be dismantled without dismantling the entire staircase structure.
Mortise steps are a standard method of connecting treads and risers. A hole is pre-cut in the bowstring, into which a step is then hammered. To make the grooves, you should use a hand router. If you don’t have a router, you can take a chisel and a hammer. But this method takes a lot of time. After the steps are secured to one string, you should fill the second element from the other edge.
Application of corners. This method involves the use of additional elements. In order not to waste time cutting out corners, you can attach metal corners to the sides. Exactly for these additional elements In the future, treads will be attached.

Practical instructions

It's time to make wooden steps with your own hands. We will go through 3 stages: we will perform the calculation, make the steps, and then install them.

Determine the height of the structure, its dimensions and the number of steps. To make a bowstring, take a wooden stick of the required thickness. As noted above, cutting grooves should be done using templates.

When cutting grooves yourself, you should copy the marks from the template onto the workpiece. The wood is processed with a special milling cutter with a nozzle of the required diameter.

After this, fix the internal string at the construction site and connect all the elements of the steps. When the work is finished, press the elements of the steps on the other side with another string and carefully tamp them down. With the help of glue and nails you can make the structure more durable and reliable in use.

By installing tie rods, you can prevent unwanted loosening of the staircase structure. The rods are installed at the rate of one per 5 steps.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that constructing a string for a ladder with your own hands is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Before using the staircase structure for its intended purpose, you should ensure the strength of the fastenings.

If necessary, additional vertical support elements can be installed. Metal tubes or wooden beams are suitable for this purpose. Models of stairs that are mounted to the ceiling with the help of hangers look interesting. ceilings.

As for the fences, they can be installed both on the string and on the steps themselves. It all depends on your aesthetic preferences. If you are not sure that you can handle the work yourself, even with the help of video instructions, then it is better to contact a specialist. The Ladder Master company employs craftsmen who will complete all tasks assigned to them not only quickly, but also efficiently. Such a string for stairs is guaranteed to be reliable, durable and aesthetically attractive.

How to install a railing on a wooden staircase

The railing is the final element that ensures the safety of movement and secures the balusters at the top. They can be made from:

Metal;
Stone;
Polymer materials;
Tempered glass;
Wood.

Finished wooden railings are attached to balusters using:

Self-tapping screws;
Shurupov;
Shipov;
Brackets.

The railings can be fixed both to the staircase structure and to the wall. In this case, the handrail is placed at a distance of 90 cm from the crest of the step and is located parallel to the bowstring or stringer, maintaining the angle of inclination of the staircase structure.

When installing wooden handrails on wooden balusters, the latter are cut at an angle at the top. The angle is equal to the steepness of the march installation. To cut off the top part exactly, you need to make a mark with a thread stretched through all the balusters from top to bottom. Mark a straight line with a pencil and saw off the excess part along it.

Before trimming, a mark is made on the handrail support in the middle of the part and a hole is drilled for a pin or dowel. This is easier to do on a flat surface, since the hole should run vertically.

After trimming, the pins are screwed into the holes. The corresponding holes must also be made on the handrail. In order not to make a mistake, you need to combine the handrail with the balusters on which the pins are already inserted, and lightly tap them along the entire length. There will be marks on the inside of the railing, and holes need to be drilled in this place. Before installing the connection point, for reliability, you need to coat it with glue.

Another option for installing railings to balusters is using a support rail, as the auxiliary strip is called. It is made with a spike and repeats the configuration of the handrail recess. The plank is applied to the sawn surface of the balusters, secured with self-tapping screws and then inserted into the recess; it is first coated with glue.

Fastening with spikes is used. They are cut out at the top of the baluster. The tenon configuration can be any, but it must match the shape of the recess on the handrail. The height of the tenon is up to 25 mm, with a handrail thickness of 45 mm.

If pillars are installed at the beginning of the stairs, then the railings are connected to the side edge of the pillar. To connect, use a zip bolt, which is inserted into technological hole. This hole is located at the bottom of the handrail.

Sellers often post assembly instruction videos on their websites. It is very comfortable. Our company, taking care of its customers, also posted detailed instructions on the YouTube channel and on its own website. The craftsmen tell you how to properly assemble the entire structure and how to attach a wooden staircase to the surface of the floor and wall.

With the modern pace of life, most of the population dreams of building a country or private house. But often when building a house with 2 floors or more, the problem of installing wooden stairs arises.

When building a two-story private house, the question arises about installing a staircase. The most suitable material for its construction is wood.

Of course, you can get out of this situation by purchasing finished design or by ordering it, but it will be much more expensive. You can make it yourself, but you need to study the nuances of the work.

Preparatory work

First, the tools are prepared. Mainly:

hacksaw;
roulette;
level;
brushes;
plane;
pencil and other tools depending on the design (for example, a screwdriver).

Before starting, you need to make a drawing and make an estimate, where the height and width are calculated, the shape of the steps and the method of their fastening are designed. But the design takes into account the space that the staircase should allow, the configuration of the structure and the lifting height, as well as the aesthetic appearance.

According to their design features, stairs are:

screw;
marching.

Screw structures are rarely used even if the area of the room in a wooden house is very small. The small demand for this type of ladder is due to the fact that it is inconvenient to use, for example, for lifting or lowering massive things. It performs a single function - descent or ascent. Due to its design, which consists in the fact that the support is a single pillar, it is necessary to calculate everything down to the smallest detail, since if even a minor mistake is made, the unexpected can happen.

Marching stairs are installed quite often. Its appearance in a wooden house consists of marches consisting of steps and platforms. In turn, they are single-flight and multi-flight. Using this type of model, using all your imagination, you can create stairs to suit any design.

They mainly use rotating double-flight staircases, since this design saves space. You can install marches with a curved design, which has a convenient approach angle, where the steps are rotary. When making multi-flight stairs, you can not use platforms, but make turning steps.

Components of the structure

A stringer is a load-bearing structure that performs the supporting function of steps and risers, and also bears all the loads.

Steps. The design of these elements consists of horizontal (treads) and vertical (risers) beams. If desired, the stairs can be built without risers, and the gap between the steps will not be closed. In this case, the ladder is considered fragile.

The shape of the steps is made rectangular, rotary, and to give the design originality - radius.

Railings are wooden trim elements such as balusters and handrails. They come in different shapes. Usually the shape depends on the customer's wishes, since they can be made to order.

With a multi-flight structure, a support pillar or several pillars are additionally installed at turns.

Installation of wooden stairs

Before installing the stairs, all parts are pre-painted.

To install the stringer to the wall, it is necessary that the walls are perfectly smooth.

After preparing and painting all the elements of the future staircase in a wooden house, you can begin assembly and installation.

First of all, they begin to install those elements that will later be difficult to approach. If the house is two-story, first install the fence on the top floor, since then it will be difficult to install facing boards. When the fence is installed, begin marking the locations of stringers and intermediate posts on the walls. Problems may arise when performing this work due to uneven walls. To avoid problems, before starting to install the structure, you need to take care of leveling the walls, but this is required if the stringer is attached directly to the wall. If the project included fastening to the upper wall stringer and to auxiliary pillars with an indentation from the wall, then alignment is not necessary.

To avoid mistakes when drilling holes, it is best to do them directly on site in elements that have already been painted in advance. The evenness and accuracy of the structure depends on correctly made holes.

In order not to make a mistake, you first need to make a hole in the stringer or in the post for the pin, then attach the element to the location and make a mark through the hole. Such work may not be possible for one person, since some parts are very heavy. A cross is drawn on the mark, the length of the strips is 3-4 cm, which will later help to align the hole. The stringers are attached using blind plugs and dowels, which are installed about 3 pieces for every 2 m of the structure.

Next, you can begin the process of attaching the steps. First you need to mark the places where the steps will be located. To do this, you need to rely on previously made calculations and drawings. When marking, a level is used to draw horizontal lines to avoid unevenness. It is necessary to take into account that the fastening mark is first made on one stringer or bowstring. After this, the step is installed and the level is checked, and only then can markings be made on the second stringer. To avoid mistakes, it is not recommended to fasten the steps immediately, but only after all the markings have been completed.

The steps are marked from bottom to top, and when it comes to the last step, you need to check its size. If it does not match, then the marking is adjusted. Only after all the markings have been made correctly can you begin to drill the steps and fasten them.

Along the drawn lines on the bowstring, a corner is installed using self-tapping screws, and steps are subsequently installed on it, which are secured with self-tapping screws. To fasten the step you will need 4 self-tapping screws, two on each side, but if you increase their number, you can eliminate the creaking. The flight of stairs is ready.

Installation of railings for stairs: features

The installation of railings must be taken very seriously. They must be cut at the same angle, which creates difficulties when sawing by hand, as there is a possibility of error. In this regard, the cut is made on a special machine. Fence posts are secured to the floor with hardware.

House owners quite often face the need to install an internal staircase. Two-story houses, as well as apartments have long ceased to be a rarity, and in this case one cannot do without a staircase. Wooden stairs are especially popular and can become a real decoration of the interior - especially if you know how to secure the steps on a wooden staircase. Unreliable fastening in best case scenario will lead to constant creaking of the steps, and in the worst case, the ladder may break.

Let's first consider two typical methods of attaching steps to stairs:

Fastening on bowstrings. In this case, each step is attached to special bars (they are called bowstrings) located on the sides of the stairs.

Looking at this picture, it is not difficult to understand the principle of fastening the steps. You just need to add that sometimes the bowstring has to be attached to the adjacent wall.

Fastening on stringers. A stringer is a special structural element that represents the support of a staircase. The steps are attached to stringers from above. One of the options for such fastening can be seen in the figure:

There is a third way to attach stair steps - with support directly on the railing. Since bolts are used in this case - special fasteners - this method is also called the bolt flooring method. Unfortunately, although using “bolt flooring” you can get very beautiful staircase, it is not recommended to use it, since this requires serious professional skills, which not everyone has.

How to attach steps to stringers?

Let us first consider the situation when it is necessary to attach steps to a wooden staircase on stringers. The most obvious way to do this is to use self-tapping screws. Of course, you will need to select sufficiently long self-tapping screws of rather large diameter. In addition, at the attachment points you will have to drill through the steps with a drill.

The main advantage of this approach is its simplicity and accessibility. But after attaching the step you will have to take care of the appearance and disguise the hole formed in the step. For this purpose, special decorative plugs are used. Most often these plugs are made of plastic. If you choose the right plugs in color and size, they can even decorate the stairs.

Sometimes you can also use a corner to attach stair steps. To do this, such a corner must first be secured to the stringer. This method is most often used when creating wooden stairs with outer skin, completely hiding the kosour.

The least reliable fastening is considered to be landing the steps on wooden pins inserted at the other ends into the stringers. Despite the use of glue, such a connection can become loose and its use is limited.

How to attach steps to strings?

The most “correct” way of attaching steps when constructing a staircase on strings is traditionally considered to be inserting each step into grooves specially cut for them in each of the strings.

This is the mounting method shown in the picture. The most attractive aspect of fastening on grooves is reliability, but no less important is that in this case no additional fasteners are used. Such a staircase does not need to be covered with cladding, and it will not lose any of its visual appeal.

Other methods of attaching steps to a staircase with bowstrings are based on a kind of “replacement” of the stringer with various additional structural elements, attached to the bowstrings. These can be, in particular, linings, special support bars, and in the simplest case - durable metal brackets. Such brackets are attached to the bowstrings with self-tapping screws. All these solutions, although they reduce the aesthetic appeal of a “stripped” staircase without cladding, are used very often because it is much simpler than cutting grooves.

"Single-sided" fastening

Very often the staircase is adjacent directly to the wall. In this case, you can fasten the steps on one side to the string, and on the other to the wall. In the simplest case, if the wall is wooden, this will not cause significant difficulties - after all, such a wall can simply be considered as a bowstring. But if the wall is concrete, you will have to think about the method of fastening.

The most radical approach involves literally “implanting” the steps into the concrete. Of course, in this case the complexity of the work increases sharply. In addition, if you make a mistake, the wall will subsequently crumble when walking up the stairs. Therefore, it is much easier to use conventional fasteners, for example, corners and brackets, which can be fixed in specially drilled holes.

A few words about the steps themselves

Most often, steps for stairs are bought ready-made, which makes it difficult to see their important design feature - in the vast majority of cases, what we have in front of us is not a single piece of wood, but a “gluing together” of two, and sometimes more, separate fragments. The fact is that steps made from a whole piece are often subject to cracking, and this shortens their service life.

That's why, if you want to make the entire staircase yourself, you must first learn how to glue the steps for the stairs. Professionals perform this gluing in wires, special devices, providing optimal conditions for the glue to harden. There are three main gluing methods:

Gluing "on the rail". In this option, a groove is cut out in each of the glued bars. A special rail is inserted into these grooves, which serves as an additional connecting link. Unfortunately, it is also a vulnerable point - if a step then breaks, then it is along the rail.
Butt gluing. The simplest way is to glue the ends of the beams directly together. Unfortunately, this method does not allow you to obtain the strongest connection.
Tongue and groove bonding. It’s reminiscent of the “on a batten” method, but there is no batten—instead, a protruding ridge is made on one of the boards, which is then inserted into a “reciprocal” groove on the other board. This method is considered the most accurate, but also the most difficult.

Wood trim for concrete stairs

Although wooden stairs are rightfully considered the most beautiful and “ecologically friendly”, they still cannot be called either the strongest or the most durable. In addition, each such staircase is quite expensive. It is not surprising that in life you can see concrete stairs much more often. Such stairs are cheap, practical, very durable, but they have one significant drawback - concrete cannot be called pleasant to look at.

This can be corrected by using external wood trim. Using wooden steps for a concrete staircase, it is not at all difficult to achieve a noticeable improvement in appearance. Of course, in this case you will need a special method for attaching the steps. As you know, one of the most reliable ways to attach something to a concrete surface is to use dowel nails.

Of course, using dowel-nails directly on the surface of wooden steps would mean pointlessly damaging the material. Therefore, the first stage of facing a concrete staircase should be attaching an impressive layer of plywood to its surface - at least one centimeter thick. Plywood should be taken from those varieties that are resistant to moisture.

Dowel nails will securely secure the plywood layer to the concrete surface. At this stage, you can also straighten the steps a little - it’s no secret that concrete stairs often differ in height. After this, you can begin attaching the wooden steps. The easiest way, as always, is to use powerful screws. Special glue will give additional stability and rigidity to the entire structure.

When working with concrete, we must not forget about one feature of this material - its composition initially contains a lot of moisture. Therefore, you should not attach wooden steps to a freshly cast and hardened concrete staircase - you need to wait two to three months and only then start working. In this case, neither the plywood nor the wooden steps will be in danger of cracking.

The most convenient option is to attach the steps to the stringer at the top. This option for fastening steps, in turn, can also be divided into several fastening methods:

Fastening the step to the stringer, leaving the head of the hardware on the surface of the step, bolt-nut or bolt-thread connection in the stringer.
Attaching the step to the stringer with the hardware head partially recessed into the step. The connection is the same as in the first method.

If you choose the first method of attaching the steps to the staircase frame, then in this case it is necessary to purchase bolts with a decorative head and, preferably, a turnkey hexagon. When installing such bolts, the decorative cap will serve as an additional decoration for the staircase, and if the fastening of the steps becomes loose during operation of the staircase, then tightening or replacing the fastening material can be done without hindrance, because access to the bolt and nuts in this case is free and nothing interferes with repairs. works

In principle, these two methods of attaching steps to a stringer have almost equal chances of being used, and therefore we will consider both methods in this article. Now we need to decide on the hardware, that is, choose the most suitable bolts for the connection wooden products, in our case it is a wooden step. Next, we need to select hardware suitable for both methods.

As you can see in the photo, self-tapping screw No. 1 (on a yellow background) is suitable for fastening a step from the bottom of the stringer; accordingly, it is not suitable for the methods of fastening the step we have chosen, so let’s move on immediately to considering other hardware.

The same photo on the right shows a bolt with countersunk head(No. 2). This bolt has a countersunk head with a mustache; when installing such a bolt into a hole made in wooden steps, while tightening the nut, the bolt will not be able to rotate, since the mustache, when tightened, cuts into the wood and serves as a kind of stopper. The hole is closed from above with a wooden plug (to the left of the bolt).

The photo below shows furniture bolts with a semicircular head. There is a carriage under the head of the No. 3 bolt and a carriage under the head of the No. 4 bolt. These bolts, just like bolt No. 2 in their design feature will not rotate in the wooden step while tightening the nut. The only thing is that the heads of bolts No. 3 and 4 will remain on top of the step.

All that remains is to select the bolts. Let's choose bolt No. 4 for the first method of fastening the step and bolt No. 2 for the second method of fastening the step.

Next, we will make markings for through holes in the stringers of the stairs. We need to make at least two holes in the support corner of the left and right stringers. Let's look at an example of calculating the location of holes:

First, let's determine the center of the hole. To do this, we measure 20 mm from the edge of the stringer (half the width of the corner flange) and draw the X axis. Next, we measure 40 mm from end A and draw the Y axis, from end B we measure 60 mm and draw the Y1 axis, at the intersection of the axes we get the center of future holes .

The diameter of the holes depends on the diameter of the bolts with which we will fasten the steps. Let's take as an example the bolts we selected in photo 3. Bolt No. 2 (DIN 604) and bolt No. 4 (DIN 607) - bolt diameter 8 mm. This means that to make holes we will need a drill with a diameter greater than 8 mm, for example 8.5 mm. The use of a drill with a large diameter is not recommended in order to ensure the tightest possible installation of the bolt.

Now you need to make holes in the steps. We mark the locations of the holes in the steps so that they coincide with the holes in the stringers.

If you and I use bolt No. 2 with a countersunk head to fasten the steps, then in this case we need to drill two holes. The first hole is through with a diameter of 8...8.2 mm. Through this hole we will install a bolt with a partial recess of its head, so we need to make another hole with a diameter of 17 mm and a depth of at least 15 mm, as shown in Figure 7 (footnote on the right). Why is the hole depth exactly 15 mm?

As can be seen from Figure 7, the head of bolt No. 2 has a diameter of 16.55 mm and a height of 5 mm. This means that when installing the bolt, the head will take up at least 3...4 mm in height, and we need the remaining height of the hole to install a wooden plug with a height of 10...12 mm. Therefore, you and I will make a second hole with a depth of at least 15 mm.

When using bolt No. 4, we only need to drill one through hole with a diameter of 8...8.2 mm. In order for the mustache to cut into the step, you can make several not too strong blows rubber mallet on the head of the bolt. With each blow, the bolt will lower, and the mustache will cut into the step, and then when the nut is tightened, the bolt will not turn.

Installing steps and risers on stairs

So, the steps are ready to be installed on the stairs. After we figure it out, we can begin installing steps and risers on the stairs.

Let's start with the lower flight of stairs, first install the lower frieze step (A), attach it to the stringer using four bolts, for example, with a countersunk head, and install wooden plugs. Then we install the riser (B) and the second step (C), and also attach the step to the stringer. In the same order of riser - step, we continue installing steps on the entire staircase.

The procedure for installing hardware is shown in the figure in the footnote. First we install the bolt, then we put a washer and screw on the bolt and after that we screw and tighten the nut.

Note: and we will install the lower riser after installing the staircase railing.