STAIRS REPAIRS

Stairs should be designed for comfort in climbing and for economy of space.Below is a view of the portion of stairway which you do not ordinarily see the supports and the manner in which they tie into the house framing. The flight broken by a half way landing and the framing of the headroom above the steps are typical of a wall-build house. The second floor ceiling forms the top of the stairwell. The basement stairway, better known since it is usually visible in all its parts, is only party shown at the right of the sketch. headroom over these steps is provided by the incline of the upper stairway between the landing and top floor. When you have occasion to remodel your stairway or build closets into its waste space, these are the details to condition when you begin to work.
    Step Repairs. Battered stair are easily made new again by the simple expedient of turning over the worn treads. There's good unworn lumber on that other side. The only tools you will need are the pry bar, a hammer, a keyhole hack saw, nail-pulling nippers, and a nail set.
   Some stairways vary in construction, however,as follow;
   1. Balusters may be toenailed directly to the tread, in which case sew the nail off by slipping the hack saw under the baluster. Trying to hammer the baluster loose will only split the wood.
   2. If the baluster are glued into bored holes, saw them off flush with the tread with the hack saw,  leaving the end as a plug in the hole to be sanded smooth. Baluster may be toe nail back into place.
   3. Some stairways have treads dadoed  to fit over the risers and a rabbet at the back end to fit into a dado groove in the next riser. The turn-over system is difficult here, and you may have to buy a new tread. Saw off the tongue at the back of the tread, then use a chisel to remove the tongue from the riser's dado.A similar cut remove the tongue from the riser below if it was glued instead of nailed. The new tread may be the type without grooves. Refit the old tread by following the sketch above.
   4. In turning over  a tread where the baluster fit into notches or holes, the turned step may end up with holes unmatched. Plug the hole with shaped blocks and make new cuts as needed for the baluster unless you cut them flush, in which case they maybe toe nail into place.