broken sinking step on stairs - glue advice

bookduck

A step is broken on my staircase. It starts 1/2 way on the wide right hand side, and runs 3/4 of the stair width depth of the step and end up at the back of the step. It is wedge shape.


I'm thinking of pulling the sinking portion upward, cutting out a slightly smaller replica and glueing and screwing it underneath (8 screw in a staggered pattern- space permitting) up into the broken one. Then put blocks into the staircase end to support it. it is one of the wide middle steps in the middle of a 'U' shape staircase.

Although broken and loose, the step is still held in place.

What type of glue would you use - Flexible or very rigid? is "no more nail ultra" or "Unibond mega bond", or something more flexible, or something more ridged ok for a long and durable life? Ta.

ukwoody

Treads are noramlly held up by wedges underneath, slid into the groove each side of the "string". So firstly see if the wedge is still there and covers the full depth of the tread includiing the broken bit.

You can indeed glue and screw a block underneath to suport the whole thing if you are worried by the sinking, but you still need the wedge there.

You can use either a good quality PVA wood glue, or Polyeurathene glue. Either will suffice.

Woody

bookduck

can you recommend any long lasting and quick drying (few hours) glue?

I removed the plasterboard covering today and it looks like elsewhere some of the wedges are squashed and a few of the triangular tread supports are missing? do I use wood ones, or plastic? Do I glue/nail the wedges in place? If a wedge has slipped out of a small (close to the wall) location how do I get it back in? Can I use pine for stair wood/wedges?

Under stairs: note wedge against back wall and tread support fallen down


Top of step: misleading picture as crack runs parallel to front edge of stair forming a triangle

Ta

ukwoody

For the wedges you can use most wood, but a hardwood such as Beech or Ash would be better. I beleive some now use Pylwood as well. Tradtionally Cascamite was used as the glue, but nowadays there are good alternatives. I would be inclined to use the 5 Minute P.U glue which goes off after 5 mins and is fully set in about 30. For the broken step, use a piece of wood, predrilled for screws, then glue with PU and screw it to the remainder of the tread, ensuring the screws do not poke thru the surface of the tread. It should last years.

woody

bookduck

ukwoody wrote: »

For the wedges you can use most wood, but a hardwood such as Beech or Ash would be better. I beleive some now use Pylwood as well. Tradtionally Cascamite was used as the glue, but nowadays there are good alternatives. I would be inclined to use the 5 Minute P.U glue which goes off after 5 mins and is fully set in about 30. For the broken step, use a piece of wood, predrilled for screws, then glue with PU and screw it to the remainder of the tread, ensuring the screws do not poke thru the surface of the tread. It should last years.

woody

Thank you very much Woody, you are a star!

ukwoody

Pleasure!
woody