Squeaky stairs quickly become irritating and could cause other problems in the future. Because of this, it’s best to get them repaired sooner rather than later. Stairs see a lot of wear and tear as they are a high traffic area. Problems can easily happen with stairs as they age. Find out what to do about squeaky stairs in New Jersey and how they can be fixed.
The Anatomy of Stairs and Why They Squeak
Stairs are made up of dozens of separate pieces. They are made up of treads and risers, which are the flat steps and vertical pieces that are visible. They are also made up of stringers, which are the pieces of wood that support the stairs underneath.
Loosening with Age
With all of the wooden pieces, it’s not surprising that eventually some of them may cause squeaking. As the stairs age, the pieces that make them up will start to loosen. The wooden treads rub against the risers and stringers. Then all of these pieces grind against screws and nails that are holding it together. From walking on the stairs as well as the seasonal expansions and contractions of the wood, these things can also contribute to the joints loosening. In newer houses, it’s more likely that your stairs may have been built using glue in addition to the hardware. These are less prone to squeaking, but squeaking may still occur due to wear and age.
How to Repair Scuffed Stairs Before They Turn into Squeaky Stairs
It’s best to repair a scuffed staircase before more problems, such as squeakiness, may arise. Scuffs and problems usually appear first on the horizontal treads. This is because of foot traffic which wears off varnish and exposes the bare wood. Then, the vertical risers may become damaged as well because of being kicked. You should also take note of the condition of the railing as this can also become loose and cause problems.
Check Stair Treads
Examine each stair tread. You may want to enlist the help of a professional here if you’re not sure at what you’re looking. This person will be the most qualified in terms of necessary repairs and upgrades. As long as there isn’t any bare wood showing, you can restore the step with a good cleaning. Use a 0000-grade steel-wool pad with paint thinner and then scrub the tread clean. Then, dry it with a white cotton cloth. If the varnish has worn off, you need to refinish it. This requires quite a bit more work and equipment. If you don’t have the necessary equipment, this is best left to the professionals. For this you will need an orbit sander with an 80-grit disc to sand the tread down to bare wood. You also need a 100-grit disc to sand the surface again.
Why You Should Hire a Contractor to Fix or Refinish Your Stairs
Perhaps you don’t have the time or energy to put into it. To repair or refinish your stairs, you need to have the available time to put into it. If you haven’t done something like this before, it will take time to get up to speed and acquire any equipment that you may need. You don’t want to go into a project lightly. To make sure that you’re taking everything into consideration, it may be best to consult with a professional so you don’t miss anything.
Access to Expertise and Equipment
Chances are, you don’t really know what you’re doing and haven’t done this kind of work before. Rather than take the chance of messing it up, a professional will be able to assist you quickly and with expertise that took years to accumulate. Depending on your specific needs, you probably don’t have the equipment necessary to do the job and it could end up costing you more than just hiring a professional. If you need to repair a scuffed floor, it could take multiple sanding discs to fix this. Instead of buying all this equipment that you probably won’t use again, you can hire a professional who already has this and can get it done quickly. This will save you multiple trips to the store and a lot of time. Just because you might save money, doesn’t mean that you want to take on a do-it-yourself project. Maybe you like the security of having a professional repair something or maybe you just don’t enjoy home projects like this. Whatever the case may be, not everyone likes to do home repairs.
If you have scuffed or squeaky stairs, the sooner they are repaired, the better it will be. While they may just be irritating, they could cause other problems in the future. Consulting with a professional is a great way to make sure that these repairs get done quickly and professionally.
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