Expert Roger Hunt advises on caring for your staircase
Following years of heavy footfall, old staircases can suffer wear and tear, so learn how to recognise issues and carry out repairs and maintenance
Staircases range from the relatively simple to the intricate and are constructed of timber, stone or metal, sometimes in combination. Over time, all staircases will require maintenance, whether to spruce up polished handrails, rectify squeaking treads and damaged balusters, or overcome serious problems resulting from decay or structural issues.
Maintenance checklist
● Identify areas of rot or beetle infestation in timber elements
● Deal with any damp problems that may affect the staircase
● Note creaking, loose or split treads
● Repair any damaged or loose spindles or balusters
● Explore the cause of any cracks that have appeared, or structural movement in stone staircases
Questions and answers
Richard Castle, director of Leamington Spa-based builders Castle Brothers, answers some common questions about the best methods of repairing and renovating staircases.
Q
Are there special considerations to keep in mind when undertaking work to a staircase?
Beware when opening up an old staircase, as you may find poor workmanship, even in the most elegant of flights. With this in mind, understand the construction and use traditional methods and materials to carry out repairs. Don’t remove any more than is necessary to view or rectify a problem – it will add to the repair cost and result in the unnecessary loss of historic fabric. Salvage as much as possible, only discarding what is beyond use. Rotten and worm-infested timber may be useful, if only as a template.
Q
What telltale signs indicate that a staircase needs repair? Unventilated voids beneath staircases can be ideal places for woodworm and rot to take hold – yellow dust in under stairs areas indicates worm. Any noise when on a staircase equals movement - a sound flight should feel solid; central heating can cause shrinkage of timber, leading to loose joints.
Q
One of the balusters or spindles is broken -– can it be repaired?
These are there for safety so any repair must be sound. If in doubt, replace with new. Some wooden and iron balusters are available off the shelf or from a salvage yard. Turning wooden spindles or reproducing ironwork exactly to match can be expensive.
Q
What is the best way of repairing nosings on the stair treads that are worn and damaged?
Generally, the wear on a nosing – the rounded front edge of a tread – is in the central section. Cut off the nosing in line with the riser face and make a 45-degree cut at each end. Angling it in this way provides support for the new timber section which should be tapped in carefully. Glue and nail this to the front of the existing tread. Make sure the joint is a tight fit.
Q
There are signs of rot and woodworm. How should these be dealt with?
Rot results from moisture, certain temperature levels and a lack of ventilation. First, locate the cause of the problem and rectify it to prevent further damage. Cut out the rotten sections to sound timber and joint in new. If woodworm is present, look for fresh flight holes and dust, which is an indication that it may be live, and treat with a boron solution.
Q
Some of the treads are loose and creaking – what can be done? Creaking is due to movement between the treads and risers and the strings supporting them that form the sides of the staircase. Loose treads may develop because the wedges holding them tight within the string have worked loose. Try carefully to remove the wedge, then clean, glue and tap it back into place, securing it with nails or screws. The same goes for the angle fillets between the treads and risers. If the tread has pulled out of the string, fixing timber blocks to the string, tread and riser is a quick repair. Where a flight has deteriorated to this extent, a more major repair may be necessary.
Q
The underside of the staircase is plastered, so how can any problems be fixed due to lack of access?
The only way to get to the underside of treads and risers is to remove whatever is covering them. Timber boards can be reinstated if carefully removed; plasterboard will be lost but is cheap; lath and plaster is expensive. Laths will be fixed side to side. Cut horizontally above and below the area to be inspected and peel away the lime plaster. Take no more than necessary. If the laths are of the riven variety, it may be possible to prize them away and reuse them later. After repairing the flight, refix the laths and then apply haired lime plaster in three coats.
Q
With stone staircases, how should repairs be made?
Advice from specialists should be sought, particularly with cantilevered treads where structural issues are suspected. Employ a surveyor with appropriate experience and use a specialist approved by the surveyor to carry out repairs. For conventional stone treads and risers, consult a qualified stonemason.
Q
How should paint and other finishes be removed from a staircase?
These should be removed carefully. Paint sometimes hides problems, but it may also highlight them. Paint removal chemicals and heat can damage glues, and over-wetting of the timber may occur if water-based paint removers are used. Removing paint also exposes the timber to atmospheric changes, which can affect the stability of the staircase, particularly in softwoods.
Q
What is the best finish to use for hardwood handrails?
Clean the handrail with wire wool, and then apply wax or Danish oil. Do not use polyurethane or synthetics. It is also fine to leave hardwood untreated; it self-polishes with use.