Assembling flat pack stairs, problems!

[ajmoore1]

Hi

I am after your opinions please. I have just purchased a stair case from an online supplier. They have come flat pack ready for me to assemble. They are 13 risers with three kite winders at the bottom. I have read the brief instruction and looked online for any hints and tips and will speak to the manufacturer tomorrow.

I have just tried to dry fit them together before assembling with glue and found a few issues and would like people's opinion.

1. Wedges are to big, can't hammer them in much more than as per pic. Is this ok ,do I just trim them so I can fit the riser OR  trim the wedge narrower so it fits further in.

2. Are there suppose to be long wedges supplied for kite winder riser?

3. Probably the biggest problem, the treads don't fit into one side of the string. The treads are 22mm mdf but the slot is only 20mm. Could this be solved by routing out with 22mm straight cutter? Don't have one and that was the idea in buying the stairs so I didn't have to bother!

I have also placed the string into place and the treads appear to be sloping down by approx 5mm. Not sure if that measuring mistake is mine or theirs. What is an allowable tolerance when fitting.

Would you accept these issues or how would you think would be best to resolve, taking into account the delivery cost was £50.

Any advice or opinions appreciated.

Regards

Jon

 

[jools]

Dear aj
I buy flat pack staircases from stairbox.com all the time and the quality is always a compromise but satisfactory on a budget. They have detailed instructions download on their website. The treads must be level so you need to shim the bottom but 5mm is easy to lose. Yes there should be longer wedges for the winders. Having to route out for the nosing is a pain but that extra 2mm of thickness on the treads will stop the wedges driving home. It's suprising how little you need to remove from the wedge to get it all the way home and how much hammer it takes to get it there. I do have to trim the wedge to get in the riser.
I think you have enough problems with this kit to make a point with the supplier. Hope they resolve it to your satisfaction
Regards jools

 

[Doug S]

If each tread is sloping down by 5mm you will need around 50mm packing at the bottom to make them level. Can you chisel a bit out of the bullnoses on the bad string to let the treads fit properly? Doesn't look a great a quality staircase, as Jools said I would give the supplier a call.

Doug

 

[SMJoinery]

Hi Jon

Sorry you didn't say if you were joiner / carpenter.
Have you already cut the stringers to the lower floor (seat cut)?
Packing won't work as your bottom riser will be different from all others, perhaps there is a floor finish still to be added to lower floor or inset top tread into existing upper floor?
Normally you would supply a total rise measurement and a total going measurement for the staircase. Extra materials is added on the stringers at manufacture but cut off on site (scribed) to suit.
I've seen worse wedges than that and although not ideal it's easy to cut or planer them down a bit.
Longer wedges required for winders.
Chisel off the bullnose to suit the rebate underneath lining up with the riser.

Hope that helps.
Scott

 

[Doug S]

Quite often people just measure the height of the staircase from where it finishes at the top straight down to the floor below, you should really level a line around from where it finishes at the top to where it starts at the bottom and measure the height there because if the ground floor runs out of level you will get a different measurement. People sometimes say where the finished floor level is going to be then when you go back there has been a change of plan and it is different, they presume you can just alter the staircase.

Doug