Staircase Assembly

[Owego]

I'm building a staircase using 2.5x12 stringers and 1.75x10 treads (pine). I'm buying the stock rough cut & oversized.  The plan is to mortise the stringers to receive the whole tread cross section (1" deep).  Stairs are "open" (no risers). One stringer will be against a wall, the other fully exposed to view. Ten treads. There is room (and enough muscle) to pre assemble the whole unit.  I want to avoid showing signs of fasteners on the exposed stringer.  I'm thinking pocket screws through the bottom of the treads into the stringers, with glue to minimize squeaking.  Finish will be polyurathane.

I've built bunk bed ladders this way, but I don't know if this approach works for something much more massive.  Any comments or suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Cheese]

This is some big stuff, is it for a cabin or a timber framed house? Would love to see some pictures of this assembled and installed, should be beautiful. [big grin]

The only thing I'd do differently is to substitute some construction adhesive for the glue. I've always been a fan of PL 400 but a few years back I switched to PL Premium 3X. It cures faster and it seems to be a lot stronger. They're both Loctite products.

http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/pl_ca_prem/technical-data/Loctite-PL-Premium-Polyurethane-Construction-Adhesive.htm

These are the technical data sheets for each adhesive. You can readily see the differences in strength.

http://www.loctiteproducts.com/tds/PL_CA_400_VOC_tds.pdf

http://www.loctiteproducts.com/tds/PL_CA_PREM_tds.pdf

 

[Owego]

Cheese,  It's a replacement flight in a friend's house and compatible with the "look" of  the place. Current flight is 2x construction and he's finally got around to replacing it.  I'll look into the PL.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[tjbnwi]

Will the underside be visible?

Wall side, run screws through the stringer into the treads.

The pocket screws with glue/adhesive will work on the room side.

Tom

 

[Big G]

just glue and cramp, absolutely no need for mechanical fixings

 

[woodguy7]

Agree with Big G.  If you do feel the need for mechanical fixings then i drill a 16mm hole about 10mm deep  then screw & plug.  No way will pocket screws hold anything that size & they will be really ugly from underside.