Any stair builders out there? (acceptable slope on an interior stair tread)

[Aaron Connor]

I'm sure there are some folks here who know finish carpentry and have done a lot of stairs.

I have an issue with some interior residential stringers I cut (won't get into that more complex issue here)... over 11-1/2" tread run, the stringer dips 1/32" to 1/16" towards the nosing (all steps).

Is this something that I should consider an issue or just live with it? If an issue, are there acceptable strategies for correcting? I can only think to shim 1/16" at the nosing and let construction adhesive fill the void and harden over time to a becoming a shim.

[Ron Selzer]

shims as needed

[Cameron Wood]

There are plenty of stairs around like that- exterior ones sometimes intentionally have a slope to drain.

Shim at the nose and add a cleat or glue block alongside would be one possible fix.

[Aaron Connor]

I guess the cleat would be an option. I'm trying to envision if that is a better option than the shim and adhesive.

[Aaron Connor]

shims as needed

Ron, any idea on shims that are that thin? I can shim the front but anything between is a crazy thin shim and difficult to dial.

[Mel Fulks]

They always move some, that’s the main reason they use cove moulding. 11-1/2 is a …good run , ‘course 5 and 1/2 x12 is the
Golden Step that makes for good walking, climbing is for inferior steps and mountains !

[Mel Fulks]

Use AL YOU MINI -UM beer cans for shims !

[Aaron Connor]

They always move some, that’s the main reason they use cove moulding. 11-1/2 is a …good run , ‘course 5 and 1/2 x12 is the
Golden Step that makes for good walking, climbing is for inferior steps and mountains !

In this case, I don't think anything moved, but the cut lumber doesn't match my layout isn't square. In my case, the right edge of the tread was to be exposed and project beyond the drywall, so there was not any molding planned, though the stringers are doubled up for rigidity.

[Aaron Connor]

Use AL YOU MINI -UM beer cans for shims !

I once found some duct work in the ceiling supported by a beer can.

[Tom M King]

Did you allow for the tread thickness so that the rise is the same for the bottom step as all the others?

[Aaron Connor]

Did you allow for the tread thickness so that the rise is the same for the bottom step as all the others?

Yes, all worked out in cad in advance. Many layers to my assembly.

[Richard Coers]

Put a fixture under the tread stock and mill it to a taper.

[Cameron Wood]

Ron, any idea on shims that are that thin? I can shim the front but anything between is a crazy thin shim and difficult to dial.


Paper drywall shims, tar paper (#15 and #30), cereal box type cardboard, strips cut from plastic containers, edge banding tape, door skin plywood, masking tape, beer can as mentioned.

You don't need to shim the whole tread, just the front and a spot in the middle.

[Walter Plummer]

I have installed a lot of premade stairs and yours are a lot closer than most of them. I would just call it good and move forward. Good luck.

[Zachary Hoyt]

Could you just trim the top surface at each step so it was level? You'd only lose the 1/16" or whatever and should still be well within the acceptable stair height variability range. It seems like that would be maybe easier than shimming, and less prone to squeaking than if you only have a shim at the front.

[lou Brava]

Just use a level from heel of the cut and raise your riser to the level, and depending on what your using for treads you might not need any shim at all a 1/16" gap for a few inches under most tread materiel will never be a problem.

[Lee Schierer]

Could you just trim the top surface at each step so it was level? You'd only lose the 1/16" or whatever and should still be well within the acceptable stair height variability range. It seems like that would be maybe easier than shimming, and less prone to squeaking than if you only have a shim at the front.

Or, you could place one shim under the bottom of your stingers such that the horizontal surfaces are level and let the risers be slightly out of plumb. No one will ever notice that the risers are tipped 1/8"

[John Pendery]

I’ve framed a quite a few staircases. I’m not sure that slope would even register to anyone walking up or down the steps, but maybe I’m incorrect. One thing I know is that I’ve never once had a building inspector throw a level on the tread, but they will check for consistent riser height every single time.

[Tom Bain]

I don’t know what is considered acceptable or standard, but the stairs in my house all have a slight dip in the middle of the treads (water would pool in the center) probably because they were glued up and then bowed slightly. I gotta think the stairs are going to move a bit over time so not sure I would worry about being out 1/16.

[John Ziebron]

I've used plastic shims in a lot of projects over the years. You can buy them in different configurations but ones like this would probably work well for your application.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0035H5GWW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Lawrence Duckworth]

This was a collaboration between me and a woodworker. I did the metal forging, and he did the wood. He said he tilted the treads about a 1/16 inch for comfort.

507130

[Mel Fulks]

Lawrence that’s a beautiful piece !

[Gary Thinglum]

Shims
I have found that vinyl siding works great for shims. When I sided my garage, I cut up a few scrap pieces of vinyl and have used them many times for shims.

[Aaron Connor]

Paper drywall shims, tar paper (#15 and #30), cereal box type cardboard, strips cut from plastic containers, edge banding tape, door skin plywood, masking tape, beer can as mentioned.

You don't need to shim the whole tread, just the front and a spot in the middle.

I ended up finding micro thin birch plywood in the hobby section of the local hardware store... didn't know such a thing existed... 1/32" and 1/64" thick. Thanks for the ideas... it is amazing how the upper connection shimming multiplies 4x on the height.

[Aaron Connor]

I’ve framed a quite a few staircases. I’m not sure that slope would even register to anyone walking up or down the steps, but maybe I’m incorrect. One thing I know is that I’ve never once had a building inspector throw a level on the tread, but they will check for consistent riser height every single time.

Thanks - I was less concerned about the inspector than the exposed edge of the treads that were to project beyond the drywall in the stairwell over the lower flight.