Thread: Replacing Step Treads

it them on and mark underneath.

They might all vary a bit , also , taking a swag of them off at a time might affect the distance between the stringers.
So start with the bottom tread , take the old one off , mark , drill , fit , and bolt the replacement , and on the to the next one .

Thanks, the painter wants to treat and paint the steel stringers. So if we remove them all for painting, replace the bottom and top one, and go from there???

If there is any chance of the stringers moving when the treads are
removed you could use strips of 1/4 ply to stabilize them while the
treads are off and they wouldn't be that much in the way of the painting.
You could dab some paint on the spots they left as you install the new
treads.

Do some measuring before removing the old treads to determine if
the spacings are the same on all the treads.

You might be able to remove every other one and do the painting and
then install the new treads and remove the remaining treads and paint
those places.

Lots of options??

Thanks so much.

just number the old ones and use them as a template to drill the new ones (check the overall lie of the old ones first to make sure the old alignment is correct, ie nothing that needs to be corrected.)

or do top and bottom treads and clamp a straight edge between them, use that to align the rest and drill each one off the holes- number them before removing to paint(a punch to mark the end grain is best)

Most important thing is to look at the end grain of each tread before installation. You want sit it so the rings make a smiley face and the tread will be happy. If the rings make an unhappy face, the tread will be unhappy. Think I'm joking? The tread will cup slightly due to tangential contraction, if you have a smiley face the cup will be upside down and shed water better. If you have an unhappy face the cup will be right way up, retain water and eventually hasten rot, mould and slippery stuff.

Cheers
Michael

When we picked up the treads, an elderly guy approached us and explained how to choose which way is up, smiley face up. We won't be able to use most of the old ones as a template, because they are rotten around the holes, which is a pain. The head are countersunk.

Originally Posted by mic-d

Most important thing is to look at the end grain of each tread before installation. You want sit it so the rings make a smiley face and the tread will be happy. If the rings make an unhappy face, the tread will be unhappy. Think I'm joking? The tread will cup slightly due to tangential contraction, if you have a smiley face the cup will be upside down and shed water better. If you have an unhappy face the cup will be right way up, retain water and eventually hasten rot, mould and slippery stuff.

Cheers
Michael

we say in the trade , that timber generally cups away from the heart

Originally Posted by Manuka Jock

we say in the trade , that timber generally cups away from the heart

I say in the trade, put the smiley face up

Cheers
Michael

Makes it easy to remember.

Also... Rather than use bolts, fit the treads with coach screws, then there are fewer spots for rot to start too.

Cheers
Michael

Originally Posted by mic-d

say in the trade, put the smiley face up

Cheers
Michael

???