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Quick Installation Guide: Timber Staircase With Winder Treads

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General Check before starting

• Check the weight label for Manual handling– (2 man lift) staircase weight is with thestaircase drawing.

• Check Storey height is correct, finished floorto finished floor (+ or – our tolerance of10mm max).

• Check the opening size is correct and wallfinish tolerances have been allowed forcorrectly.

• Gather all loose components, check the jobnumber & plot number labelling are correctfor all parts supplied (Don’t use parts thatare not labelled for the plot!).

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Tape measure Pencil 600mm X 400mm roofing square (Checking Squareness)Small square (for marking out)Hand saw Speed clamp110v Power or battery circular saw (cutting out of floor for top nosing) Sharp Chisel's (to pare treads if needed)Wood block plane ( To chamfer risers to corners)Hammer ( fixing of wedges & dowels)D4 Polyurethane glue (fixing of newel posts, risers & glue blocks)Level 6ft & 600mm short (to check newel post and to check across the tread)Battery drill screwdriver (for screwing risers and treads)SDS drill (to use when fixing thunder bolts, fixing staircase to wall)Paslode pin gun (to fix glue blocks etc. and general)Fixings for staircase’s Screws 4x40mm (minimum size) to fix risers to treads M10 x 150mm thunder bolts Screws 10x100mm (Minimum size) to fix when stud walls are in place

Tools required check list

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Step One - Prepare

• Measure and cut the floor back to the top Trimmer making sure you leave clearance of 2-3 mm.

• Measure Trimmer – Cut out size from the back of the riser position on newel post.

• Cut out notch on wall strings (top only), to sit on chipboard floor

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Step 2 - Fitting of newel posts

• Slide on and attach the newelpost using dowels supplied forfixing, note you may have to fix awinder tread before dependingon the set out of risers.

• Use a prop and clamp to hold thenewel post square.

• Remember do not use a level forthis process; you need to makesure the tread and newel post aresquare using a 600 x 400 RoofingSquare.

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Step 3

• Following on from step2, using a 600 x 400Roofing Square, thefirst winder tread mustbe square to the newelpost.

• Make sure this processis done and correctbefore moving on.

• This will affect thenewels being out ofsquare when offeringthe stairs in positionafterwards.

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Step 4

• Now the newel post is square tothe tread.

• Fit winder treads in sequencearound the wall strings and newelposts, using screws to hold inplace.

• You may need to pare treads withthe aid of a chisel just to ease thetreads due to weather conditionsi.e. swelling of the MDF.

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Step 5

• While fitting the winder treadsaround the string make sure thereturn string is square by usingyour 600 x 400 Roofing Squarein the corner.

• If the winder treads are notfitting correctly, check that thewall string is level across thefloor and not rising up out offlatness as this will affect thetreads not fitting correct.

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Step 6

• Once all the winder treads havebeen fitted, re-check the newelpost is still square to the firstwinder tread, then fit top nosingtread that is 70mm (fix withscrews).

• Measure and cut the top riserfix with glue, wedges andscrews.

• Glue and wedge the top windertread, just this one so far (noother treads should be wedgedat this point only screwed).

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Step 7

• At this point by lifting thestaircase in position you willsee only the top winder treadhas been fitted and secured,prop the staircase up in thecorner so the level showscorrectly.

• If you have done steps 1-6the staircase will be level andsquare with no issues.

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Step 8

• With completing steps 1 – 6fix the staircase back to thewall, using M10 x 150mmthunderbolts (not suppliedwith stairs) adding youradditional timber for packingof strings allowing for plasterfinish.

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Step 9

• With your staircase fixed to the wall,check the newel post is still square offthe tread and level. Don’t forget theother treads are still yet to be fixed.

• One mistake that site can make is fixingthe newels out of square, then fittingtreads and risers. Once in position eitherthe newel or the treads are then notlevel.

• If the newel is slightly out, un-screw thetreads around the newel, move thenewel post if you have room behind thetrimmer and the packing behind the wallstring. Fix the top nosing down to thetrimmer.

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Step 10

• Now that you have fixed thestaircase to the wall andchecked that the stairs are inthe correct position andnewels are plumb completethe following:-

• Glue and fix wedges• Glue and fix the risers • Fix glue blocks

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Suggested Do’s and Don'ts when fitting stairs

• Do – check sizes and heights to our drawings before starting.• Do – take care with manual handling of materials when lifting.• Do – use a Roofing Square 600mm x 400mm for checks.• Do – always check newel post is square from the treads.• Do – always fit all components correctly to your ability.

• Don’t – store materials outside in damp or wet conditions.• Don’t – pick the staircase up from one string.• Don’t – throw away caps that get delivered.• Don’t – fit staircase complete on the floor and offer up in

position.• Don’t – let people walk up & down the staircase once fitted until

glue has dried.

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Contacts

If you do have any queries relating to fitting a staircase thenplease see contact details below:-

Andy ClarkeQuality and Continuous Improvement ManagerStairways Midlands LimitedBescot CrescentWalsallWest Midlands WS1 4NDTel: 01922 728600Email: andy.clarke@stairways.co.uk