How to attach the steps of a wooden staircase to a bowstring. Stair string: main types and installation instructions

Many private houses have a staircase leading to the second floor. As a rule, it is designed at the stage of developing the layout of the entire building. In principle, during construction there is various works, which are quite possible to do independently, for example, to mount the same steps if they are made of wood. However, many craftsmen cannot understand how to attach the steps wooden stairs. From this article you will learn about the main method of assembling such a structure and make sure that such a procedure can be easily carried out with your own hands.

Ladder on bowstrings

The vast majority of indoor stairs are assembled using bowstrings. This is the name given to the supporting structure of the flight of stairs itself. It looks like a beam with cutouts, which, in turn, are made on its inside - it is in these cutouts that the steps are placed. This method Master fastenings are called classic.

Materials

Most often, bowstrings are made from:

Wood. Only coniferous and deciduous species are used. Conifers are considered very good, but they have one drawback - they are capable of releasing resin. For this reason, it is better to choose hardwood.
Metal.
Reinforced concrete.

Options

The dimensions of the finished bowstring directly depend on the length of the flight of stairs. Before attaching the steps of a wooden staircase, it is worth considering the following parameters:

For a staircase whose width is 90 cm, it is better to make a string from a board whose thickness is approximately 0.5 cm and width 30 cm.
Nesting cuts are made at a depth of 2 cm.
The minimum width of the bowstring itself is 27.5 cm.

In order to correctly mark the bowstring, two main methods are used:

Using a ruler and square.
Using a special template.

Important! For each method you need to draw a support line. It must be marked 4-5 cm from the edge of the workpiece. Before you begin to carry out all the operations for making a bowstring, it is imperative to saturate the wooden blank with a primer composition.

When marking the bowstring, you need to consider the following points:

It is necessary that the marching inclination is 30-40 degrees.
The depth of the steps must be at least 30 cm.
The height of each of them is approximately 20 cm.

Tools

In order to make steps and a bowstring, you need to stock up on the following items:

Tape measure, square and ruler.
Jigsaw.
Level.
Drill.
Manual milling machine.
Hammer.
Screwdriver Set.
Bit.
Wood slats (can be replaced with metal corners).

Installation

Before you begin attaching the steps of a wooden staircase, you need to cut out the grooves using a manual milling machine. After this, the structure must be attached to the location of the wooden staircase. This procedure can be carried out in two ways:

By installing the racks in the designated holes in the floor.
Attach these posts using anchor bolts.

The next step is to attach the steps to the string. The steps, which you have already cut to suitable sizes and processed, and the risers are attached to grooves or screwed to wooden blocks or metal corners.

Important! It is very important to do these parts with extreme precision, otherwise the entire structure will wobble more and more over time and make an unpleasant creaking sound.

The strings should be fastened to each other using ties every 3-4 steps.

We attach the steps with stringers

You can attach the steps on a wooden staircase to a stringer made of metal or wood. This is the name of the support beam, which has a sawtooth shape. Wooden parts are attached to its protrusions. You can install either one stringer or several. The steps are attached to them with screws, and their top caps must be closed with small wooden plugs.

Important! The best option There will be cutting out steps from oak or pine wood. As a rule, craftsmen do not install risers - this makes the structure lighter and soft look. It is also worth noting that even to assemble a wooden staircase you simply need to have welding skills.

Final finishing

After you have secured the steps of the wooden staircase, it needs to be good fencing, consisting of railings with balusters. For this purpose, you need to follow several rules:

It is necessary that the gap between them be at least 15 cm and no more than 20 cm.
They are attached with outside bowstrings, using screws, dowels, pins or spikes.
For the studs, you need to drill a hole with a diameter of 12 mm to a depth of 80 mm. They are planted on glue, leaving 5-7 mm outside.

Further work is as follows:

It is necessary to drill a hole in the bowstring, the depth of which is 10 cm.
Next, the outermost columns are installed. Between them you need to pull the twine and place the remaining balusters.
Attach the railings, which are made of a block, 80-100 mm wide.
Cover the entire structure with varnish or paint to provide a protective layer.

Safety

Finally, materials that resist slipping can be laid on the steps.

|| Simple stairs || Stairs with bowstrings || Stairs with stringers ||Spiral staircases || Side-less (hanging) stairs ||External stairs ||Railing for stairs ||Finishing stairs || Staircase lighting ||Staircase repair ||Use of the under-staircase space

Opening in the interfloor ceiling	Making a one-flight staircase on bowstrings	Methods for attaching steps to a string	Making a flight of stairs
Installation of a flight of stairs	Rotary staircase with intermediate platform	Stairs with bowstrings and winder steps

There are several ways to attach your feet to the bowstring. The most in a simple way the steps can be secured using support bars or corners (see Fig. 66, c, e). To do this, along the tread line, wooden blocks or metal corners with holes for screws are nailed or screwed to the bowstring. The steps are attached to support bars or corners using screws. Despite the fact that this method is the simplest, it is rarely used in practice. A flight of stairs made using this method looks rough and can be placed in utility rooms or other places where high aesthetic requirements are not imposed on the stairs. In our opinion, the implementation of this method is available home handyman without high qualifications, so we will not dwell on it in detail. Sometimes the steps are simply attached to the bowstring and secured with screws screwed in from the front side (Fig. 66, d). This method is called end-mounting. But in this case, the fastening strength is low, since the steps are held in place only by screws. Therefore, this method can be used only in exceptional cases when other fastening is impossible. The loads on such steps should be minimal. The fastening method using a secret groove made in the bowstring helps to avoid this drawback (Fig. 66, b). In this case, the step receives additional emphasis on the edges of the groove and the possible load on such a step increases.

Fastening in groove with remainder(Fig. 66, a) is quite reliable. To do this, two counter grooves are cut out in the string and the steps, with the help of which fastening is performed. The advantages of this method include its greater reliability. In addition, the strings of such a ladder will never come apart during operation. Essentially, this method is a transitional option from a ladder with bowstrings to a ladder with stringers. Appearance such a staircase will look more like a staircase with stringers. The disadvantages of this method include the artificial lowering of the load-bearing capacity of the step and string due to counter-grooves. When loads are applied to the step from the groove side, the wood fibers may peel off, and half of the step may break off. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to additionally secure the front edges of the steps. Therefore, despite the apparent advantages of the method of fastening into a groove with a remainder, it is not used very often. The installation of railings in such a staircase is carried out according to the methods of fastening to stairs with stringers (that is, not to a bowstring, but to a stringer, which will be discussed later).

Fastening steps using various tenon joints are shown in Fig. 74. Such connections are called middle knitting. Despite the complexity of manufacturing, these connections are durable and have improved aesthetic qualities compared to the methods described above. Let's look at them in more detail.

Rice. 74. :
a - in a wide groove; b - in a narrow groove with one shoulder; c - into a narrow groove with two shoulder pads; g - award with one shoulder pad;
d - reward with two shoulder pads; e - reward with flat spikes; g - using dowels

Connecting steps using dowels(Fig. 74, g) is considered the least labor-intensive. But in this case, the load-bearing capacity of the steps will be determined only by the strength of the dowels and walls of the sockets in the steps. Therefore, this method can only be used when large loads will not be applied to the steps of the stairs. The diameter of the dowels in this case should be maximum (8-10 mm), and their number on one side of the step should be at least three. Dowels should extend into solid wood at a distance of at least 20 mm.

Connecting steps using spikes(Fig. 74, e) more durable. But difficulties in accurately marking spikes and sockets impose certain restrictions on its use. The strength of the steps in this case will be determined by the strength of the spikes made in their sides and must comply with regulatory requirements.

Connected to the award with one or two shoulder pads(Fig. 74, d, e), made in the form of a beveled solid spike (type dovetail), holds the bowstrings so that they do not diverge different sides. With this method, there is no need to perform additional fastening of the flight of stairs to prevent possible divergence of the bowstrings. However, the use of the award fastening method is limited by the fact that the step tenon can only be inserted into the bowstring groove from the side position. Therefore, this method can only be used in flights of stairs made without a reference line of bowstrings.

Narrow groove joints with one or two shoulders(Fig. 74, b, c) are quite effective. But they are used less often due to the fact that they have to perform additional work for the manufacture of shoulder pads, which also weaken the strength of the steps.

Wide groove connection(Fig. 74, a) is devoid of all the previously mentioned disadvantages and therefore is used most often. Therefore, in the future we will talk about this connection, calling it simply a groove connection. With this method, the step with its end fits into a groove made in the bowstring, providing a sufficiently large bearing capacity flight of stairs.

So, if you decide to attach the steps to the groove, then you should make precise markings. The boundary of the groove should be taken as the line of the tread made when marking the bowstring. A piece of board with a width and thickness equal to the corresponding dimensions of the steps can serve as a template for marking. For it, you can use the segment obtained during the manufacture of steps. To mark, the template is applied to the line of the bowstring obtained during preliminary marking, and traced with a pencil, obtaining the contours of the groove.

A flight of stairs can be made with or without risers. In this case, the riser is not a mandatory part of the flight of stairs and its production is dictated the following conditions. If children use the stairs, then between the elements of the flight of stairs there should be no gaps exceeding 10-15 cm. Therefore, in order to prevent the child from sticking his head between two steps, the space between them is completely or partially covered with a riser (Fig. 75) (called sometimes muted).

Rice. 75. :
1 - riser; 2 - tread; 3 - bowstring (kosour); 4 - railing post; 5 - connection of the riser with the tread (in a narrow groove)

In addition, a solid riser can serve as an additional reinforcement of the step against sagging if the thickness of the board from which the step is made is insufficient. The presence of a solid riser makes the flight of stairs closed, so accidentally fallen objects and debris cannot fall through the gaps in the flight. But most often the installation of risers is dictated by purely aesthetic considerations. If you decide to make a staircase with risers, then their marking and fastening can be done using all the methods we have listed for steps. If the strength of the steps is sufficient, then to simplify the design of the stairs, you can omit the grooves for the risers, limiting yourself to attaching them to the step and to the “end” with a bowstring. The length of the riser in this case will be less than the length of the step by twice the distance at which the step enters the groove of the bowstring. Such a riser should be placed symmetrically relative to the step.

A staircase is a real construction set that can be assembled in several ways from different or identical elements, using different fastening methods and materials. And in most cases, the “constructor” can be assembled independently.

Stair elements

The main and mandatory components are supports, steps and railings. The shape of the elements is noticeably different.

Stringer is a sawtooth-shaped supporting inclined beam to which treads are attached. It can be one or several, the steps on it are installed from above.
The bowstring is an inclined straight beam, but the tread is fixed between two supports.
A step is a flat element of a staircase on which one rests while moving.
Railing - stair railing.

The methods of fastening elements to each other may be different, therefore, for example, load-bearing beams, despite their role as support, may be absent altogether.

Wall – treads can be installed in load-bearing wall. On the opposite side of the stairs, the steps are fastened together with bolts.
Modules – connecting element, fastening the treads together and acting as a support beam. For this design, the support on the wall is partial.
Frame – metal structure, consisting of load-bearing beam minimum width – 12–18 cm, and stepped bases

Attaching steps to stringers and bowstrings

Load-bearing beams are an indispensable component of wooden stairs, therefore connection methods are described for wooden elements.

Fixing the tread on the beam depends on the method of its manufacture.

Zigzag protrusions are cut out in a board of the appropriate size according to calculations. Holes are made in the treads, then the stepped elements are installed on stringers and secured with screws. The screws are covered with wooden plugs on top. On the picture - traditional way installation on the stringer.
You can do it differently: attach rectangular supports to the support beam on spikes, and then mount treads on the supports.

Other methods are used to secure elements to the string.

On the inside of the board, grooves 2–3 cm deep are cut for steps and risers, if they are provided for in the project. The product is assembled and then completely installed in the opening.
1. The groove may be with open edges. In this case, the stepped element slides in desired depth into the bowstrings already in place. In both cases described, a screed is recommended.
2. WITH inside beams, additional supports are first installed - wooden blocks, metal corner, and then treads are attached to the supports.

Installation of steps in the wall

The main condition is that the wall to which the installation is made must be load-bearing. Installation on partitions is unacceptable.

Sealing - grooves of the required depth are knocked out. Into the recesses end side treads are inserted and sealed with cement. This is the most reliable way, although it has one drawback: when using the stairs, vibration is transmitted to the wall, so the sound of footsteps is heard throughout the house.
Installation on brackets - holes are made for special anchors, steps are mounted to the latter through the brackets. The photo shows a version of the cantilever staircase.
Installation via wooden beam- is used for wooden structures. A beam is attached to the wall, which essentially acts as a bowstring, and then treads are placed on it.

On the opposite side, the edges of the elements are connected using bolts - threaded metal rods. This design looks very lightweight, but is also reliable.

Installing steps on a metal frame

Metal treads are used extremely rarely. The installation technology itself is simple - metal product laid on the base and welded, but requires experience in working with welding machine. If this method is implemented in a private house, it is advisable to trim the stairs with soundproofing material.
Wooden treads can be attached directly to a metal base. But since wood, unlike metal, shrinks, it is recommended to use a substrate during installation. A fragment of plywood 10–12 mm thick is bolted to the frame, and then onto the substrate liquid nails fixed wooden surface. In the video, the method of attaching the tread to the frame is demonstrated in more detail.

Modular stairs

A stringer or bowstring is an element of the staircase that bears the main load of the entire structure. With proper installation of all its components, you can avoid accidents that occur when the staircase assembly technology is violated. The bowstring happens different types, but when constructing it, an inclined beam is always used, on which the steps are attached. Their installation is carried out along the top of the ridge of the stringer. If you look from the side, the edges of the stairs will be free and clearly visible from the end. Lifting structures with the use of bowstrings they look more compact and lighter, because they are not burdened with unnecessary details and are simpler to perform.

Attaching the stringer to the platforms or ceilings of the second floor can be done in various ways.

How exactly to secure it depends on the thickness of the platforms, support beams and other design features of the staircase. Jagged and simple stringers require different methods for installing steps, which are secured with screws or dowels.

How to attach a stringer to the upper platform or ceiling

Attaching the stringer to the platform and the ceiling of the second floor depends on its type, which can be wooden or metal. In the upper part, the stringer, made of any material, is secured with anchors or bolts. Its fastening is carried out to steel beams or reinforced concrete floor using welding, bolts or anchors. When installing a metal bowstring, its ends are cut at the desired angle and steel plates or corners are welded to them, in which holes are pre-drilled. The resulting platforms on the edge of the bowstring are connected to the steel beam using bolts. You can use an anchor that is best suited for attaching a stringer to a reinforced concrete floor. At the bottom of the stairs, the string can be attached to the end of the landing or left to rest on the horizontal upper plane of the landing.

If the staircase has a side string, then this allows you to arrange the steps in a convenient way, which is most suitable for a given room. Such a staircase will be more compact and convenient. Usually these are stairs with metal steps, lightweight design. The string in them is attached to mortgages mounted into the wall, and secured at the top with the help of plates welded to the edges to the beam.

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Methods for attaching a wooden stringer

There are many ways to fasten a wooden stringer in its upper part. One of the most reliable and common methods of installation to an opening is to install a notch in the support beam, into which the edge of the stringer is then inserted. Sometimes a rectangular cut is made both in the beam and in the stringer. It is more convenient to make an inclined cut only in a beam that will correspond to the slope of the bowstring. The cut should not be too large, because this weakens its cross-section.

Installation of a wooden stringer can be done using metal fasteners. Using angles, beam supports and bolts, the edge of the bowstring can be secured to the beam with a high degree of reliability. This works best in cases where the staircase has small or light flights, a steep slope, or transfers most of the load to the lower support point. If a heavy flight is being constructed, with thick steps, risers, hemming and massive railings, then it is better to arrange for direct support of the stringer on the beam using cuts.

There are different types of staircases on stringers. The string can be placed along the edges or one central string can be made in the middle of the stairs. A balustrade or fencing using a stringer is mounted directly on the steps.

Attaching steps and risers to the string can be done using glue, dowels, screws and other fasteners. How to attach the steps in a particular case is decided depending on the weight of the staircase, its shape and angle of inclination. You cannot use nails for installation, because over time they become loose and their connection to the wood weakens.

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Method of attaching steps on dowels to a wooden stringer

The steps can be secured different ways. Most effective method Woodworking is the process of securing elements using tools and carpentry techniques.

You will need:

mallet;
measuring tape;
wooden sticks with a length of at least 50 mm;
wood glue or Moment glue for wood;
electric drill;
wood depth limiter;
markers 21 mm.

The manufacture of dowels and their correct installation are often used in the installation of internal wooden stairs leading to the second floor.

Dowels are used to attach the steps to the stringer. To do this, you need to drill a hole 20 mm deep in the beam, using a drill bit sharpened for wood with a depth limiter.
For each step, 2-3 holes are made, which are blown through and markers with a height of 21 mm are inserted into them.
We begin to lay out the steps, tapping them with a mallet so that the markers leave marks for the holes into which the dowels will be inserted.
All marks imprinted on the steps are drilled to a depth of 30 mm.
Blow out and clean the holes and lubricate them with wood glue.
Dowels with pointed ends, 45 mm long, are driven into the holes made.
The protruding part of the dowel is smeared with glue and a step is stuffed onto it.

Excess glue that is poured into the holes will come out easily if the edge of the dowel is sharpened. In order for the step to completely sit on the dowels, you need to push it, tap it with a mallet, or put a weight of 200 kg on it for 10-15 minutes. This will be enough so that it does not deform under heavy load.

Quite often people install wooden stairs in their homes. This design is characterized by a long service life, reliability and high strength characteristics. Don't forget about aesthetic beauty.

Installing a staircase requires accurate calculation of design parameters and compliance with all installation rules.

At first glance, installing stairs of this type may seem like a simple task. There are no special parts or mechanisms here. Simple railings and the steps themselves are combined into a single design. However, installing it is actually quite difficult, since during the installation process you have to deal with numerous nuances that must be taken into account. So, let's look at how to install a ladder.

Scheme of a wooden staircase.

But first, about the necessary supplies for work:

roulette;
hacksaw;
square;
grinder;
perforator;
hammer;
level and others.

Installation of wooden stairs

Even behind such a simple design there is a very complex technological process. It is best if such work is entrusted to specialists. They will decorate the house with the highest quality and in short term. However, in this situation, numerous unforeseen expenses may arise. Installing a wooden staircase for your home with your own hands - best option solving the problem.

A lot depends on how well the wooden staircase is installed near the house. First of all, this concerns the operation and reliability of the design. If the installation is carried out incorrectly, that is, a person does not adhere to the technology, this can lead to a change in the aesthetic appearance, as well as damage.

When installing a wooden staircase for your home, you must adhere to the following rules:

Table showing proper design of stair treads.

It is best to carry out the installation by specialists who work for an organization that designs stairs. In this case, they will be responsible for their construction.
The installation of the structure is carried out in the place that was originally described in the contract, since all structural elements are made for it.
The ladder must be transported to its destination disassembled. In this case, the likelihood of damage to its structural elements is reduced. In this case, the installation of the structure is made from ready-made components.
If a person applies for work to a company that makes ready-made flights of stairs, then he will definitely first need to make grooves in the mounting beams for their installation.
Only after the railings have been finally adjusted to the floor level can you begin to install the flights of stairs. When adjusting the lower string, it is imperative to take into account the fact that flooring can be laid on the floor.
Before you begin installing a flight of stairs, you must make a fence. Only after it is perfectly matched to the future design can further work be continued.
To obtain durable and reliable design It is imperative to screw the marches onto self-tapping screws. This makes the structure more durable and rigid. They are fastened in several places around the perimeter, connected through a support post and through a bowstring to the wall.

Methods of fastening structural parts

Options for attaching steps to the string.

Let's look at how the main elements of the staircase are fastened. Any structure that is installed at home or near it has the same structure.

Moreover, we are not necessarily talking about a wooden staircase. There are always inclined parts and steps here. Another way to call them flights of stairs and platforms. Depending on how the spans are organized, the structures can be single-flight, double-flight or three-flight. There are several different methods for attaching steps:

they can rest on the bowstrings at both ends;
one end is attached to the stringer, and the other to the wall;
one end is embedded in the wall, and the other hangs freely; this method cannot always be used; it is only appropriate if the thickness of the wall is very large.

Methods of attaching steps to a stringer.

Before final assembly staircases for the home must take into account the fact that it must withstand all the loads that await it. After all, not only do people walk on such structures, but also loads move. The rigidity is very important. All grooves that are intended for fastening structural elements with bowstrings must be made in such a way that the elements fit into them with tension, that is, as tightly as possible. Their depth must be the same, and the grooves themselves must have a flat plane. This is true for all cases, including when using glue to attach structural elements. It will evenly fill the grooves, giving them the required rigidity and strength. If another fastening method is used, then it is worth using the wedging method.

In this situation, the grooves are made in the form of a trapezoid. Its top will be in front of the bowstring. After installation, the process of wedging begins. After everything is thoroughly coated with glue, we can say that the result is a fairly strong and powerful structure. You can always use nails or screws as additional fasteners.

However, in this case, the appearance of the stairs may deteriorate. To prevent this from happening, the caps must be buried in the wood and then covered with special covers. Now the aesthetics will be at their best. The appearance of the entire structure will not be spoiled. To increase the strength of the ladder, several nails or screws are used for fastening.

Installation of stairs: features

Scheme of fastening the railing posts, lower and upper.

So let's consider self-installation stairs. This is done quite simply. Moreover, all components of the structure are supplied ready-made, but disassembled. Here you need to be extremely careful to comply with all the nuances of the technology.

The first stage is the preparation of the upper and lower marches. The side parts must strictly comply with the parameters of the opening. Markings must first be applied, according to which preparation is carried out. If it is not made by the manufacturer, then you need to do it yourself.

Now we need to move on to preparing the upper support post. Grooves are cut into it, which will serve to fasten the upper span.

For marking, you can use a regular pencil.

With its help, a horizontal line is applied on the lower edge of the groove. Then you need to measure the distance from the ceiling to the floor and draw another line. It should be equal to this distance. Risers are installed in all grooves, and then their lower part is sawn to size.

Assembly modern stairs for the home is done using glue. Only high quality material is used. All structural elements must be glued in the following sequence:

top support post connects to the side elements of the structure;
then fencing and railings are added;
connect the lower ends of the railing and the lower support post;
The side parts of the structure and the lower stand are glued together.

Only in this sequence should it be done correct installation stairs. Wooden spikes are driven into those parts of the rack that are used for connection. After all the elements are prepared, be sure to give them time to dry completely.

Now you can proceed to assembling the structure. One person cannot cope with this. You definitely need to get help. At least three additional people must be involved in assistance. One of them is located at the top, and the rest are at the bottom.

Next, the ladder itself is installed on the floor and then leveled using a level. Special marks are made on the floor that will serve as markings for future pillars. Holes are made in these places using a drill. They should also be in the pillars, and the same size as on the floor. Fastening is carried out using special bolts. The tread is attached to the cross beam with two nails.

The single side part is attached to the wall using self-tapping screws or bolts. Quite a lot of them must be used so that the connection is very strong and durable. If necessary, you can do additional cladding on the stairs. This is done using sheets of drywall or other material. Wood can also be used in a similar situation. For example, lining or tongue and groove board. In this case, the wooden staircase will not lose its original beauty and aesthetics.

Summarizing

Thus, the process of installing stairs for the house is completed. There is nothing complicated about it. The main thing is to strictly follow the instructions given above. This is the only way to achieve the desired result. When performing work, be sure to use only high-quality glue. With its help you can get a truly durable and reliable structure.

When performing work, be sure to call help. Only with their help can you achieve high-quality results. Wooden stairs are quite heavy structural element. It needs to be mounted and installed only through the efforts of several people. To achieve the required result, when installing outdoors, you can use specialized equipment.