Does your Staircase Need Repairs?

Whether stairs are located indoors or outdoors, straight or spiral with a half or quarter-landing, they all play a vital part in your home’s design. Stairs that are in mint condition are the most effective way for homeowners and family members to get from one floor to another as well as a veranda or deck. However, when they are in disrepair or a rundown state, these stairs can become hazardous. Since they receive high traffic on daily basis, it is common for wear and tear to take place. Hence, maintaining them regularly should be included into one’s to-do lists.

Before you get started, you should also consider what materials your stairs are made from. For example, you may own wooden stairs that are made from hardwood and they might be of excellent craftsmanship. Thus, calling in a professional is a safer and much more viable solution. In this article, you will learn two of the most common problems from wear and tear, and how you should go about rectifying it. The last thing that you want to encounter is a DIY project gone wrong, and you may witness valuable resources being squandered away.

Railings have started to loosen

It is pertinent for every set of stairs to be built with strong railings, as safety concerns are top priority. Usually railings are mounted onto the wall with screws as opposed to being secured to the posts on the steps. These screws eventually succumb to wear and tear and will loosen over time, causing the railings to become unstable. Experts who deal with stairways and railings alike recommend that homeowners remove the loose railing from the wall and mount it onto a sturdy piece of board, instead of drilling more unnecessary holes into your wall. This way, you can hide unsightly holes that have been introduced to the wall and re-secure your railing again.

Squeaky steps are becoming a bother

Usually squeaky stairs or steps are caused by friction problems and if someone puts their weight on either step. Squeaks occur when loose pieces of wood rub against each other as well as screws and nails somewhere within the stair. Hence, old stairs are more likely to squeak as they have settled over the years and loosened as well. In order to put a stop to this annoying problem, you should prevent the friction entirely. In most cases, desirable results can be achieved by screwing stair parts more tightly. If you have access to the underside of your staircase, it is even better as you can try to fill any problematic gaps with handy wooden shims.

Ensure ongoing maintenance

It is widely known that indoor stairs and railings both deal with foot traffic most of the time and outdoor stairs have to withstand the elements that can sometimes prove to be unforgiving. Hence, you should give them a thorough sanding whenever it is needed to reduce unwanted splinters. As for outdoor stairs you should also seal the newly sanded surface with specialized outdoor wood finishes to protect against damaging effects that arise from moisture, sunlight and insect problems.

Don’t always take things into your own hands

However, there might certain situations that homeowners don’t have the right skill set of time to deal with maintenance processes themselves. In such cases, it would be better to call in a professional. For those who need to work with a shoestring budget, ensure that you approach several service providers beforehand to acquire the average repair or refinishing costs. At LA Floor Inc., we offer affordable rates when it comes to stairway and railing refinishing to restore their original lustre and more. Talk to us today!