# Attaching drywall to bottom of stairs



## hyunelan2

I read some similar threads, but they mentioned a 3rd support/stringer in the center of the stairs, which i do not have. It appears the treads and risers sit on a 1x12 that is cut out, and attached/sistered to a 2x12. 

How do I attach the drywall (5/8 type X) to the underside of these stairs? I'm assuming I need to add some type of support for the center?


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## titanoman

You must have a center stringer (cut-out 2x12). Are your steps spongy in the middle?
The magic of risers I guess.
Only a pro can do this for you.
Wait. Let me look here...

Ply or 1x treads.

1x stringers nailed to 2x that aren't nailed to the studs.

I don't think these stairs were meant to be walked on.

Not to scare you, but this is a dangerous set of stairs that needs to be ripped out and built from scratch.

I don't know why these haven't collapsed yet.

Seriously.


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## hyunelan2

Stairs are boards, not plywood. They don't feel spongy either. Though they don't look familiar, I'm not sure they are dangerous - they would have had to pass inspection when the house was built in 2002? Home inspector didn't list anything wrong when I bought the house in 2009 (though that doesn't mean much). Maybe I need to get my code inspector to give them a look?


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## coupe

if it were me, I'd get some metal angle clips, even simple drywall corner bead, and screw to stringers on both sides. then attach 2 x's on 16"centers from top to bottom and screw drywall to those.


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## titanoman

hyunelan2 said:


> Stairs are boards, not plywood. They don't feel spongy either. Though they don't look familiar, I'm not sure they are dangerous - they would have had to pass inspection when the house was built in 2002? Home inspector didn't list anything wrong when I bought the house in 2009 (though that doesn't mean much). Maybe I need to get my code inspector to give them a look?


Where are you?
Those won't pass anywhere I know.


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## hyunelan2

Suburbs of Chicago. The stair treads are not 1x, they are 2x. The risers are 1x.


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## titanoman

hyunelan2 said:


> Suburbs of Chicago. The stair treads are not 1x, they are 2x. The risers are 1x.


I'm sorry.
The pictures are small on a phone.
Back to the "you need a center stringer".
Cut you cut that?


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## hyunelan2

I could cut it, sure. But I don't think that would be the only problem. I'm not sure how I would get it down the stairs to begin with, standard stringers are what, 14 feet long? That's not going to make the turn at the bottom of the stairs. Maybe I could bring it in through a window.


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## hyunelan2

Just checked with a friend whose house was built about the same time as mine (but he's in the NW suburbs, I'm in the SW suburbs). His stairs are constructed exactly the same. 1x12 stringers on the outside of 36" 2x12 treads, all sandwiched between 2 2x12s. Looks like center stringers did not carry over to modern (last decade) building practice?


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## titanoman

hyunelan2 said:


> Just checked with a friend whose house was built about the same time as mine (but he's in the NW suburbs, I'm in the SW suburbs). His stairs are constructed exactly the same. 1x12 stringers on the outside of 36" 2x12 treads, all sandwiched between 2 2x12s. Looks like center stringers did not carry over to modern (last decade) building practice?


I don't know. All I know is code in parts of Cali and Missouri.
In your case, treads shouldn't span over 2', and drywall can't.
You should put a center stringer in if you have the knowledge in this area.


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## BigJim

Wow, I have never seen stairs built like that, I don't see how it passed inspection unless the inspector didn't look under the stairs. A 1X12 is not acceptable for the structural stringers of stairs. If you are happy with them and they passed that is your business but it sure wouldn't fly in my house or one I built. The 1X12 stringers aren't sistered, that is a 2X4 nailer to space the stringer off the wall so sheet rock and the skirt board will slide down beside the stringer. It is not intended to add any strength to the stringers.


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## titanoman

jiju1943 said:


> Wow, I have never seen stairs built like that, I don't see how it passed inspection unless the inspector didn't look under the stairs. A 1X12 is not acceptable for the structural stringers of stairs. If you are happy with them and they passed that is your business but it sure wouldn't fly in my house or one I built. The 1X12 stringers aren't sistered, that is a 2X4 nailer to space the stringer off the wall so sheet rock and the skirt board will slide down beside the stringer. It is not intended to add any strength to the stringers.


That 2x4 is only making the whole thing even less structurally sound.

May I ask what the rise (ht) and run (dph) are? Under 8 and more than 10 at least?


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## hyunelan2

Just a few responses to above. I went and looked closely this morning:

The 1x12 is sistered to the 2x12. It is nailed to both sides below each step. Further, the 1x12 does NOT attach to the floor joist at the top, only the 2x12 does. The 1x12s are attached to the 2x12s.

Total rise from top of tread to top of treat is 7-7/8". Tread depth is 10".

Where the treads and risers meet the 2x12s, it looks like they are also affixed with construction adhesive.

some more pictures (the ones with the screwdriver are pointing out where nails are. The last one shows the tip of the nail poking out the 2x12, where it was driven slightly too deep).


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## CplDevilDog

> Home inspector didn't list anything wrong when I bought the house in 2009 (though that doesn't mean much).




:laughing:


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## hyunelan2

hyunelan2 said:


> Just checked with a friend whose house was built about the same time as mine (but he's in the NW suburbs, I'm in the SW suburbs). His stairs are constructed exactly the same.


FWIW, I just checked with a second friend with a house built in the last decade. He also has no center stringer.


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## titanoman

hyunelan2 said:


> FWIW, I just checked with a second friend with a house built in the last decade. He also has no center stringer.


Must be a Chicago thing.
Do you know how to cut another 2x12 stringer for the drywall for the center? I can tell you how if you don't.


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## hyunelan2

Though I'm sure I could search it out, or just copy the cuts on the other stringers - it might be more beneficial to hear it from you.


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## titanoman

hyunelan2 said:


> Though I'm sure I could search it out, or just copy the cuts on the other stringers - it might be more beneficial to hear it from you.


If you're comfortable making the stringer copying the others, I won't go through the involved process of walking you through it.
And nobody here will tell you that you don't need this center member.
Use #2 2x12.


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## hyunelan2

Talked to the chief building official. He said the center stringer is not required, and not common anymore. As for the 1x12s sistered to the 2x12s, he said "that's about the goofiest way to build the stairs, but there's nothing wrong with it since it will get its strength from the 2x12 its nailed into." He suggested just hanging 2x4s between the 1x12 stringers, at no more than 24" o.c. to support the drywall.


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## titanoman

hyunelan2 said:


> Talked to the chief building official. He said the center stringer is not required, and not common anymore. As for the 1x12s sistered to the 2x12s, he said "that's about the goofiest way to build the stairs, but there's nothing wrong with it since it will get its strength from the 2x12 its nailed into." He suggested just hanging 2x4s between the 1x12 stringers, at no more than 24" o.c. to support the drywall.


There you go.


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## Doorman54

A little birdy asked me to check in here.....
My stairs are built the same way!! 
My house is from 1980-1981, split level, 6 stairs up and 6 down. 
I found out that's how they were built when I pulled them up to fix the squeaking they made and a dip in the floor (a good story in itself) at the base of both sets of stairs. 

The stringers were not damaged in any way after 30+yrs. I polit drilled and screwed/ glued both stringers and every tread and riser.


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## Willie T

This is kind of laughable to me. The comments about center stringers being old techniques, I mean.

Some of the oldest stairways built in America had only two stringers because they were what is called "boxed" stairways. They were actually considered the most difficult and best constructed stairs you could buy. Boxed stairways cannot have a center stringer.

And.... they utilize a much stronger (weight supporting) stringer than the cut stringers in such common usage today.

Cut stringers are VERY low in strength by comparison. If you think about it, all a cut stringer has supporting you is a long, long strip of 2 x about 5 to 5.5 inches deep. Really, pretty bouncy and weak. Thankfully, the side stringers are usually fastened to a wall, greatly increasing their weight carrying capacities.

Perpendicular (ladder style) 2x 4's (or even 1 x 4's) are the way to go for hanging the drywall.

Don't worry a bit about not having a center stringer. If the tread span is within code, and the treads (your REAL weight carrying elements) are as thick as, or thicker than, code requires, you're fine.


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## titanoman

Willie T said:


> This is kind of laughable to me. The comments about center stringers being old techniques, I mean.
> 
> Some of the oldest stairways built in America had only two stringers because they were what is called "boxed" stairways. They were actually considered the most difficult and best constructed stairs you could buy. Boxed stairways cannot have a center stringer.
> 
> And.... they utilize a much stronger (weight supporting) stringer than the cut stringers in such common usage today.
> 
> Cut stringers are VERY low in strength by comparison. If you think about it, all a cut stringer has supporting you is a long, long strip of 2 x about 5 to 5.5 inches deep. Really, pretty bouncy and weak. Thankfully, the side stringers are usually fastened to a wall, greatly increasing their weight carrying capacities.
> 
> Perpendicular 2x 4's (or even 1 x 4's) are the way to go for hanging the drywall.
> 
> Don't worry a bit about not having a center stringer. If the tread span is within code, and the treads (your REAL weight carrying elements) are as thick as, or thicker than, code requires, you're fine.


Boxed?
Like a riser and a tread?


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## Willie T

No. The stringers are routed out in horizontal and vertical grooves (about half-thickness) and the treads and risers are "fitted" inside the grooves, using wedges to lock and align them.

Give it a Google search. There should be some diagrams online somewhere.


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## titanoman

Willie T said:


> No. The stringers are routed out in horizontal and vertical grooves (about half-thickness) and the treads and risers are "fitted" inside the grooves, using wedges to lock and align them.
> 
> Give it a Google search. There should be some diagrams online somewhere.


Sounds like the hard way if you ask me.
I sure wouldn't fit in with the south side of Chicago I guess.


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## Willie T

Yes, like much of the almost forgotten craftsmanship of years gone by, it took a lot more time, labor, and skill than most of today's offerings. In fact, I seriously doubt there are even 500 men still living who would have the knowledge and ability to build a set today.


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## titanoman

Willie T said:


> Yes, like much of the almost forgotten craftsmanship of years gone by, it took a lot more time, labor, and skill than most of today's offerings. In fact, I seriously doubt there are even 500 men still living who would have the knowledge and ability to build a set today.


Just like anything. Tear it apart and see what makes it tick.
Boom. 501.

Before, I couldn't even spell carpenter. Now I is one.


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## Willie T

It's not that anyone today COULDN'T do it, but that they never will get the chance.


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## titanoman

Or want to.


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## Willie T

Yeah. Did you know that the sheet metal on early automobiles was "welded" together by hammering on the joints till they fused together? No one would do that today, no matter how cool it is.


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## hyunelan2

So, in essence what they've done on my stairs would be similar to that of a boxed staircase, in that the entire 2x12 retains its rigidity. Just instead of routing out areas for the treads and risers, the attached a piece of external wood to do that?


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## M Engineer

Willie T said:


> Yeah. Did you know that the sheet metal on early automobiles was "welded" together by hammering on the joints till they fused together? No one would do that today, no matter how cool it is.


Or pay for it.


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## Willie T

hyunelan2 said:


> So, in essence what they've done on my stairs would be similar to that of a boxed staircase, in that the entire 2x12 retains its rigidity. Just instead of routing out areas for the treads and risers, the attached a piece of external wood to do that?


Yeah, sounds like it. And it's legal, as far as I understand it.


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## BigJim

hyunelan2 said:


> So, in essence what they've done on my stairs would be similar to that of a boxed staircase, in that the entire 2x12 retains its rigidity. Just instead of routing out areas for the treads and risers, the attached a piece of external wood to do that?


Before I read this post I finally got it, that is exactly what they did. Instead of mortising in the 2X12 they cut stringers out of 1X12 and nailed to the 2X12, same difference as mortising just cheating and not as time consuming or craftsman like. 

I have built several of the stairs with mortised in treads and risers but not this way. The down side of doing it this way would be not being able to use the wedges that are used in a full mortise to keep the squeaks out. The riser will hold the tread rigid all the way across and with the 2X12 stringers as you have it will be stronger, like Willie said, as you have the full 2X12.


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## kjk11

*drywalling stairs*

I am a framer from Canada. Your stairs are built fine. A 2"x4" down the middle of the stair parallel to your stringers would give plenty of strength as backing for the drywall or 2"x4"s on flat perpindicular to the stringers and toenailed to the stringers.


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## hyunelan2

jiju1943 said:


> I have built several of the stairs with mortised in treads and risers but not this way. The down side of doing it this way would be not being able to use the wedges that are used in a full mortise to keep the squeaks out. .


I'm guessing that's where the construction adhesive comes in? Probably not as permanent as a mechanical wedge, but probably not likely to let go in the next few decades.


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## BigJim

hyunelan2 said:


> I'm guessing that's where the construction adhesive comes in? Probably not as permanent as a mechanical wedge, but probably not likely to let go in the next few decades.


If your construction adhesive is as strong as the one I used you would have to tear the treads up in pieces, it was just that strong.


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