How to repair cracks alongside the stairs?

[psd99]

Happy new year guys.

I've got cracks alongside the stairs of the house where the wood meets the plaster on the wall.

It actually looks like someone a very long time ago put that round beading along some parts of the stairs but I'm not 100% certain about this.

I think the cracks are occurring due to the following reasons:

- The property is moving
- The stairs have too much movement (they are a bit squeaky but I did try to fix this)

The walls were replastered about 13 months back and repainted etc but within the last few months the cracks have got worse.

I guess there is not much I can do about the movement in the property but if I was to just put some strong filler in place, sand it down and paint over I'm worried this problem will return again. Or put in a "flexible" filler only for the cracks to re-appear in 6 months.

Anyone got any advice on how to fix this permanently as it looks horrendous?

Thanks,
psd99.

 

[ANDARIAL]

Either poly-filler(NOT ready mixed but powder)
If the gap was nearer the string i would have said decofil
or a quadrant or beading you like the look of,personally i would go the beading route

 

[brendy]

I've got exactly the same problem right now. We replastered and repainted our stairwell and wooden runners a few years ago (aubergine walls and white wood for what it matters) and have got the same cracking effects. The two possible steps forward are either
A: some sort of semi flexible filler which can be painted over when set but will possibly look out of place.
B: it's located so close to the wood that another small wooden bead to cover it could work well.
B is not through laziness, more knowing that the cracking may return again.

 

[psd99]

thanks guys

yes I think the beading route would be the best here but which type of beading should I go for? Also worried about cutting the angles at the top of the stairs I'm pretty useless at this.

I will look to see if I can get pictures online somewhere of how this should look at the end!

 

[boxman2000]

I wouldn't use polyfiller as it will crack again - 100%

Way better option is 'decorators caulk' - I've used it for the past few years and zero cracks. Great for the joints between wall/ceilings as well, bascially anywhere there will be any kind of movement between joints/materials.

I wouldn't use beading.

 

[Thebug]

We had this prob, its because the stairs moved as they weren’t fixed properly to the wall, i just put a 4” screw through the stringers into the wall every other step before making the wall good and its been fine since

 

[brendy]

thanks guys

yes I think the beading route would be the best here but which type of beading should I go for? Also worried about cutting the angles at the top of the stairs I'm pretty useless at this.

I will look to see if I can get pictures online somewhere of how this should look at the end!

Perfect job for a mitre saw, fairly cheap for an adjustable one.
I find the decorators cob fills well but doesn't fix the problem neither, the cracks can still appear further up or down the staircase and getting a 100% invisible finish is tough as the wall will be textured but the filler will be wiped perfectly flat.

 

[psd99]

We had this prob, its because the stairs moved as they weren’t fixed properly to the wall, i just put a 4” screw through the stringers into the wall every other step before making the wall good and its been fine since

are u able to get me a video of how to do this please?

 

[psd99]

I actually had very squeaky stairs and I fixed them via this method:

so most of the steps have a long peice of wood where each stair meets

however this wasn't really a great resolution in the end as the stairs still squeak.

 

[Thebug]

are u able to get me a video of how to do this please?

Not really as i have already done mine but i just drilled a 7mm hole through the wood into the brick then knocked a brown plug through into the brick using the screw and tightened up said screw doing this every other step, no more creaking or cracking.

 

[psd99]

Not really as i have already done mine but i just drilled a 7mm hole through the wood into the brick then knocked a brown plug through into the brick using the screw and tightened up said screw doing this every other step, no more creaking or cracking.

gotcha I think I get that

but I won't be able to get to EVERY single stair
perhaps just 4 or 5.

this is worth a shot + either flexible filler OR beading

I think you're right about drilling through the wood into the wall though. Good shout.

 

[Thebug]

The more screws the better i done every other step so prob about 7 screws all in each side.

 

[psd99]

each side? I only have one wall to do them on lol

 

[psd99]

The more screws the better i done every other step so prob about 7 screws all in each side.

Ok I think I understand this now when you say each side

do you mean like drill the wood into the wall where I have marked below?

I can get to 4/5 steps underneath but from above I could do all of them. Just want it to look like a nice finish.

I'd like to predrill the holes into the wood for a better finish. If I use a 7mm drill bit size for the wall what size wooden drill bit should I go with to get the screw through the wood?

I'm planning the following

- Predrill the wood
- Drill through to the wall
- Insert plug and screw, tighten up
- Filler on the wood where the screws are, sand down and then paint.
- Then use caulk along the crack lines.


Hopefully this will solve it long term what you all think?

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Omg what is going on under your stairs!? Looks like someone went bonkers with silicone.

TBH I would fill as the first attempt personally.

There are basically 2 scenarios.
1) Its basically old shrinkage cracks, that once filled will not reopen
or 2) you have constant movement so you will indeed struggle to fix the cracks. I am tempted to think this based on the apparent "work" undertaken under your stairs

If its 1, your dandy once filled.
If its 2 then you can look to eliminate movement and revert back to 1

If there are moving I would use some decent metal brackets rather than random wood blocks. You can get some pretty cheap load bearing ones that will significantly help movement issues.

Do you have someone live with you? If so I would get them to bounce on the stairs in the middle, ie half way up, go underneath and see if anything/what is moving. If the stairs themselves are not fixed well to the large plank you marked against the wall that may already be well secured. Adding more screws wont fix movement if the stairs are moving a lot

 

[psd99]

Omg what is going on under your stairs!? Looks like someone went bonkers with silicone.

TBH I would fill as the first attempt personally.

There are basically 2 scenarios.
1) Its basically old shrinkage cracks, that once filled will not reopen
or 2) you have constant movement so you will indeed struggle to fix the cracks. I am tempted to think this based on the apparent "work" undertaken under your stairs

If its 1, your dandy once filled.
If its 2 then you can look to eliminate movement and revert back to 1

If there are moving I would use some decent metal brackets rather than random wood blocks. You can get some pretty cheap load bearing ones that will significantly help movement issues.

Do you have someone live with you? If so I would get them to bounce on the stairs in the middle, ie half way up, go underneath and see if anything/what is moving. If the stairs themselves are not fixed well to the large plank you marked against the wall that may already be well secured. Adding more screws wont fix movement if the stairs are moving a lot

okay thanks

that's actually GLUE not silicone and it was incredibly difficult and very a tight place to move in. One hand I had a bit of wood held up in place the other drill + screwdriver I was very angry and frustrated when i was fixing the stair creaking and struggled immensely.

are you able to link me which type of brackets I could fix and exactly where would they be going?

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

I would go with something like this, you could go bigger, depends if your using the space as ideally a triangle shaped one is even stronger, these I have heard nothing but good about though

https://www.screwfix.com/p/sabrefix...ck/69361#product_additional_details_container

Everything is only as good as the fitting though, and if you really cant get into the space...

Start with the bounce test though, see whats moving, its hard to fix until you know exactly whats moving. BUt if you already had stairs that moved, and the squeaks would tend to suggest that, its quite possible you already fixed the main issue and some simple filling will fix it.

 

[psd99]

I would go with something like this, you could go bigger, depends if your using the space as ideally a triangle shaped one is even stronger, these I have heard nothing but good about though

https://www.screwfix.com/p/sabrefix...ck/69361#product_additional_details_container

Everything is only as good as the fitting though, and if you really cant get into the space...

Start with the bounce test though, see whats moving, its hard to fix until you know exactly whats moving. BUt if you already had stairs that moved, and the squeaks would tend to suggest that, its quite possible you already fixed the main issue and some simple filling will fix it.

yes lots of variable but I know when I got the place 5 years ago it was the same problem, so it must be the stairs or the property having some movement. I will get someone to move on them while I look at it from below.

with the brackets, are you suggesting they go between the riser and the tread? but I got a bit of wood there now

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

same places as the blocks if you have movement. Only if the risers and treads are moving though, no need if they are solid.

some shrinkage is completely normal, if its not repaired then it will remain. As I say you want to find the real issue, if bouncing on the stairs creates no noticeable movement then I would suspect its old shrinkage and hence filling will fix it.
As said caulk or filler. Caulk will give some limited expansion before failing.

I think its shrinkage never fixed personally based on pic 3. The middle is typical of the effect you get where you end up with a crack and a seemingly different level between the main part of the wall and the small part still attached to the wood its shrunk differently.
You can always fill it and leave it a month or so, no harm done. The screwfix ready mixed fine surface filler is very very good.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonse...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CIO_odDwu9gCFddxGwodyTcAKg

Modern fillers seem useless, this stuff sets really hard, its not cheap, but worth every penny. I would lightly dampen the area to be filled and fill with this.
If your not used to filling use a teaspoon, they are awesome for tiny cracks like that as you can apply decent pressure to force it in deep in a small area thats harder with a filling knife if your not used to using one.

 

[psd99]

same places as the blocks if you have movement. Only if the risers and treads are moving though, no need if they are solid.

some shrinkage is completely normal, if its not repaired then it will remain. As I say you want to find the real issue, if bouncing on the stairs creates no noticeable movement then I would suspect its old shrinkage and hence filling will fix it.
As said caulk or filler. Caulk will give some limited expansion before failing.

I think its shrinkage never fixed personally based on pic 3. The middle is typical of the effect you get where you end up with a crack and a seemingly different level between the main part of the wall and the small part still attached to the wood its shrunk differently.
You can always fill it and leave it a month or so, no harm done. The screwfix ready mixed fine surface filler is very very good.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonse...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CIO_odDwu9gCFddxGwodyTcAKg

Modern fillers seem useless, this stuff sets really hard, its not cheap, but worth every penny. I would lightly dampen the area to be filled and fill with this.
If your not used to filling use a teaspoon, they are awesome for tiny cracks like that as you can apply decent pressure to force it in deep in a small area thats harder with a filling knife if your not used to using one.

Thanks, I have a very strong filler called gyproc filler, that is surely much stronger than the one from screwfix?

I will look for the movement when someone goes up and down the stairs. There is one part which is more a round wall crack the rest is lines.

it was all replastered just 14 months ago, so something must be wrong somewhere. but thanks for the tips.