Hi,
Total novice DIYer here.
I live in a typical run-of-the-mill 90s 3-bed detached on a large development.
As I am having my staircase carpet replaced, I decide to remove the old carpet and take the opportunity to have a go at fixing the many creaks and squeaks on the stairs.
I gained access from underneath by removing bits of plasterboard and have done some repairs as recommended in various internet videos/posts.
Despite this, the stairs seem to be just as creaky as they were before i started.
Then I realised that there may be another reason for the creakiness.
On the underside of the stairs are what look like tongue-and-groove floorboards. They are loosely attached to 1 or 2 risers. They are then further held in place by the plasterboard which primarily forms the ceiling of the under-stairs cupboard. Effectively, the plasterboard pushes the floorboards againts the edge of the risers where they meet the treads. My staircase is a single winder and on both straight sections of the staircase, there are a set of 3 "floorboards" spaced evenly across the stairs. Due to the flexibility of the whole arrangement, stepping almost anywhere on the stairs causes these floorboards to bend and creak. That's the theory anyway.
My question is....are these extra "supports" needed? I know little about staircase construction but I am so tempted to remove them as I have not seen this feature mentioned by anyone and haven't seen them on any staircase diagrams.
I have attached some pics in which I try to show what these "floorboards" look like:
Any help/advice would be gratefully received.
Thanks
