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06 December 2011

Do kit staircases need any adjustment after installation.

Theoretically once installed modular kit spiral and flights stairs do not need any real maintenance or adjustment. However it is my belief that most will need a re-tightening of nuts and screws at some point in the first year of its life. The reason for this lies in the moisture content of the timber components. Timber is hygroscopic, it tends to absorb or lose moisture due to the temperature and humidity of its environment. Unfortunately it will also tend to change in shape if you add or reduce its moisture content. Joinery manufacturers have long been aware of this and will attempt only to fabricate with timbers of a known moisture content. Joining two pieces of wood together with different moisture contents will cause problems when they eventually stabilize in their permanent environment.

Reputable modular kit stair manufacturers will make sure that their timber elements leave the manufacturing plant at a nice stable moisture content of around 10%. The problems start when the staircase reaches site. If it is a new build the environment it will almost be certainly be unheated and damp due to the tonnes of water used in brick,plaster and concrete construction. So the timber elements of the stair will increase in moisture content and size. Once the building dries out the timber elements will lose moisture content and shrink a little. This will cause any screwed or bolted joints in the stair kit to ease a little and create a bit of unwanted movement in the stair structure. The solution is is tighten up the fixings.

Ah but what about the nice stable environment of an existing property I hear you say. True there will be less of a problem apart from when you have to turn up the heating in winter. This has the potential to loosen joints the same as a new build property. In my experience it is a good idea to consider re-tightening all fixing after the first heating season, this will pay dividends and will probably only need doing in the first year.