Wood Stair Treads Set in Mortar

kennardn · 10-13-2011, 06:36 PM

I'm working on a set of 30 yo stairs previously covered in carpet.

The rough stairs are not level from riser to nose; about 1/2" off.
The new stair treads will be bullnose hard maple.

I'd like to consider using a mortar bed to both level and attach the treads.
Has anyone sen this technique work?

**kwikfishron** · 10-13-2011, 06:42 PM

Not a good idea…just cut some shims.

concretemasonry · 10-13-2011, 06:46 PM

Absolutely!!!. Shims are the best way to go.

Dick

kennardn · 10-13-2011, 09:10 PM

Great, thanks.

Ron6519 · 10-13-2011, 11:36 PM

What kind of staircase are you talking about?
What are you trying to do?
Are you replacing treads in an interior staircase?
Open or closed stringers?
Are you placing new treads over the old treads?
For the life of me, I can't figure how you would use a mortar bed in any scenario of a wood staircase.
And the only scenario with wood shims is with an open stringer staircase.