Glued stair steps are coming loose

We recently discussed the staircase with our carpenter. Well, it's made of concrete and not steel, but he literally refused to glue the steps. "That will never hold permanently." However, there are these special bolts that are flexible enough so that nothing tears.

I rather wonder why you are working on it and not the carpenter who fixed it? This is a new build.

In this case, it was the quickest solution. We had the steps made through an acquaintance of acquaintances, and of course did everything as you normally do, if you understand. :/ Now he just reattached the first step. For the current step, we also contacted him and he just said: "Yeah, stupid, we have to glue it again." Since we were expecting the somewhat mobility-impaired craftsman (he really has problems) upstairs again the next day, I took care of the issue with the step myself right away. The craftsman can’t skip a step. Especially not with the equipment. And the carpenter couldn’t come on the same day. Honestly, this pisses me off too. What am I supposed to say to the carpenter without proof? That’s the crux of the matter.

Yeah, I know that. Craftsmen would still come and glue 10 more times until you no longer feel like it and they get some peace. They won’t come up with a solution on their own because that would require thinking. There are several solutions.

1. The ones already mentioned here with bushings and screwing
2. Screw a thin steel sheet to the steps at the mounting width. After that, you can create a metal-to-metal adhesive bond. Then you no longer have the mentioned problem
3. Use a different glue
4. Drill once into the webs and insert a pin into the wood below. The stair tread is then fixed once on the left and right over this pin. Additionally glue. Advantage: the forces from walking are taken up 99% by the locating pins, the glue only has to provide some support.

I would probably implement option 2 or 4. Leaning more towards 4.

Those are good suggestions - I spontaneously had solution number 2 in mind. I would recess the metal strips flush (a router makes it easy) so as not to change the step height. Do this not on all steps at once, but little by little - as they become loose.

In any case, you are taking very good photos. That should be sufficient as proof.

And screw tight with elongated holes! Otherwise, you'll have the next breaking point between moving wood and rigid metal

And screw in with elongated holes! otherwise you have the next breaking point between moving wood and rigid metal

I was about to say - a rigid metal connection only leads to cracks in the steps. Two screw points per side in the wood even if the connection in the wood was not also designed as an elongated hole. The wooden dowel only prevents the step from slipping when the glue fails again. And the comment about lazy craftsmen ... :rolleyes: No craftsman feels like fixing the design errors of clients.