treads and risers

For the subfloor risers and treads, I use construction adhesive and screw them. No squeeks. SH

"Slowhand"

Don responds:

Couple screws should do it, top and bottom, at least 1" in from upper and lower edges (risers). To hide the screwheads, be old-fashioned. Counterbore the screw holes and stick cut-off dowels in there. Same or contrasting wood.

Charlie Self "When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary." Thomas Paine

If you can get to the bottoms, screw down 3/4 ply subs and then screw up through the subs and into the treads. I'm less sure about the risers, but either the same or toe screw through the stringers, at the top. The bottom of the risers can be screwed into the back edge of the treads.

Here's the system I used 18 years ago, and it's still quiet:

Risers are put up firstusing finish nails of appropriate size. There is a 1/4 or 3/8 dado near the bottom of each riser to accept the back edge of each rabbeted tread.

Screw & glue 1x1 cleats to the side of each stringer so that screws can go up through pre-drilled holes in the cleats into the treads. Test-fit each tread, and drill small pilot hole for the screws, using the cleat holes as guides. Don't glue treads, but put a pad of 30# felt on each bearing surface of the stringers.

This allows repair or replacement of treads, and the felt "lubricates" the potential squeek points.