I recently hired a handyman to fix some squeaky steps in my house using a nail gun. He applied a lot of nails and filled the holes with wood filler, which initially seemed to work. However, after a few weeks, I've noticed that some of the nails are now sticking out from underneath the stairs, and places where I could see nail heads have turned into deeper holes. The house isn't fully occupied yet, and we've only used the stairs a handful of times. I'm wondering if the nails have sunk in over time or if this issue was always there but I didn't notice. Is it possible that more nails could start to appear?
3 Answers
You might want to try using flush cut nippers to trim those protruding nails. As for why they’re sticking out, it’s generally not typical for nails to move that much after such a short time unless they’re not the right type. Ideally, you want nails that won't go all the way through your steps in the first place.
Wood tends to shrink over time, leading to nails showing, but that's usually something you see when the wood is fresh from the mill, not after just a few weeks. Also, as people use the stairs, the boards flex and can push the nails out. If you're having recurring issues, it might be better to switch to screws, which hold better than nails. And if you're near the coast, consider using stainless steel nails to prevent rusting later on.
I thought the nails would just get pushed up with weight, not actually get driven down like this. Is that possible?
Changes in temperature and humidity can cause wood to expand and contract, which moves the nails around. You've got a combination of factors at play here, making it a tricky situation!
But could these nails have actually moved down? Is it possible to tell if it was the original work that caused this?