How to Remove Cracked Stairs

Wedge the flat end of a pry bar or flat bar under the front lip of the stair tread; start at one end of the stair first, staying as close to the nails in the stairs as possible. If multiple steps must be removed, always start from the top and work your way to the bottom.

Tap the opposite end of the bar with a hammer to drive it in further between the stair tread and riser.

Push down on the pry bar, which forces the wedged end of the bar upward to pry the stair loose. You can also wedge the bar between the cracks in the stairs and then pry the boards loose.

Remove the pry bar, move it down to the next set of nails on the tread and wedge the bar under the lip. Pry the board loose and repeat with the any other sets of nails until the board is loose.

Tap the pry bar straight down to wedge it between the stair risers, or kick plates, and stringers. Pull the bar toward you to pry the board loose, and then drive it down farther to loosen the bottom of the boards, if desired.

Pull out remaining nails with the claw end of a hammer. While many of the nails come out with the boards, some may remain and require removal before replacing the stairs. Continue removing all of the cracked treads and risers in this way.

Inspect the stringers for damage after removing all cracked treads and risers to determine if the structural support must also be removed. Cracks, rotting wood and termite damage are all signs that stringers should be removed.

Remove bolts that mount the stringers to walls with a ratchet wrench, or pry the boards loose with a pry bar if nails are used.