Stair construction

[woodguy7]

Ok, this is how i build staircases & although others  might disagree with my methods they work for me & i am always willing to hear criticism & ideas for improvements.  This is not that fancy compared with the likes of Eiji, Rob GB, Richard, to name a few but i did promise JMB a WIP.

This stair is for a new build & the materials used was full width American White Oak for the stringers & treads 270mm x 33mm, Newels laminated from 2 pieces of 90mm x 45mm to give a square newel of 90mm x 90mm & Risers are from 12mm Oak faced MDF.

Picture 1 is my plans drawn on a white board, pretty basic but it has all the info i need.
Picture 2 is some of the timber.
Picture 3 is just a nice piece of Oak that i kept for myself as it has some lovely grain, i can see it being used on a table top yet.
Picture 4 is the stair jig set up & beginning to route the stringers with the of1400 & 36mm hose.  The jig is the Trend one.
Picture 5 shows both stringers routered for the straight treads.
Picture 6 The outside stringer needs another two pieces of stringer added on to give the sweep for the kite steps.  You may notice an observer taking it in  [huh]

More to follow.

 

[harry_]

Woodguy7,

Nice job.

To everyone else,
I hate to think of how many remods I have been involved with over the years. Houses from 2 to 200+ years old. I have never seen routed stringers before. Is this some lost art that never took hold in the states?

 

[Chris Hughes]

All of my basement stairs are routed.  When I worked for Porter Cable in the late eighties I bought a couple "Stair Ease" jigs from PC.  I always assumed that is the way most trapped stairs were done.

 

[Rob-GB]

Some nice AWO there Woodguy, look forward to the rest of the build. Am liking the white board idea for crucial plan info too. [smile]
I also tend to laminate up newels when possible, reduces problems with wood movement and costs.
I have been digging out pics of that helical stair, still got some to find, having flu is not helping. [sad]

Cheers Rob.

 

[harry_]

All of my basement stairs are routed.  When I worked for Porter Cable in the late eighties I bought a couple "Stair Ease" jigs from PC.  I always assumed that is the way most trapped stairs were done.

Never seen it.
Never done it.
Doubtful I would even know how to approach it!

Are there still rough stringers used? Is the finished assembly just set on top or are the roughs applied to the finished and then the whole thing gets installed. I would love to see/learn how this is done!

The last dozen stairs I finished, it looked like the framing crew handed the FNG ($#@% new guy) a chain saw and let him have at the (rough) stringers. Whole bundle of shims to get a set of stairs to level out. Apparently + or - 1/2" is close enough.

 

[chrisrosenb]

Nice work Woodguy7.
Looks like you have a good start. Look forward to seeing the finished stairs.

 

[woodguy7]

I always draw out the winder section to full size.  I get a sheet of hardboard & paint it white with emulsion, its now effectively a big drawing board.  It stays on the bench for the duration of the build.  All my sizes & angles are taken from it.  If you can do some basic drawing & maths then you are off to a good start.

The laminated stringers are joined with strips of 12mm ply, 60mm wide to act as a loose feather.  The grooves are done on the spindle moulder with a wobble saw.  You have to be carefull to stop the groove before it comes through the top edge of the curve.  The bottom stringer & kite steps are done the same way.

Picture 1 shows the top stringer with the addons glued & clamped.
picture 2 has one of the pieces just after it has been grooved on the spindle.
picture 3 just gives a better look at the wobble saw.
picture 4 shows the bottom stringer layed out with grooves cut & slip feathers ready.
picture 5 has the bottom string glued & clamped.  I used Polyurethane for this parts.
picture 6 shows all 3 kite steps glued but not yet cut to final shape.  You need plenty of clamps when making a stair.

The stair is completed but I'm am just struggling to get time to post it here.

Cheers, Woodguy.

 

[joiner1970]

Woodguy7,

Nice job.

To everyone else,
I hate to think of how many remods I have been involved with over the years. Houses from 2 to 200+ years old. I have never seen routed stringers before. Is this some lost art that never took hold in the states?

Yeah nearly all our staircases here are made this way with routed strings ive always thought it weird the way you guys build your staircases in the States when ive seen it done on this old house and other US shows.

 

[Rob-GB]

@ Harry:
Rough stringers are not used in the typical construction of a 'housed' or 'trenched' stair (common terms for a routed out stringer type stair). However, on wide stairs it is common and good practice to use 'carriage pieces' which to all intents and purposes act like an intermediate rough stringer like you would find up the centre of an american style framed stair. They basically stiffen the stair to reduce bounce or sagging of the treads.
Just looked in my "Carpentry" by Gasper Lewis that I bought while in the states and it describes a routed stringer stair in there and also names rough stringers as rough stringers or carriages! So we are not so disimilar with the terminology ;D

One  big advantage of this type of construction is that the stair can be made off site (though I have made many on site [wink]) and can be installed near the end of the job so preventing possible damage by other trades. On really high end jobs we have installed temporary cheap made stairs and at the last possible moment fitted the nice one, that way we know we got the sums right for storey heights [laughing] [laughing].

Rob.

 

[jmbfestool]

Thank you very much WoodGuy! Much appreciated!  When I have been in the workshop that's how iv seen them make their stairs. I only fitted them never made one yet! Pictures and tips will help me when I do get to make one!

When you getting pictures fitted?!

JMB

 

[woodguy7]

Stair is all completed, should be getting a cheque any day  [big grin]

Not had a lot of spare time to post pics etc but will get it all up soon.

Cheers, Woodguy.

P.S - Just 1 pic to prove it is done