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Help finishing this stair (pics included)

4K views 21 replies 8 participants last post by  Gary in WA 
#1 ·
Hi, this is a stair I built 4 years ago and never finished properly (to be up to code at least I should add a railing), it is pretty much the last thing I have to fix to officially say the house renovation is finished. I'm trying to figure out a way to not too difficult or expensive to finish it and keep the steps exposed and open (so light goes through the stairs) and does not take too much space from the 36" wide interiors space stair. The steps were actually cut as temporary one for the duration of the project, but my wife painted them with Varathan (polyurethane water based varnish) and actually they look great, but with humidity changes in all this time a few have cupped, so I don't know if replace them all or what. This is actually my first set of stairs ever.

As you can see this was an attic conversion and I installed this stairs where previously none existed. This was a foreclosed house in extremely poor condition, now completely fixed. This is in Drumheller, Canada.

Any ideas or comments will be much appreciated.
 

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#12 ·
What you have Is a free standing unsupported stair. It was not well planned. You should have made the platform wider so the upper stringers would have birds mouths. Or it could have sat on the platform like you did on the lower section. Also, having the stringers attached to the walls would have stiffened that up greatly. I'm not sure what your codes are, but around here you cannot have more than a 4" space where those risers should be. It can't stay open like that. You also need rails on the open side with balusters with a 4" max space between. Solid treads like that will split in no time. Glued up in pieces, they are much more stable.
Looks like that top rise is smaller than the rest.
 
#5 ·
Those are some dangerous stairs, it wouldn't take a lot of weight for a failure. You are dependent on just nails and they just will not hold. If you are getting an inspection, get ready to redo your stairs.
 
#22 ·
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#2 ·
Before trim you need to get the framing right.

The top of your stringers need full bearing, more than what you have now with that board just hanging down there like that.

Can’t see the bottom but it doesn’t look right either. The bottom of the stringers should be sitting on top of the landing unless you have some other support under them that we can’t see.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Wide solid wood like what will almost always cup.
By having just one side and one end sealed it will be even worst.
One way to at least have a better chance of preventing it is to seal it on all sides before installing.

Might want to see if you can Google the codes for stair building in Canada.

Areas of concern I can see are, how close the treads need to be to each other.
Tread over hang distance.
Rounding of the tread nosing.
Open treads used over a certain # of treads.
See if your allowed to leave the bottom side of the stairs open without fire code sheetrock under the stairs.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I love it when an attic project comes together for more space.

I've never really cared for a wobbling newel post and most are just that, so I went with floor to ceiling columns to be hell for stout. Viewing your pictures it looks as if your project could use 3 columns.

You can make column posts with a base and capital, rails and balusters with basic tools and a router if you want a more decorative look. I don't have any particular style and I'm not stylish but they do look possibly a little on the western theme if there is such a thing. I didn't plan on a theme or style but just made them the way I wanted to and a way that was simple to accomplish.
 

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#10 ·
Great idea, I can do that for sure. I like it easy and strong. Thanks.

If you like attics, how do like of my attic project?

I love it when an attic project comes together for more space.

I've never really cared for a wobbling newel post and most are just that, so I went with floor to ceiling columns to be hell for stout. Viewing your pictures it looks as if may need 3 column posts.

You can make column posts with a base and capital, rails and balusters with basic tools and a router if you want a more decorative look. I don't have any particular style and I'm not stylish but they do look possibly a little on the western theme if there is such a thing. I didn't plan on a theme or style but just made them the way I wanted to and that was simple to accomplish.
 

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#13 ·
Ok, thanks for the input of everybody. This is what I plan to do to fix this mess:

1- build a better support for top of stairs (build a box in the ceiling for proper support)
2- reinforce/extended platform for extra support to lower part of stairs.
3- top rise is a little bit smaller than all the others, I wonder if it is worth to redo the entire string set to correct this and finish with a proper stair.
4- add 2 extra stringers (one against the wall, screwed to it, the other against the outside side, it will give me support for the handrail baluster too), so I will have 5 full stringers in total, plenty strong.
5- If needed, redo the cupped steps, and glue them to the stringers.
6- build handrail with 4" maximum distance between balusters in open side.

Am I forgetting something?
 
#15 ·
Ok, thanks for the input of everybody. This is what I plan to do to fix this mess:

1- build a better support for top of stairs (build a box in the ceiling for proper support)
2- reinforce/extended platform for extra support to lower part of stairs.
3- top rise is a little bit smaller than all the others, I wonder if it is worth to redo the entire string set to correct this and finish with a proper stair.
4- add 2 extra stringers (one against the wall, screwed to it, the other against the outside side, it will give me support for the handrail baluster too), so I will have 5 full stringers in total, plenty strong.
5- If needed, redo the cupped steps, and glue them to the stringers.
6- build handrail with 4" maximum distance between balusters in open side.

Am I forgetting something?
If someone stumbles and falls it will be.
 
#14 ·
Yes, after checking the building code, these extra things are missing:
7- Install firestops in bottom and top of stair, and 1/2 drywall on the back, to slow fire propagation.
8- Open riser are permirted only if the gap is less that 4", but if I'm closing the back with drywall, I should close all risers too.

I shall post a pic when this stairs is fixed, before inspection.
 
#16 ·
#17 ·
Thanks for the support. I'm afraid I have barely 6' over the landing only and upper parts, unless I steal some room to the insulation (about 1' in total) or build an entire dormer over it (this is not going to happen).:cry:

As you suggest, I'm rebuilding the entire thing, It was just a temporary stair but now have to go.

And actually, I changed my mind today, I'm going to convert all the space under it into storage, so at the same time gives support to the upper part of it and have a closet with a door. But I don't see how I can build a stair totally code complaint.
 
#19 ·
Yes, your headroom looks low in the last picture of the upstairs, if that is a normal height door... Best if you give us all the measurements; total rise, distance from top riser to wall, distance from back wall to closest window, etc. to help figure it out. The floor joists will need to be cut, possible new post at the right-angle landing turning point, carried down to basement/crawl? Do you have a permit for these structural changes?

Gary
 
#20 · (Edited)
Millertyme, look at the picture upstairs, the ceiling at the head of the stairs is too low, see the door, it is 6/8 and the head room at the head of the stairs is probably around 6'.:)
 
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