Staircase help.

audman

I am looking at putting in a staircase where there was not one before. We have a duplex we decided to take over and live in both apartments. But being a top and bottom we need a staircase. we need an 36x81 opening for this staircase kit I would like to order. Guess the question is. What is the best method to open and frame around a floor opening such as that. Any advice would be great. Any books and searches i did always talk about walls and such but i never find anything about properly framing out the floor opening and so forth. Thanks in advance.

Cole

So you will need to cut an opening in the floor for your staircase kit?

If so, I would not advise you to take on this project yourself. You do not want to be causing structure failure etc...

Big Bob

Mr. Cole is 100% correct.

This is not a good DIYer project. Get some pro help.

audman

well what i was going to do was double the joists that ran the parameter of the opening. the opening would be going parallel with the joists and I was just looking for input on if that would be sufficient to remain sturdy before the staircase was installed. this would be like the following drawing

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The opening would be on the far left closest to the outside wall and running parallel between the studs. Any further thoughts based on the additional information. the Staircase would have a 4 step welded section that would attach to the upper floor and then it would have a curve till just past the end of the upper right of the opening. Not much further.

Well for those wondering what happend to the drawing well i don't know but basically the opening would be in the upper left hand of the room.

Big Bob

So are you shifting your ceiling and second story loads to load bearing walls? Do those areas have the proper foundation for the added load?
How far are you spanning? / will you need to add a beam below your ceiling plane or is steel an option ?

What is current access to upstairs.. tapping into that may be more of a DIY thing then what you are thinking with cutting into your structure.

audman

Well the design of the stair case has two pillars one is where the curve is and it will go from the floor of the first to the second. Most of the length of the opening is between 3 supporting walls the wall to the right is the only one that is a non supporting wall. I figured with 81x36 inches would be required for the staircase most of it is for head room the floor below would be supporting most of the staircase level and then the post would add further support to the floor where it is added. It is not a very heavy unit it is just for general use. here is the link to it. http://www.theironshop.com/metal_restrict_03.htm

I was more worried that the opening was supported properly and wonder if the added joists will help it. The floor below is very well supported as well. The unit would be sitting right between two supporting walls could there be any problems with that? I am not sitting it right next to them I am giving it room for the double joists 2x8s to make up for what is being lost. Would this make up for it or should i add more than that to support it. The staircase is rated for 700 pounds not one i would put 30 people on for a family photo just enough to safely access the upstairs.

Oh and the access to the apartment upstairs is outside through another hall but then we would have to tear out the kitchen plumbing (dishwasher and rearrange everything gas lines the whole nine only to gain access to the bedroom and we would have to walk through a bedroom to get to the rest of the upstairs. Not a very logistical way for us to work. I spent a while picking the location and trying to determine the best way to get this thing done without distrupting the whole structure (ie having to make openings in supporting walls or blocking doors etc.) It is either this way or no way. Can't afford an addition otherwise I would do that and just have the staircase go up that way. Sucks but this is the only way. Thanks for the help and hopefully I can learn some more stuff that can make this process smoother.

JGarth

Some folks just beg for disasters.
I would really refrain from any additional info.
It could come back as a liability when this projects fails.
Probably wouldn't ... but are YOU willing to take that chance.

At the very mininum, he should submit detailed plans/drawings to the city inspector before proceeding.
This is not the correct way to go about a project of this magnitude.