Stairs/Railings

————————————————————

  • Old stairway renovation
    A customer asked to have the old stairway in their home updated with all birch materials. This was a stairway that I had assisted in “dressing up” about 20 years ago for that same customer. The first photo shows how it looked before that project was completed. Part of the challenge was working with the existing stair frame to strengthen that structure, establish a cleaner transition from first to second floor at the opening and exterior wall, and come up with a solution for the termination of the balusters, as the narrow opening didn’t allow for a straight railing from newel to termination. Current stairway code requires a tread rise of around 7 1/4 and a tread run (depth) of 10″ (resulting in a tread of around 11″), but this 100+ year old frame wasn’t being altered, just strengthened. The ceiling height and placement of existing window and door wouldn’t have allowed a code compliant stairway. Birch risers, skirting and narrower birch treads with returns were custom fabricated locally for this project by Seacoast Hardwood Lumber and Plywood in Sanford, ME. http://www.seacoasthardwood.com
Original stairway
demolition begun
rise
run
dust control
deconstruction
original stringers supported by cut off pieces
original stringers constructed of 7/8″ boards
reinforcing with 3/4″ material
plaster removed
wall shimmed to flatten surface
vapor barrier appled to exterior wall
drywall installed
painted
exterior wall skirt and window trim installed
interior birch skirt fabricated
lots of polyurethane adhesive
birch risers/treads being installed
birch scotia
fitting the newel/railing
baluster solution
balusters/railing
ready for polyurethane
complete
  • 9′ Ceiling, open balcony, turned balusters, square newel posts, constructed in partnership with Robert LaBranche
Baluster layout
Baluster layout
Holes to receive baluster pegs
Holes to receive baluster tops in railing
Balcony
Balcony
Newels set through nosing
Balcony complete
Treads drilled for baluster pegs
Baluster dryfit
Guardrailing complete

————————————————————

  • 2 rise, 1 platform, 90 degree turn, open guardrail top, square balusters, square newel posts, pre-finished bamboo treads to match flooring
Laying out open skirt
Marking angle cuts on open skirt
Nosing gets slot joined and glued in place with biscuits

————————————————————

  • 2 rise, 1 platform, 180 degree turn, half-wall top, turned balusters, turned newel posts
Handrail drilled at run angle to receive baluster tops
Railing with 90 degree turn, gooseneck drop, bump and wall return

————————————————————

  • 3 rise, 2 platform, 180 degree turn, half-wall top, square balusters, square newel posts
Treads affixed with construction adhesive, glue, slot joined with biscuits
Playing with blocks to visualize newel and baluster placement
Railings attached with hidden rail bolts
Rail ploughed to accept baluster, pinned in place
Fillet glued and pinned between balusters to lock in place

————————————————————

  • 2 rise, 1 platform, 90 degree

————————————————————

  • Three rise, two platform, 180 degree turn, halfwall top, square newels/balusters, oak treads

————————————————————

  • Oak handrail built to accommodate 3 rise, 2 platform closed wall stairway. Two gooseneck drops, upeasings, wall returns.