Questions tagged [stairs]
The stairs tag has no usage guidance.
283
questions
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2answers
67 views
How can I extend a concrete step without repouring?
Two rooms in my house are connected with a set of concrete steps (one tread). As built, the ledge for the first step is inline with the wall framing.
This means that when I add drywall the finished ...
0
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2answers
64 views
How to fix gap between carpet and wall to prevent rodent?
Our condo is located in a forest/mountain area and we have suffered some rodent issues lately. We have two stories, and bedrooms are located downstairs. As I sleep at night, I often hear sound of ...
1
vote
1answer
52 views
Can I use regular pine lumber as a stair tread cover?
I'd like to use knotty pine boards as stair tread covers instead of actual tread covers. The tread covers I've seen are 1" or 2" wide pieces fit together to make a board, I'm guessing this is done to ...
2
votes
4answers
96 views
Nails sticking out of balusters
Recently purchased a house and noticed some nails sticking out of the balusters on a staircase. They are pretty sharp so I'm worried about someone stepping up brushing their foot up against it.
What ...
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1answer
72 views
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42 views
PT vs hemlock for garden stair treads
I’m building a set of outdoor stairs down a 14 foot drop over 60 feet. I’m going to use 6x6 as the front edge treads and then backfill.
This means the wood will be in contact with the ground. I am ...
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2answers
75 views
Staircase Design Review
I am designing a staircase to be built inside a house. At the moment I am not concerned about materials or supporting structure but rather with the usability and safety. I realize I may not build a ...
1
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1answer
45 views
Should particle board treads be removed before finishing my stairs?
The. Builder installed temporary stairs of particle board.
Should we remove these prior to installing the
Permanent stairs and risers?
0
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1answer
45 views
Laminate Stair Nose Installation
Below are all the pictures that correspond to my question.
Last night I installed some stair nose molding and tried to follow the instructions the best I could (the part of the instructions in ...
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2answers
56 views
Stair Illumination: Location of light
Before I close this up, is this legit location for light at bottom of stairs? Yes, switch at top and bottom, and light at top as well. Through some quirk of symmetry, this can light (of 12 total), ...
0
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2answers
84 views
ideas for using a closed stair
This is a 300 years old building split into multiple apartments in the middle of Lisbon. When doing some cleaning (removing some cover tables), what supposed to be a "small" cubicle/closet turns out ...
1
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2answers
51 views
Is this Landscaping Caulk on Outdoor Retaining wall Steps
I have steps leading up through my retaining wall and a few of the stones that cap the steps have come loose.
Looking at the place where the steps were, there appears to be some kind of caulk-like ...
1
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0answers
47 views
Light required at bottom of L-shaped stairs or is on landing only sufficient?
I have a L-shaped stairway with connecting landing going from my ground floor to my to-be-finished basement. There are 11 risers going down to the landing, then a 90-degree turn to the left, then 5 ...
2
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0answers
43 views
How to install drywall on existing basement stairs?
We are finishing our basement stairs, and I'm struggling with how to drywall the side that is parallel and flush against the foundation. Should I pull down the stairs, frame the wall, hang drywall, ...
1
vote
1answer
56 views
Bottom stair riser on top of new flooring or gap with trim to cover?
I can't find anything on the internet to help me with this and my husband and I can't agree.
We are installing both new flooring (bamboo) and replacing our carpeted stairs with hardwood. My husband ...
0
votes
1answer
38 views
Patching Holes in Iron Staircase
My condo building has an outdoor iron staircase that has been developing some penny to quarter sized holes. While the staircase is structurally sound, I’m looking for a solution to patch the holes in ...
0
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2answers
40 views
Stairways Hand Rail requirements
On what Building & Safety or any building' s Jurisdiction, within the United States, will this hand rail be acceptable and approved for residential usage.
1
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1answer
44 views
Level of repair for rotting outdoor stairs
I've got wooden stairs leading up to a porch that need repairs. The more I look into it, the more that I see needs to be done, so I'd like advice as to what I should do short term and what I can put ...
3
votes
2answers
110 views
Custom rail for a spiral staircase
I have (foolishly) bought an oak spiral staircase on craigslist. I was able to use the treads OK, but I'm completely unable to fit the rail that came with it. So I need to construct a custom one. I'm ...
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0answers
104 views
Latex or oil paint for interior stairs
Which would be better on interior stairs (they are bare wood right now). Oil or Latex based paint? I should also point out that there are nail heads showing that I can't sink because they are not ...
2
votes
1answer
99 views
Stair Handrail loose, but not due to screws loose
I have stair handrails held on by brackets like the one in the image. The bend in the loop piece has a larger diameter than the diameter of the post on the bracket that it loops around. Also the post ...
0
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0answers
32 views
Is it possible to use a scaffold ladder as access to loft?
I am looking for affordable, safe access to the 7'x 7' sleeping loft we are soon to build and came across a scaffolding ladder with handrails for under $100.
Is this a crazy idea or a viable option?
...
-1
votes
1answer
105 views
Reduce stair support in kitchen
I've been living with this box in my kitchen for a year since I've moved in and I hate it. I thought I would be able to reduce it for a better kitchen design.
However now I've removed it I want to ...
6
votes
1answer
782 views
Refinish or replace an old staircase
I have a staircase from which I ripped up the old carpet. I’m trying to figure out how to refinish, seems I have four options:
Refacing with a veneer tread cover and riser. This was my original plan ...
0
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1answer
32 views
Do I need to anchor premade concrete stairs
Do I have to anchor premade concrete steps to the wall? We used to have wooden steps but they were not anchored to the wall.
0
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1answer
44 views
What primer for bare wood stairs with nails showing
I'm painting the stairs going down to my basement that previously had carpet. After removing the carpet, they are like bare, new wood. Unfortunately, the treads were nailed with common nails (not ...
0
votes
1answer
56 views
How to extend a 2x6 joist to accommodate a hanger board for stairs?
I live in an antique home with 2x6 ceiling joists. The stairs are being rebuilt and the current hanger board for the stringers will not work. So I have attached a picture of the current setup and one ...
2
votes
2answers
254 views
Deck stairs pulling apart and railing wobbly
My deck stairs which are supported by ledger strips keep pulling away the stringer. Last year I used a clamp to squeeze them back together but they pulled away again. The railing also is wobbly. ...
3
votes
1answer
62 views
What lumber should be used for indoor stair stringers?
I have seen some books say to use laminated 1.5" plywood to build the stringers because they do not warp. Others say 2x12 stock works but I do not want to deal with warping over time.
So, what do you ...
0
votes
2answers
70 views
What is the most common stair tread depth and stair nosing length?
I am having my stairs rebuilt and was wondering what the most common stair nosing length is. I have seen code requires nosing overhang be no more than 1.25". Is 1.25" common? Or is 1" more common?
...
2
votes
2answers
126 views
Stringer separating from deck stairs
I’ve got a not quite 2 yr old deck installed by our builder. We have a problem with the stringers pulling away from the treads and risers. We first started noticing it last year, so I added some 3.5” ...
14
votes
2answers
3k views
How do I repair my stair bannister?
My stairs bannister are made of small wood posts nailed to the ramp. The whole thing have always been quite fragile. After 10 years, a couple posts came loose and most show a gap between the posts and ...
2
votes
1answer
357 views
How to cut floor joist for stairway headroom?
I live in an antique cape and we are having the stairs to the 2nd floor rebuilt so we will need more headroom. There is a floor joist that will need to be cut to make that possible.
I'm trying to ...
2
votes
1answer
76 views
How to measure total stair rise with uneven floor?
My house is antique and I would like the stairs rebuilt because they are too steep. I know the first thing to make the stringers is calculate the total rise. But my problem is the floor where the ...
0
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2answers
145 views
Running 12V Wire Behind Walls for a LED Stair Light?
I'm interested in lighting a stairwell in my house using a red LED strip.
I have a nearby AC outlet and plan on using a typical 12V power supply from the AC outlet. I know that class 2 wire is ...
1
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0answers
178 views
Filling gaps between staircase and plaster wall
I purchased a home that was a two family converted to single. Brick veneer on the outside and block inside. I have been assured by two structural engineers that I have no foundational issues. I have a ...
1
vote
1answer
47 views
Fixing void on face of concrete steps
My front steps are crumbling on the top. I wondered what I could do to fix this? Thanks in advance all!
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2answers
57 views
Convert concrete stairs to limestone stairs
I have a narrow concrete stair front door like so:
I want to make it larger and nicer like this
It doesn't need to be limestone but any outdoor stones/tiles is fine.
Some questions:
Can I make it "...
3
votes
1answer
67 views
Storage space under stairs
I am looking to finish the area under the stairs. There are two diagonal beams under the landing step. Can these be removed or do they contribute to the integrety of the staircase?
2
votes
2answers
457 views
Can I cut a piece of newel post base sticking out of slanted ceiling?
We have recently bought our new house. It has two floors, and in the living room there is a small section of slanted ceiling below the staircase. In that section, there is a square piece that sticks ...
0
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3answers
59 views
Stair thread different color from old runner carpet
I removed my old stair runner and now the outside looks different from inside.
You can see that from the blue arrow:
It is hard to see with a few steps but if you look 10 steps up, it's very obvious ...
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0answers
108 views
Removing/cutting beam beneath half-landing stairs
I have half-landing stairs which go up 7 steps, around a flat bit, then up another 7 steps. The second portion of the steps is at the back of one of the downstairs rooms, and is currently boxed-in, ...
0
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1answer
84 views
How Are My Stair Openings Framed (60s side-split)
I'm looking to run some electrical & CAT5 in my place as well as potentially some larger projects such as removing some partition walls. As a precursor to this I decided to model my house in ...
0
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1answer
274 views
How do you install a floating floor on stairs?
I purchased a vinyl plank flooring to put in my basement and replace the old carpet down there. I would like to put this flooring on the stairs - but it is a floating floor. How can I keep it in place?...
2
votes
2answers
891 views
Can I cut stringers on a closed stringer staircase without affecting the structural integrity?
My current stairs are built inside the stringers, I want to cut the stringers as shown in the picture on both sides in order to lay treads and have them overhang. Can I do this? Or will it weaken the ...
0
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2answers
105 views
if your rise is 7.25“ and your tread is 11.5” but you also have a 3" nosing is this legal
If the rise is 7.25" and the tread is 11.5" and the nosing is 3", is this legal
0
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1answer
60 views
Stair tread partial repair
Apologies, but I currently do not have pictures.
The stairwell in my house is carpeted, but has visible hardwood for any tread that overhangs wider than the stairwell hallway. Think bottom few ...
0
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1answer
2k views
Can I really use construction adhesive to attach hardwood stair treads and risers?
I've been considering removing the carpet from my stairs, and installing hardwood flooring instead. While preparing for this project, I started watching YouTube videos.
A lot of the videos show ...
0
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1answer
60 views
How to make a 19' bannister sturdy?
There's still about a foot of play in the middle.
I put wood glue and finish nails in the loose spindles but very little improvement made. Both newell post are solid.
0
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1answer
54 views
Can I make a post and baluster railing terminate into a wall?
I have a railing that starts at the first floor with a post, goes up the stairs with balusters and ends with another post. But space is extremely limited on that 2nd floor landing and the post ...
