Questions tagged [stairs]
The stairs tag has no usage guidance.
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1answer
23 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 ...
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2answers
61 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 ...
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0answers
32 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 ...
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1answer
37 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
35 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 "...
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1answer
39 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?
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2answers
63 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 ...
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3answers
32 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
36 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, ...
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1answer
50 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 ...
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1answer
49 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?...
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2answers
246 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 ...
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2answers
88 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
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1answer
39 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 ...
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1answer
372 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 ...
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1answer
54 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.
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1answer
37 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 ...
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1answer
50 views
Should this elevated door have trim/casing at the bottom?
This door separates a sunken rec room from a den. It has always struck me as odd that there is trim/casing along the bottom. Is there a better way of handling the trim around the sides, but with no ...
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1answer
35 views
Should I use Baltic Birch for stairs?
My indoor basement stair treads are currently made of 5/8 OSB nailed to the stringers.
I plan to replace them with new glue+screw plywood.
I'm considering 3/4 Baltic Birch ply for this because of ...
0
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1answer
148 views
Installing Pre-Finished Hardwood on Stairs - How to Avoid Shortening Tread Length
The Problem
I am in the process of installing a pre-finished hardwood floor. As part of the install, I purchased a bunch of stair nosing with the intent of installing the hardwood on my stairs as ...
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1answer
451 views
What screw length for screwing down stair treads into stringers?
My stairs are old and squeak and I would like to screw them down and plug the holes. My question is what length screw should I go with? They are about an inch thick. The stringers are old as it's ...
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1answer
184 views
How to attach newel post to stringer below the tread?
I need to install a new newel post at the top of my stairs but there is not room on the landing for a post, it will have to mount from the tread of the top step.
My plan is to notch out the post at ...
0
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1answer
88 views
Are these studs supporting the stairs?
Planning on building a cupboard under the stairs i was going to leave this section but the plasterboard was damp (Prob from cats water bowl spilling or something). So i thought i may as well make use ...
3
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1answer
72 views
Suggestions for fixing bottom of concrete step
Part of the bottom of the side of my concrete step is crumbling away and I'm looking for advice on a reasonably quick and easy fix as I'm worried critters will get in there (if they aren't already). ...
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0answers
45 views
Is Rebar needed between walls when pouring concrete stairs.
I am pouring 11 steps down the side of my home to a basement entrance.
The home side is 8 inches of poured concrete the other is 8 x 8 x 16 blocks i just laid.
i have the stairs formed and have wire ...
0
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1answer
66 views
How to remove brick step
I want to remove this bricks and mortar step. I have a brick bolster and hammer. Will that do the job? It looks like it isn't so well "stuck" at the bottom. Should I start there and see if the whole ...
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2answers
91 views
Handrail in center of stairs?
I’m finishing up a deck build.
Steps from lower deck to upper deck are 60 inches wide with 7” rise per step. Total rise is 28”
I wonder if is adequate to place a single hand rail in the center of ...
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1answer
593 views
Converting closed tread stairs to open tread stairs
hopefully I'm using the right term. It might be called closed stringer stairs to open stringer (on one side). Please correct me so that I know the correct term for this. I also refer to it as "cut-...
2
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1answer
60 views
Carport steps too long
The steps in the picture below are too long lengthwise for me to be able to park full sized pickup truck very easily. The steps touch the corner of the truck when parked under there. I was wondering ...
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1answer
41 views
Ledger for Exterior Stairs - Attach to Existing Wood or Remove and Add Ledger
I'm adding steps to the exterior of my house. I know the steps need to be attached to a ledger. However, I cannot decide what the white piece of wood that is already there:
Is it a ledger without the ...
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0answers
74 views
What is the role of this telescopic pole-looking item in the ceiling?
I've recently viewed a property and done a first pass at the work that will need doing. But, I noticed this in the ceiling of the stairwell and I'm not entirely sure of a few things:
What exactly is ...
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0answers
53 views
Proper Install of Iron Handrail outside
I have a question installing a iron handrail for some stairs outside of my house. I don't have a wide enough walk way to surface mount the handrail to the level surface of the stairs and walk way so I ...
2
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1answer
36 views
Tread boards in external stairs for houses
I am about to build a small (3-riser) entrance stairway for my house guided by this how-to:
This question is about the treads which appear to be consisting of three separate boards each. The text ...
2
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1answer
114 views
Is it a problem to have gaps in the drywall hidden by molding?
We recently had someone repairing the stairs in our home. During the process of removing the old stairs they created these gaps in the drywall (see images), however, they never filled them and simply ...
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1answer
445 views
How can I fill the gap between layers of a stair tread?
I had to add tread height, to make an old stair come out even when adding an insulated floor below (see How can I deal with a short bottom step on a stairwell? ). Now I've got a gap on the top tread'...
2
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1answer
354 views
Keeping outdoor deck stair stringers from splitting
I have a set of pressure treated stairs that lead from ground level up to a wooden deck, providing access from the pool to a water slide (salt water and chlorine). I originally built these stairs ...
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0answers
96 views
loose newel post with some type of plate underneath, how to tighten
I have a newel post with a plate underneath, see attached picture. It is wobbly. I have tried using pocket screws to secure the post, however they get stuck at what I believe to be this plate. What is ...
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1answer
45 views
How should I eliminate gaps in wood-grain miter joints?
I just installed some Cap-A-Tread vinyl stair treads. Basically, these are 5/8" thick MDF boards that wrap around existing treads and give them a new "look" because of a thin vinyl layer. The vinyl is ...
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1answer
91 views
stair riser variation between stairs and landings
I'm designing a stairs in a very tight space that has an upper landing and a lower landing, each segment requires a 90 deg turn. If the landing riser heights are different from the main run - does ...
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1answer
91 views
how many screws are needed for 300 lbs
I'm considering use of GRK R4 #10 3.125" structural screws in a applications where it appears that the primary load on the screw is shear. The package states 1016 lbs ave ultimate load in wood w/0.67 ...
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2answers
758 views
What is the minimum distance required between handrail posts and opposite wall?
Regarding stairway code, I understand the distance between the handrail and the opposite wall can be a minimum of 31.5". But I can't find any wording on when the handrail is attached to posts. Does ...
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2answers
284 views
What is the most common length for stair nosing to overhang?
Can any builders tell me how far their stair nosing overhangs? I've read that 1.25" is common.
I'm having my stairs rebuilt and the overhang will affect the location of the bottom stair. Also, do you ...
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1answer
2k views
How to support a turn in a staircase?
This is for a shed. I'm having problems finding enough support for either stringer and I can't find any close-up images of how this might be done. My only choice seems to be to pull the lower ...
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2answers
74 views
Should my stairs have less than 10 inch run?
My home is antique and has 9" x 9" stairs (extremely steep). I'm having them rebuilt adding only one stair since I am limited by floor space and headroom. They will then have an 8.1" rise and I would ...
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3answers
8k views
Why does the riser go before tread when installing hardwood on stairs?
I want to install prefinished hardwood on my stairs and I have no difficulty with the process.
Every diagram I find online installs the riser first and then butts the tread to the riser.
It seems to ...
3
votes
1answer
2k views
How can I fix/replace this cracked step?
My 1960 Massachusetts home has red oak flooring, and one of the treads on the first to second floor staircase has started splitting:
The crack is almost unnoticeable, and I'd love to fix it by just ...
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1answer
441 views
Converting housed stringer to open stringer
I am in the process of converting our housed stringer stairs to an open stringer format and have some questions about placement of the stringers. We have an L-shaped stairway going from the first ...
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1answer
39 views
Concrete steps along exterior wall
I'm building concrete steps along the hillside parallel to my exterior wall.
Lower part of the wall is concrete foundation and upper part is stucco/felt paper/plywood and wall studs. Part of the steps ...
2
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2answers
722 views
How can I deal with a short bottom step on a stairwell?
I've got a interior stairwell with 20 steps of 7 1/2" rise on wood treads, except for the bottom step that's a concrete tread 6 1/2" up from a slab. The top of the stairwell features a pocket door ...
3
votes
1answer
128 views
US Building Codes - Do I need a handrail on this initial section of stairs?
I realize that building codes tend to vary by jurisdiction, but I'm wondering, in general, do I need a hand railing and/or guardrail on this initial section of stairs as shown in orange? My hope is ...
