Constructing
Staircases, Balustrades & Landings
by William P. Spence
Softcover
210 x 275mm
159pp
Published by Sterling Publishing Co., Inc New York, USA
R.R.P.$24.90
ISBN 0-8069-8101-6
As reviewed in House & HOME Issue 54
Stairways - including balustrades and landings - are undoubtedly the most complicated joinery elements in any home. They require considerable mathematical skill to design and construct, and precise carpentry technique to produce a long-lasting and successful installation. Nonetheless they are within the capabilities of many who have prior experience in framing and joinery.
Constructing Staircases, Balustrades & Landings is the perfect book for the aspiring stairmaker. It covers design, construction and installation, with a specific emphasis on the space and traffic flow of the home.
While local building codes are always a factor, the fundamentals of making staircases remain essentially the same. The rise and run (going) of treads and risers are the primary factors affecting the design, but there are many others which influence the outcome, such as correctly measuring the required opening in a second story or attic, allowing for finish flooring material in height calculations, or even ensuring that treads remain squeek-free with the use of sound construction techniques.
This book thoroughly covers the actual installation - from start to finish - of straight stairs with notched stringers, stairs with housed stringers, L and U shaped stairs with landings, curved and spiral stairs, open riser stairs, and balustrades. While the text covers everything from carpeted to fully exposed open tread designs, the emphasis is on a high quality finish throughout.
It also looks at the complete process of installing a factory-made staircase, and attic stairs (including how to prepare the ceiling).
Like so many titles on home building and renovation, this is an American book, completely written with Imperial measures, but it thankfully comes with a metric equivalency chart. Local requirements for the design of stairs can be found in the relevant sections of the Building Code of Australia.
Constructing Staircases, Balustrades & Landings will suit the serious carpenter, builder or owner builder with good solid framing experience, who wants to move into custom staircase construction and installation.
Photos: Colour
Units of Measurement: Imperial
Contents
Preliminary Planning
Locating the Stair
Codes Related to Stair
Design
Types of Stairs
Parts of a Stair
Designing
a Stair
Building Codes
Calculating the Unit Rise & Run for a
Straight Stair
Reading a Stair Drawing
Architectural Woodwork
Framing
Stairwells
Framing a Straight Stair Stairwell Opening 26
Building
the Stairwell
Adding a Stair to an Existing House
Straight
Stairs with Notched Stringers
Stringer Requirements
Laying Out the
Stringer
Installing the Stringers
Cutting & Installing the Skirtboard
Installing Treads & Risers for Carpeted Stairs Using Notched Stringer
Hardwood Treads & Risers on Notched Stairs
How to Miter the Skirtboard
or Riser
How to Miter the Stringers
Stairs
Using Housed Stringers
Laying Out a Housed Stringer
Assembling the
Housed Stair
Installing the Assembled Stair
L-Shaped
& U-Shaped Stairs & Landings
Building Landings
Framing the
Landing
Turning Stairs with Winders
Manufactured Stairs
Curved
& Spiral Stairways
Spiral Stairways
Installing
the Balustrade
Installing the Starting Newel
Mechanical Connectors
The Balustrade
Installing
a Post-to-Post Balustrade
A Simple Variation
Installing an Over-the-Post
Balustrade
Handrails for Closed Stairs
Open-Riser
Stairs
Designing the Stair
Laying Out the Stringer
Assembling
the Stair
Manufactured Open-Riser Stairs
Disappearing Stairs
Folding Disappearing Stairs
Installing the
Stair
Sliding Disappearing Stairways
Metric Equivalents
Index