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Thread: Open (floating) curved staircase

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Flushing, MI
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    83

    Open (floating) curved staircase

    I was wondering if anyone has built, or atleast seen how to build a curved staircase that is open/floating underneath? As in no walls underneath supporting it. I've seen them on TV a few times...their may be a couple pillars for support, can't recall. But no wall the entire length, which is the way I have seen (and built) curved stairs in real life.
    Eric Wheeler

  2. #2

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Flushing, MI
    Posts
    83
    Yeah, I did a search but I didn't see any open/floating ones, not to say it doesn't exist here, but everything I opened wasn't what I was looking for...I have seen some of Richards work on here, in fact it is how I stumbled on this forum I did a google search for curved stairs years ago, and one of his threads popped up.

    Anyway, I don't much like PMing people I don't know and haven't responded on my thread...some people get annoyed with that, atleast in other forums I frequent. So hopefully he will see this and chime in.

    Thanks
    Eric Wheeler

  4. #4
    Google "amazing staircases" both web search and image search.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Flushing, MI
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    83
    Quote Originally Posted by John Gornall View Post
    Google "amazing staircases" both web search and image search.
    Thanks for the tip...For whatever reason, when I am writing a paper or letter or anything, I can come up with many different ways to say/reword things...but when it comes to finding something on the web, my mind just doesn't function the same way.

    Anyway, something like this is exactly what I want...not necessarily the finished look, but the general shape of the stairs is exactly what I want...how would one build these? From reading some threads on here (I think the ones that someone linked in this thread) would it be using 1/4" ply like sandwiched together to be like 1-1/2" for each stringer?
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Eric Wheeler; 10-29-2010 at 12:00 PM.
    Eric Wheeler

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Harrisburg, NC
    Posts
    2,255
    If you go to my website, the first picture is a curved floating staircase. I'm not sure I can link it here;

    wrailings.com (cut & paste into your browser)

    The basic requirements are extra wide stringers, I believe we used 2 1/2" in the picture, and extra sound anchor points in the floor and second floor header.

    Richard
    Last edited by Bruce Page; 10-29-2010 at 11:48 AM. Reason: Removed active link to personal website.

  7. #7
    Here is a floating staircase built by a contractor friend of mine. I took the image using an infrared camera so the colors are off but you will get the idea:

    Best Regards,

    Gordon

  8. #8

    i saw just that article in an old fine home building

    it was a step by step how to that showed how one contractor had built a free floating curved stairway.

    he basically built the frame around a full sized plywood cutout of the stair pathway (one bottom & one top piece), used 2" thick stock for the treads & risers, sheathed it in several layers of ply outside & inside the railings and then cut away the frame members after the sheathing was applied and it was self supporting

    pm me if you want me to scan that article and send it your way

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