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Thread: Any stair guys in the audience tonight? Winder info needed.'m

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Napa Valley, CA
    Posts
    916
    p.s. since we are now ok with 8" rise--I would probably skip the winders and use two flat landings, either as in post #12 above or with one (or two) risers at the bottom:

    Stair Plan 4 (1-3-14).png

    the handrail would be much simpler this way.

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Northwestern Connecticut
    Posts
    7,149
    Eureka! Thats the solution Jerry! Thanks so much for your help with this. I like the longer run the single tread at the bottom adds, bit more comfortable to climb, and a landing is always my preference to winders. I swear the first time I called 1 1/2 years ago they told me I had to meet the stricter code, maybe too many variances had to be granted? On the subject of "dancing winders", I'm ignorant. I see a definition as having the narrow side equal to the common tread run, at least at the walking line, the 4 winder plan you drew earlier pretty much follows that rule no? I don't exactly understand the kink in the hand rail, I had planed to square off the inside corner, add a newel, run the hand rail down into the newel and a shorter one up from the first newel. Is there a requirement to adjust the handrail exactly to the pitch change going around the corner? This is going to be a good project for me, doing the whole stair soup to nuts. Lots to learn about the details.

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Seattle Wa
    Posts
    162
    Now that you can get by without winders the stair is much easier to build. The kink comes when there is a pitch change. The handrail still has to increase in height with each riser but when the tread run becomes shorter, as it would going from straight to winder it has to rise at a faster rate. With balanced winders that change in pitch happens at a single point and thus the kink, assuming that it is not a post-to-post balustrade. Dancing winders stretch that pitch change out over one or more of what would be the common treads in a balanced winder and therefore ease the kink. Hopefully this pic helps explain.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Northern Michigan
    Posts
    4,973
    Great Peter! Much better solution.

    I actually hate winders. I an always thinking of something other than what I am doing, and winders always screw with me, as I am sure they do many people. If you are not on the exact same line you are essentially climbing a different set of stairs every time. I like a set of stairs that you can come to know and not have to think about.

    Larry

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Northwestern Connecticut
    Posts
    7,149
    Well, I've finally started the rough stair install. I have this pile of hideous 4/4 red oak...I mean twice beaten with the ugly stick. Solid FAS material in theory, but the grain is just gross, color nasty, a pile of culls I got for free, the uglys from 50 packs of wood. I'm going to make the type of treads with an 8 degree back bevel, tread right into riser, no bull nose but the toe space is created by the bevel. This way I don't have to miter the skirt/riser intersections, just scribe the skirt to the rough stair then install the treads with a 3/4" or so over hang. Very popular "Euro" look, lets me get away with 4/4 material that might finish at 7/8". Rough stairs are 1 3/4" LVL stringers, 3/4" plywood risers and sub treads screwed and glued to stringers. I went with a landing top and bottom as per Jerry's plan above, 10 steps in the middle. I've got both landings in and one stringer cut, the stringer dropped into place dead on perfect, total thing of beauty. Just have to do that 3 more times and its walkable. Sorry no pics, it was a blitzkrieg endeavor in between birthday parties and kids sports this weekend. Plus it isn't much to look at presently. The stair in the old structure were awe inspiring....every time I survived the climb back down them I felt blessed. These will be rock solid and code legal. My wifes first comment...."Hey, now that you have that figured out can you replace the stairs going to the basement?" They are completely scary, and on my list, but those are going to be shop built housed stringer stairs. Bit more formal, and they have to go back in quick.


    Anyway, with the advice here and a careful plan and layout, it seems even I can do this! I'll snap a few photos when its a little further along. Thanks again for all the help. Peter

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Lake Gaston, Henrico, NC
    Posts
    8,973
    See if you can find 'dancing stairs' with a google search. I built some once, and they were much more comfortable walking than winders.

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