# Stair build



## sprucegum (May 26, 2020)

Getting started on my finish stairs. Wife has had about enough of 2 x10 treads and open risers. Because the stairwell is enclosed on both sides I am using a housed stringer. The stringers are from a ash tree I cut last fall, it has been on a radiant heat floor all winter. Here is day one progress. Might have done better if the carbide on my router bit had not broken halfway through. A trip to town for a new one was required.

Reactions: Like 4 | Way Cool 6 | Creative 2


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## woodtickgreg (May 26, 2020)

Very cool, that's something I have never done.  I hope to see more of this.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


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## sprucegum (May 26, 2020)

woodtickgreg said:


> Very cool, that's something I have never done.  I hope to see more of this.




Hope to get all of the parts made and a coat of finish one them. The final assembly is a 2 person job. I have the promise of help this weekend. I have completely assembled and finished them in the shop. That takes 3 people for installation. I am assembling these in place.

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## woodtickgreg (May 26, 2020)



Reactions: Like 1


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## trc65 (May 26, 2020)

woodtickgreg said:


> Very cool, that's something I have never done.  I hope to see more of this.



Great big ditto on this!

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Nature Man (May 26, 2020)

Great progress! I've never even seen anything like this! Intriguing! Chuck


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## sprucegum (May 26, 2020)

Nature Man said:


> Great progress! I've never even seen anything like this! Intriguing! Chuck



Pretty common way to build high end finished stairs. Sometimes on a open stairway just the wall side is housed and the open side is mitered. The first set I did I did it all with a drill circular saw and chisel. Then I saw a fancy router jig in a wood working store for a couple hundred bucks. I didn't have the money so I made one out of plywood. I'm still using it.

Reactions: Like 3 | Thank You! 1


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## T. Ben (May 27, 2020)




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## tocws2002 (May 27, 2020)

Watching intently as I need to replace a set of stairs before too long.

-jason


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## barry richardson (May 27, 2020)

Good stuff Dave! Is it tricky getting it put together all at once with the treads?


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## sprucegum (May 28, 2020)

@barry richardson Because I will be assembling in place the top tread and bottom riser will require a little monkey business. The treads and risers are held in place with glued wedges driven in under and behind, that's why the rabbits in the stringers is tapered , makes plenty of wiggle room

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## sprucegum (May 29, 2020)

I didn't get as much done as I had hoped and I will not be ready for my promise of help. Worked out well because he called and said he couldn't make it. I tried to act disappointed and never told him I wasn't ready anyway. I'm about ready to sand and prefinish the parts. Here is a mock-up of how they go together. Had to do it anyway to design The wedge cutting jig.

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## sprucegum (Jun 1, 2020)

Nice cool low humidity day so I moved outside to give everything a coat of well thinned Polly on all sides. Tomorrow I will go over the finished side with some 220 grit and another coat of Polly. After assembly I will give them the final coat. I would also like to give the tops of the treads a fourth coat of spar Polly if the wife will allow it. She likes satin finish and the spar tends to have a little more shine to it

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## William Tanner (Jun 1, 2020)

Way above my pay grade.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## sprucegum (Jun 1, 2020)

William Tanner said:


> Way above my pay grade.



Probably mine to but I have made it work a few times before. I have never shyed away from tackling a project that I know very little about. That's how we learn. I usually read everything I can find and if possible talk to expert's then jump in with both feet. I have carved gun stocks, made wagon wheels, and built Post and beam buildings with no training. Not saying my work is great but it's good enough to fool most of them. Still have a bucket list of projects.68 and still learning

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## sprucegum (Jun 7, 2020)

Made some good progress today, my help came through and we were able to get the bulk of the installation done in 4 hours. After an hour spent on the final fitting of the stringers everything fit good and went together without a hitch. Still need to make and install moulding under the tread overhang and do the final coat of finish. It's after 1 now so I'm having lunch and do some cleaning up then call it a day.

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## trc65 (Jun 7, 2020)

Great looking stairs! Thanks for taking the time to explain and show your method, pretty slick way to install.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## T. Ben (Jun 7, 2020)

Gorgeous staircase,another thanks for sharing the process.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Jun 7, 2020)

Very nice

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## sprucegum (Jun 9, 2020)

Got the mouldings on and hopefully the last coat of finish on. The first two of satin were a little dull so I did the third in simi gloss. Hopefully when it dries the boss will be happy. If it's too bright I can put another coat of simi gloss on. A old hw floor finisher I knew always use high gloss on the first 2 and the desired finish on the third. He claimed the gloss is a harder finish and would wear better.

Reactions: Like 2 | Way Cool 1


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## frankp (Jun 10, 2020)

Well done.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Don Wood (Jun 28, 2020)

It appears you used construction adhesive? If so just wondering why over wood glue? Very nice job too

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## sprucegum (Jun 28, 2020)

Don Wood said:


> It appears you used construction adhesive? If so just wondering why over wood glue? Very nice job too


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## sprucegum (Jun 28, 2020)

I have used wood glue in the past but I did a little research and others are using construction adhesive with good results. It's a whole lot less drippy I was pleased with the results.

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## Ralph Muhs (Jun 28, 2020)

Impressed

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## Don Van Dyne (Jun 29, 2020)

That is some next level stuff! Very nice!!

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## tocws2002 (Jul 26, 2020)

@sprucegum I need to replace a staircase I tore out for our basement remodel and have a few questions for you as I think the housed stringer would be the best for my application, but I've never done this before.

1. What are the dimensions of your ash stringers (thickness, width)?

2. What is the width of your staircase (wall to wall)?

3. Did you only use the 2 stringers?

4. It looks like you had finish drywall in place before installing the stairs, is that correct?

If I go this route, I'm sure ill have more questions.

Thanks in advance,

-jason


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## sprucegum (Jul 26, 2020)

tocws2002 said:


> @sprucegum I need to replace a staircase I tore out for our basement remodel and have a few questions for you as I think the housed stringer would be the best for my application, but I've never done this before.
> 
> 1. What are the dimensions of your ash stringers (thickness, width)?
> 
> ...


My stringers are about 13" wide and 1 1/4 thick the rabbit is about 1/2" deep you could get but with less because strength is not a big factor. Fastening it to each wall stud gives you plenty of strength.

My drywall was in place and wall to wall was 39" yes just 2 stringers.

If you do a Google search or two you can find lots of information.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## tocws2002 (Jul 26, 2020)

sprucegum said:


> My stringers are about 13" wide and 1 1/4 thick the rabbit is about 1/2" deep you could get but with less because strength is not a big factor. Fastening it to each wall stud gives you plenty of strength.
> 
> My drywall was in place and wall to wall was 39" yes just 2 stringers.
> 
> If you do a Google search or two you can find lots of information.



Thanks for the info, it puts me on the right track. I found several articles from Fine Homebuilding this morning that are step by step guides similar to your thread.

Thanks again,

-jason


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