Stairs

allnight_2002

Hi all hope this is in the right fourm. i am looking for some one to make and fit a stairs to a new build house in the north cork area. I was thinking about a open string, white oak stairs.

kadman

Hi allnight ,

Nice choice of stairs, both material and style. Is it a standard straight flight , or are winders incorporated in it.

I worked for an extremely talented trades man in north Cork many years ago, when I was a youngster, during the school holidays. His family had a tradition of craftsmen. And I had the pleasure of spending about four months there, carving and restoration. It was my first introduction to serious furniture making. I do not know if he is still manufacturing today, but I believe he has shop , either in Charleville, or Buttevent. He used to have his work shop in Dromina. His name was Gerry Hamilton, a master crafts man.

I,ll try to find out if I can.

Any other queries regarding your stairs, just ask.

kadman

allnight_2002

Hi Kadman, Thanks for the reply. Any help would be much appreciated. It is standard straight flight about 15 steps.

kadman

Hi Allnight_2002,

You mention that you are going for an open string.

Do you mean a cut string, where you can see the stepped arrangement looking at the stairs from the side.

Or do you mean an open riser, where you can see under the stairs, whilst waliking up it.

I will assume you are going for the more expensive and ornate, classical style cut string.
As the name suggest the string is cut to give a clean mitred finish to the riser , where it meets the string. Just under the edge of the tread there is normally a plant on scroll piece for decoration. Could be carved , or moulded, depends on the depth of your pockets ( financially speaking )

At the end of the tread, just where it meets the string, there is usually a plant on mitred slip, that covers the mortices in the end of the tread ( step ) that hold the bullustrades. This slip again would be moulded with an ornate profile.

The thing to look for in a cut string stairs, is where the riser is mitred into the string. This area has to be finished by hand. So good or bad methods will be apparent here. Another place would be the string itself. Where the string has been cut to form the shape of the step, this process naturally weakens the overall width of the string. So from the bottom edge of the string to this cut , needs to be as wide as possible. The wider the better. You would need to inspect a cut stairs installed if possible, by your chosen supplier. And because of the cutting involved in a cut string, your string thickness needs to be well above a normal thickness on a standard stairs. At least 50+ mm finished thickness.

kadman

allnight_2002

thanks for your reply kadman. I am not sure if i will go with a cut string or open riser yet. Both would look good. All up to price.
But first of all I need to find some one willing to make and install it.

The Rooster

White oak is very expensive I believe for making stairs with.

I went for teak instead which looks great also.

I was going to carpet my stairs, but as the wood looks so good I'm thinking of just varnishing it and leaving it at that. Or would that be considered dangerous?

contacts

allnight_2002 wrote: »

Hi all hope this is in the right fourm. i am looking for some one to make and fit a stairs to a new build house in the north cork area. I was thinking about a open string, white oak stairs.

Hey allnight, i'm also living in the north cork direction and going to meet someone on thursday night about a solid white oak stairs for a new build. i'll let you know how it goes - he came recommended from a friend.

Did you get any more quotations from anyone? any good?

delly

'tis a 5 year thread my friend, let it die gracefully.