Centerline Construction Chat: Building Stairs
Categories: Building a Home, Building the Stairs, Centerline Construction Chat, Construction Process, NC Construction, Newsletter | Posted: February 28, 2012
Watch the Video below to help understand what type of parts are involved and what process goes into building the stairs in your home.
Stairs – What is involved?
Parts – Post, Tread (on side), Nosing – top of the stair that goes onto landing, Cove Molding, Baluster, Riser
Stairs can be one of the most difficult parts of the house to construct properly and make look good, so choose your carpenter wisely.
The nosing is the top piece and is normally 5 inches wide, and tread is normally anywhere from 10-12 inches wide depending on the travel of the stair. We use red oak on the tread and paint the riser white or according to trim color.
The distance of travel up the stairs can vary ¾ of an inch so it is very close on the code because it’s a trip hazard if it the treads are too far or too close together.
The post – balusters (or pickets as they’re sometimes called) are drilled into the treads and placed with no more than 4 inches of gap between it and the post, or between baluster and baluster – the reason is that small child can fit their head through a space that size if they’re too far apart.
There are many choices in balusters – there are painted balusters, iron, or ornate wood and aluminum balusters. The handrail is usually an oak product or some type of painted product that matches the stairs.
For more information or questions, go to:
www.gocenterline.com
Contact Jeff Satterwhite: (910) 620-8883 or Jeff@gocenterline.com
