Staircases


Building stairs is a key carpentry technique a staircase, even a short one, isn't simple. It requires precise measurements and some careful calculations. Designing and cutting your own stringers for your stairs will guarantee that each step(tread) is the exact height(riser) and depth(run) for your structure. From a technical standpoint, there's nothing particularly difficult about building stairs. Stairs must satisfy strict building codes meant to ensure safety and climbing comfort. We're so used to uniform, professionally built staircases that the slightest discrepancy between steps creates a tripping hazard. Tall steps make climbing hard. Shallow steps are uncomfortable and dangerous. Since there's so little room for error, building stairs requires careful layout and some potentially tricky calculations.
 
Stairs may be in a straight run, leading from one floor to another without a turn or change in direction. Stairs may change direction, commonly by two straight flights connected at a 90 degree angle landing. Stairs may also return onto themselves with 180 degree angle landings at each end of straight flights forming a vertical stairway commonly used in multistory and highrise buildings. Many variations of geometrical stairs may be formed of circular, elliptical and irregular constructions.
 
 
The step is composed of the tread and riser. The part of the stairway that is stepped on is constructed to the same specifications as  any other flooring. The tread "depth" is measured from the outer edge of the step to the vertical "riser" between steps. The "width" is measured from one side to the other. The vertical portion between each tread on the stair. This may be missing for an "open" stair effect. An edge part of the tread that protrudes over the riser beneath. If it is present, this means that, measured horizontally, the total "run" length of the stairs is not simply the sum of the tread lengths, as the treads actually overlap each other slightly. Where stairs are open on one or both sides, the first step above the lower floor may be wider than the other steps and rounded. The balusters typically form a semicircle around the circumference of the rounded portion and the handrail has a horizontal spiral called a "volute" that supports the top of the balusters. Besides the cosmetic appeal, starting steps allow the balusters to form a wider, more stable base for the end of the handrail. Handrails that simply end at a post at the foot of the stairs can be less sturdy, even with a thick post. There are typically three stringers, one on either side and one evenly spaced in the center, with more added as necessary for wider spans. Side stringers are sometimes dadoed to receive risers and treads for increased support. Stringers on open-sided stairs are called "cut" stringers. Winders are steps that are narrower on one side than the other. They are used to change the direction of the stairs without landings. A series of winders form a circular or spiral stairway. When three steps are used to turn a 90° corner, the middle step is called a kite winder
 
 

The railing system

The balustrade is the system of railings and balusters that prevents people from falling over the edge. Banister, Railing or Handrail is an angled member for handholding, as distinguished from the vertical balusters which hold it up for stairs that are open on one side; there is often a railing on both sides, sometimes only on one side or not at all, on wide staircases there is sometimes also one in the middle, or even more. The term "banister" is sometimes used to mean just the handrail. Volute is a handrail end element for the bullnose step that curves inward like a spiral. A volute is said to be right or left-handed depending on which side of the stairs the handrail is as one faces up the stairs. A Turnout Instead of a complete spiral volute, a turnout is a quarter-turn rounded end to the handrail. The Gooseneck is a vertical handrail that joins a sloped handrail to a higher handrail on the balcony or landing is a gooseneck. Rosette is where the handrail ends in the wall and a half-newel is not used, it may be trimmed by a rosette. Easings Wall handrails are mounted directly onto the wall with wall brackets. At the bottom of the stairs such railings flare to a horizontal railing and this horizontal portion is called a "starting easing". At the top of the stairs, the horizontal portion of the railing is called a "over easing".Core rail Wood handrails often have a metal core to provide extra strength and stiffness, especially when the rail has to curve against the grain of the wood. Baluster is a term for the vertical posts that hold up the handrail. Sometimes simply called guards or spindles. Treads often require two balusters. The second baluster is closer to the riser and is taller than the first. The extra height in the second baluster is typically in the middle between decorative elements on the baluster. That way the bottom decorative elements are aligned with the tread and the top elements are aligned with the railing angle. Newel is a large baluster or post used to anchor the handrail. Since it is a structural element, it extends below the floor and subfloor to the bottom of the floor joists and is bolted right to the floor joist. A half-newel may be used where a railing ends in the wall. Visually, it looks like half the newel is embedded in the wall. For open landings, a newel may extend below the landing for a decorative newel drop. The Finial is a decorative cap to the top of a newel post, particularly at the end of the balustrade. Baserail or Shoerail systems is where the baluster does not start at the treads, they go to a baserail. This allows for identical balusters, avoiding the second baluster problem. Fillet  is a decorative filler piece on the floor between balusters on a balcony railing.
 
 

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