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Stairs - Page 19 of 25

Staircases have a simple job: Get people from one floor to the next with a minimum risk of tripping or falling. Grand or simple, staircases all have the same basic parts. There are treads, stringers, risers, skirt boards, railings and balusters. It’s the putting them all together part of it that can get complicated.

Any good carpenter can bang together a basic set of porch stairs in a couple of hours. But even here, there is some basic planning and basic math. Treads and risers should be uniform and fall within the limits set by the prevailing building code. The stringers and other structural parts have to be beefy enough to do the job. When stairs get more complex, so does the design and construction. A truly elaborate staircase, with a curved railing, say, or a handrail that twists around its lower newel, is going to take a lot of math, and a lot of skill to pull off. Even minor variances from a plan can make staircases difficult or unsafe to use.

One of the intriguing things about stair construction is the sheer variety of possibilities that carpenters have in building them. There are as many design ideas for balusters, railings, treads and trim as there are stairbuilders. No less important are the construction tips that result in tight joints, no squeaks, and long-lasting functionality. Here again, watching a professional tackle a problem can be a lifesaver.

Building a set of stairs, particularly a first set of stairs, can be a daunting exercise even for the experienced. Don’t be put off. This collection of videos and articles will get you headed in the right direction. And if you’re a seasoned professional, there’s still something to be learned. Either way, you’re in the right place.

  • Capping a pipe rail

    I occasionally use 1-1/2 in. dia. steel pipe for handrails. It is plenty sturdy and easy to grip. But it needs something other than a 1-1/2 in. dia. cap threaded…

  • Locating balusters

    The drawing shows a method that I use to position balusters accurately on stair treads with a minimum of effort. The beauty of this system is that an off-center dowel…

  • A Balustrade of Branches

    Wood drawn from the forest makes a functional work of art.

  • Making a Laminated Curved Handrail

    With the stairs as a form, gluing up commercially available bending rail is easier than it appears.

  • Pinpoint Stair-Rail Accuracy

    Keep handrail joints aligned by using brads clipped above the rail bolt to prevent twisting.

  • Hanging a Wall Railing

    Get it at the right height and make sure it's fastened to the framing; someone's life may depend on it.

  • Installing Handrails Made From Stock Parts

    A full-scale drawing and some shop-built jigs can ease the assembly of expensive stair parts.

  • Spring-Assisted Doweling

    Recently, I had to install some short balusters between a finished stair and a finished ceiling. Aesthetics and space limitations precluded nailing, and the contorted geometry of the situation eliminated…

  • Capping a Curved Stair Wall

    Wide horizontal laminations show off the grain of the maple caps.

  • Hidden handrail connection

    I recently needed to fasten a handrail to a wall and didn't have room for a rosette to secure the handrail because of the minimal clearance to the outside corner.…

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Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 331 - June 2025
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  • Issue 327 - November 2024
    • Repairing Damaged Walls and Ceilings
    • Plumbing Protection
    • Talking Shop

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