Here is the stair question that is related to the hallway flooring question that I asked earlier. I am having carpeted stairs replaced with hardwood risers and treads. It is open on one side so I’m also getting a new finish skirt board, probably one on the inside wall too. I know better than to attempt a stairway, but, I have installed newels, railings and balusters before on a straight post to post run. This is a pretty straight forward railing – post to post, no curves, and one right angle. I am considering doing it myself. Partly for the satisfaction, partly because I have a lot of renovations to do and I’d like to save some $$ where I can. Is railing installation something that I could separate from the stair installation or are the two jobs integral to one another? Primarily, I’m thinking of the treads and risers that may have to be modified where the newel posts have to be installed.
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Also, when talking to a finish carpenter, what questions should I ask to make sure of their qualifications? For example, I asked the hardwood flooring supplier if they knew anyone good, and they said that they did stairs. I started asking questions about how they installed things, like did they miter the finish skirt board and the riser end. They said no, that the riser extended a little past the skirt board, just like the carpeting does, they never heard of mitering the two. They are not doing the stairs. The yellow pages doesn’t seem to be much help (nothing that specifically says stairs – handymen, builders etc.) Most of what I find online comes from Servicemagic references. Do you pros use Servicemagic to get jobs? Are they reliable?
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Thanks,
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George
Replies
Sounds like an interesting project. I would ask to see pictures of some of the jobs the builders have completed,as well as a list of customers you could contact to verify their credibility.As far as some of the referal services,most builders around here (cent.N.Y.) dont use them.Most have no way to qualify competency.Good Luck!
George, I can't be of much help to you, but will be interested in the thread.
One point, however. You mentioned skirtboards, inside and out. I know that is the name for the board which rises above the treads on the inside wall of (closed side) the stairs, but is there a different name for the board on the open outside edge?
A more correct name might be an open stringer. I've seen both that and skirt board used.
George
I think an open stringer is the "stair-stepped" piece used to support your treads and which is viewible from below the stairs. I would not think the trim board visible from the side of a stairs would be called an open stringer. Go chance I am wrong, but . . .
The skirt board is the same on closed or open. On the open stairs a skirt board on the open side will simplify the installation. Some prefer not install the skirt board on the open side if a ballister and newel system are used. Looks nicer to see the ballister coming out of the step and being able to see it from the side of the stairs.
Gary
No, I am not talking about open stairs with the short diagonal wall with a skirtboard. I am talking about the trim board which looks like a stringer which is attacked to the the wall below the ends of the treads which extend past teh open wall. BELOW!
"open stringer" is a style of stair that has no risers used. You can look between each tread and see the structure. Finish skirt or Finish stringer are terms I have heard used most often.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
I will bet I am talking about a finish stringer.
In carpenter school, we were taught that they were called open stringer or closed stringer. The finished set was a "cut and mitred stringers". It's been a long time and they may have had a particular name other than a "mitred stringer". Thats what it is though so that name makes sense to me. A "skirt board" implies something else though. Keep in mind that most terms are regional. For instance, I never heard a carpenter in MI call any part on a house a "band joist". We called them rims or rim joist. We also called all horizontal trim board that weren't part of a cornice a "belt". Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
Stair builders:
Lumber yards catering to contractors, Stair parts suppliers, or hardwood suppliers in your area. Ask good painters who installs (they often follow the stair guys to apply the finish to raw wood stairs).
Carpet outlets, they often work along side them or at least know who does the work because the have to coordinate.
Yes you can do the post, rail and balustrades yourself.
There are a number of ways to attach the newel posts. Some require pre work before the tread is set , others do not.
I prefer to set the newel first .
The big item is choose a method and then make sure you have adequate anchoring built into the rough stair for that system to work.
google Stair railings and look for parts suppliers (Coffman, L.J. Smith among others) and look for newel post attaching most suppliers have online pdfs you can look at. Some even have lists of contractors who they sell direct to.
George,
Look for Architectural Stair and Millwork, located on River Rd. in Bow, NH......not sure if they're still in business or not......Otherwise try Colonial Woodworking, Bradford, NH.....link below....they may be able to steer you to someone more local , or maybe they can help....Bradford's not that far from you. Good Luck
Geoff
http://www.colonial-woodworking.com
Also, when talking to a finish carpenter, what questions should I ask to make sure of their qualifications?
That's a very hard thing to do unless you actually see their past work. Nothing you can ask, or that he can tell will have any relation to his actual work. Nadda.
Instead of looking for a finish carp, look for smaller high quality remodelers. Often they are the finish carp and are used to working with flooring guys. Personally, it always seems better for the finish carp to do both the stairs and rail. I've just seen too many crappy stairs.
Best of luck
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
George...
You've received a lot of good responses here so far!
Let me say that if you have already done newells, rails and ballusters before, then I see no problem with you finding someone who will just contract the installation of the treads, risers, skirt and open stringer (or outside skirt, depending upon your region ).
And as Dovetail pointed out, Make sure you have adequate solid framing for whatever anchoring system you decide upon before any finished treads risers or skirts are installed!!
Also, As a stair guy myself, one of the most common issues I have seen when flooring companies come in to turn carpeted stairs into hardwood is that they will just go in and nail 1" thick hardwood on top of the existing treads, throwing the rise off by a LOT!!! Too many times I've walked into a house where they just had new hardwood installed and found a 7-1/2" common rise with an 8-1/2 inch rise on the first step and a 6-1/2" rise on the last one... Makes for a lifetime of trips, stumbles and potentially crippling falls down the stairs. Not to mention violating the codes should you ever try to sell the house and a potential buyer were to get an inspection.
That would be one question you could ask a potential installer.... "how will you address this issue?"