I’m still working on my daughter’s loft conversion in Edinburgh. Major stair-fitting problems have arisen (she ordered prefab stairs, and we are trying to wrestle them into place.). The current problem involves winders. It seems geometrically impossible to place the corner winder (the diamond shaped one). The stringers are temporarily fixed to the wall, dadoed/housed to receive this tread. The tread is to engage these slots as will as a slot in the newel post which is to be connected via mortice and tenon joint to the top flight stringer. Sheesh. So the tread has to move two ways at the same time. We have tried it both with the newel post in place and detached, but nothing seems to work. It seems that everything needs to snap in to place simultaneously.
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Another example of the contractor having problems with materials ordered directly by the customer. Didn't you cover this in your contract? :)
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
working on my daughter's loft conversion
You didn't see the smiley face."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Yeah, maybe. We were assured that the stairs were dry-fitted at the factory, and I'm sure they were, by four big guys with lots of clamps, staging and no tiny room to fit them into. The room, about 8 X 8 X 10.5 ft. high is seriously out of square, so we are having to chip away plaster to accommodate the stair structure. Plus the brick walls are kind of crumbly, so it is difficult to attach the stringers to them. I plan to build a stud wall under the stringers.I sense that there is some joke attached to my term "loft conversion". Here in Scotland this refers to the process of converting an attic into living space.There is a serious stair builder on BT. Can't remember his name, but would appreciate his advice.
Try a few photos to help better show the issue .
The simple non helpful answer that's negated by your limitation of space is to try and put it all together loosely away from the final install. Ponder the dimensions and remeasure the final resting space. You may find the room is off more than you could imagine.
The gentleman's name is Stan Foster
Edited 2/25/2009 3:31 pm by jagwah
Would doing your own dry fit be of value? Doing it in an open area may point out problems or give you an insight for assembling in place...buic
What has happened here is that in the stair shop the guys who put you stairs together intended for them to be installed as one peice. The simple solution to this problem is to preassemble the winder section and install it as one peice. If for some reason this cannot be accomplished, simply cut the dadoes depth off the inside of the tread, and glue and screw a plywood cleat to support it. I find it really strange that they didnt arrive completely glued with treads and risers wedged in place. Wierd.
Edited 2/25/2009 6:18 pm ET by Joe Apprentice
The stairs came in chunks: three assembled sections, newel posts, a short stringer, and numerous treads and risers. We are getting it together by repeated trial and error, much dry-fitting, disassembly, reassembly, etc. It's very unforgiving -- must reach from floor to floor, be level right to left and fore to aft, fit together nicely, and attach to the walls of a seriously out of square room. There are two winder sections, so the stair is close to being a spiral.I'll try your plywood cleat trick if need be, but I'm still hoping not.