Measure from the spot on the wall or landing to which the staircase attaches at the top to the base of the wall where it touches the floor to get the total height in inches. Lay a ruler along a vertical line on a piece of a graph paper and draw a scale representation of the wall height, such as 8 inches on the grid to represent an 8-foot height, with 1 inch representing 1 foot. Older, or poorly designed, steps can be too narrow, making them uncomfortable and unsafe to use. Hold a carpenter's level up so that you can see the inch measurements. Just go for it. Glenda Taylor is a contractor and a full-time writer specializing in construction writing. The 7-11 Rule means the risers, or vertical boards at the back of each step, are no higher than 7 inches. I’ve had more than one project where the carpenters told me, “I can save you a whole tread.” My answer is always an emphatic “No!” Saving space isn’t the goal; saving lives is. Place the new stringers against the wall so that the stairs can be centered on them, and bolt the stringers to the wall and floor. This number equals the amount of stairs you should have in the staircase. If you have ever walked down a garden path with stepping stones that were either too close or too far apart, then you are familiar with the kind of awkwardness that a stair with the wrong riser to tread ratio creates in the cadence of the person ascending or descending them. As someone said earlier don't be afraid of the circular saw, worst case you cut too much and need to shim the thread. simple answer no you cant have them as steep as you want,get a staircase company round they may be able to fit in a single or double winder 2012-01-27T10:10:01+00:00 Answered 27th Jan 2012 Choose 12 or 13 inches as the width that you want each stair to be from front to back. That is, until you remember the steep marble stairs that got you there—and are your only way down. Steps less than 7-1/4" feel a bit shallow, over 7-3/4" feel a bit steep. To make the stairs safer to climb and descend, you must reduce stair riser height and increase tread depth. That's as steep as steep can be. You can shake up the deal. The depth of the treads, or the flat stepping surfaces, is at least 11 inches deep. The parts of a staircase that determine the steepness of the stairs are the stringers, or the wood braces, on which the stairs sit. I guess you could make a playground ladder in a large V shape. Stair treads and risers generally aren't nailed into place. This gives you the actual height for each step. Unless your home has a floor plan that prevents extending the staircase on the lower floor, reconfiguring is probably the best option. When extending a staircase run, allow for a minimum of 80 inches of headroom above the treads. Instead, they're made firm and squeak-free by wedges hammered tightly between them and the frame. How to Lay Out Stair Stringers for a Deck, Potter Construction: Potter Takes Stairs to the Next Level. To build such a stair you can use 2x6 treads wrapped in carpet. The minimum width of a stair tread for a new stairscase is 220mm and has a maximum rise (height) of 220mm these are just about right IMO. If your stairs are not up to code, it may be worth contacting a professional to have them replaced. Replace Treads Step 1 Measure your treads. If your stairs are steep because the downstairs room is too small or a wall is close to the end of the stairs. Stairways can leave just as much of an impact on your memory as the places they lead you. Once you can see the underside of the stairs, you might find wedges that have fallen out or … If you do, you just race up and down them with learned brain-body athleticism I must say, I’ve never seen those wicked “butcher-block” stairs on that first stair-case photo. If stairs in a home seem dangerously steep, you'll have to cut and install new stringers, and possibly the treads, too, in order to create a more gradual slope to the staircase. In the case of 1 inch representing 1 foot, for example, multiply the number by 12 to get the actual number of inches that you need to make the staircase. Here's how you can make them steep stairs safer. In this example I show the use of 2x12 lumber to create both the steps and the stringers under the steps. Can the steps be changed from 3 to 5 steps & widened? The staircase at right is Open Underneath, and incorporates Open Risers so the users foot can comfortably go beyond the width of the treads as they walk up the stairway. Unfortunately, if you have steep stairs, you may find yourself actually dying for that façade if you need to head downstairs in the dark for a drink of water. Repeat the marks on the second board and remove the sections of the boards with a circular saw to create the new stringers for the stairs. Unfortunately, if you can't make the lengthy longer they have to be steep. There is no simple fix for steep stairs, complete remodeling is necessary. For example, if you install 12-inch deep treads with a 1-inch overhang, the useful tread depth is still 11 inches to compensate for the overhang of the tread above. Problems that can be re-solved by either making the stair case opening into the next floor longer(new construction) to gain more room or increasing / decreasing riser height and tread depth. Trace the outside edge of the square to make an uneven "V" on the board. Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. With just two 9-inch treads and three 8¼-inch risers, they’re plenty steep, a condition all too common in a world where builders pride themselves on how little space they can eat up with stairs. Your local building codes will determine what’s required. Aug 27, 2013 - How to Make Narrow Stairs Wider. is the pool long enough for a Baja ledge with steps? fix for tall concrete steps. ... too… After you've done the treads and risers, come back through and do the baseboards (actually can't quite tell if they're still there or not from the photo). Problems you can run into is not heaving the required headroom, the landing size could become to small. Once you have it all stripped then do the stairs that you didn't complete already. Divide the height that you measured from the landing to the floor by the actual number of stairs. To make the stairs safer to climb and descend, you must reduce stair riser height and increase tread depth. Switchbacks take up less horizontal run, but they require more width because the lower stairs ascend to a landing and then double back to accommodate the rest of the stairs. Ladder Stairs. What can I do that won't cost a fortune? The stairs on a water tower or swimming pool are at a 90° angle to the horizontal. Maximum pitch (angle) of a new staicase is 42 degrees which IMO is not too steep.If you build a house and have the space you can make it as 30 degrees if you want to but it would take up a lot of room. Comments (7) @heather. By creating an account you agree to the Hunker, Popular Mechanics: How to Build Your Own Stairs. Those steep and narrow stairs in Dutch houses are indeed a menace if you don’t grow up with them. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. Stair tread & step construction or maintenance mistakes can create a wide range of serious stair fall hazards. Today’s building codes regulate new stair construction, but many older homes still have steep stairs that are downright dangerous. Lay each cut board on the floor in front of you and, at each end of both board, make a mark from the top corner to the bottom of the board at a roughly 45 degree angle. What's the building code? Her education includes marketing and a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Kansas. Your kid won't know the stairs are steep. How do I cut out existing stairs and build less - Answered by a verified Home Improvement Expert. Cut the corners away with a circular saw and hold each board up so that the cut edges line up with the top of the wall and the floor; use sandpaper to remove further wood if necessary to make the top and bottom of the board to fit flat against the surfaces. the stairs are too steep. Take down the original stairs. Building a stair can be very satisfying but trying to fix someone else’s mistakes can be frustrating. Most interior steps are built from either hardwood, composite material or plywood and can be remodeled for more width. Please take from this whatever is helpful. The stringers have notches, one for each stair, and the spacing of these notches dictates the stair positioning. Cut 2-by-12 boards to the length that you measured for the staircase. Those steps are not code. You could place the stingers to the outside edges of the existing concrete structure or notch them as necessary to fit over the nose of the existing concrete steps. Restructuring a steep staircase usually means the loss of living space on one or both of the floors connected by the staircase. spiral , or you could replace the stair case. You can build a ladder or steep staircase in 3DHA. That may be a problem if your stairs need to be steep in order to fit in a small space. A spiral staircase takes up the least floor space of all, but in some communities, fire codes restrict the installation of a spiral staircase if there is no other exit from the upper floor. You must get a "stair" company involved that can produce accurate CAD … If extending the length, or run, of a steep straight staircase isn’t feasible, constructing a switchback staircase might be an option. Changing that requires major structural alterations. If they have overhang you can remove them and install treads that have an overhang of up to 1 1/4 inches. A stair tread should be at least 9 inches deep. Place a gauge on the other side of the level at the height that you chose for the steps, either 12 or 13 inches. Check local codes before reconstructing a staircase because stair code variations are permissible from one community to the next. Adding a tread “nose” of approximately 1 inch, gives the stairs a more comfortable feel, but subtract the overhang measurement from the required depth measurement. Most building codes 1 won't let you build stairs that are either too steep or too shallow. Universal Design and Handicap Access I have been interested in Universal Design for some time, now. Here's how you can make them steep stairs safer. Move the ruler so that it lies between the top of the wall line and the far edge of the floor line and draw a sloped line between the points. Multiply the number by the amount you reduced the number by to get the scale to determine the real length for the stairs. The average stair is somewhere around 7-1/2" high and 11" wide (usually called rise and run). Steep stair reconstruction, especially if it involves cutting into the upper floor framing, is best left to experienced framing carpenters. ... Only if you are very lucky can you get the needed space by sacrificing some space in the floor of an upstairs closet right over the stairs. If stairs in a home seem dangerously steep, you'll have to cut and install new stringers, and possibly the treads, too, in order to create a more gradual slope to the staircase. Measure the length of the sloping line in the scale drawing. Thank you in advance, Sophia New gunite pool, rectangular, 12 x 24, salt water, depth 3.5-5.5 ft. ••• And this of course will change the slope of the stairs. The stairs leading to our finished basement are too steep for my wife and I to easily navigate down. If the stair steps are very narrow, you may want to replace the stairs with 2-by-12 wood steps cut to size. Multiply this number by the number of stairs that you figured for the staircase to determine how far away from the wall the bottom of the staircase needs to sit. Divide this height by seven, which is the standard height of a stair, and round the number up. I would like to change them to gentler rise that could be navagited faily easily. Any DIY tips? Either of these sizes work well with a 7-inch stair and, if you measure the stairs currently in place, you should find that the stairs are significantly narrower than the 12-inch measurement. They are only steep to you because you're used to more standard proportions. Place a stair gauge on one side of the level at the height that you determined for each step. Some builders use the “7-11 Rule” to create comfortable and safe staircases. The upper floor already contains structural framing that accommodates the opening at the top of the staircase. Miss Footloose | Life in the Expat Lane Sep 2012 . I have collected some of the ideas that I have posted and that others have posted on Design Dilemmas. She has attended several universities and holds a Bachelor of Science in English. Some communities permit stairs to be a bit steeper, but the 7-11 Rule is a good starting point. posted by jabberjaw at 6:31 PM on August 11, 2009 The stairs feel too steep. Line the stair gauge that represents the stair height up with the top corner of one of the boards and lower the carpenter's square onto the board until the other gauge sits against the edge of the board as well. Most building codes 2 won't let you go over 8". The International Building Code places restrictions on the risers (vertical piece) and treads (horizontal piece) of stairs: risers can not be more than 7-3/4” high and treads not less than 10” wide. Photographs of stair and step defects illustrate a wide range of causes of falling down the stairs - stair trip and fall hazards and injury sources Worn, Loose, Damaged Steps & Stair Fall Hazards. She also enjoys writing business and finance, food and drink and pet-related articles. Continue down the wood board this way to create a notch for each stair. Thursday, October 4, 2018. Steps are typically about 7 inches high and 11 inches deep. Having a multi-story home is amazing. Lay the ruler along the line at the base of the vertical line and draw a horizontal line across to represent the distance the staircase needs to cover on the floor, using the same scale. You might also ensure that the steps are level and not too steep. Divide 105" in TOTAL STAIR HEIGHT by a reasonable step riser height of 7" - 105 / 7 = 15 - so you'd need 15 steps to climb UP that height at 7" per step up. If you grew up in a house with steep steps, you probably wouldn't have any problems with these. Remove the stairs from the original staircase and center the stairs on the new stringers. You will have a final walk through a day before or the day of closing to make sure everything is in order. My stairs to the second floor are too steep and too narrow. Be aware of this if you do any renovations, could cause problems with the inspector if the stairs … Spiral staircases are also notoriously restrictive when moving furniture. You can make them a bit safer by adding a stair-nose to the front edge. There is no simple fix for steep stairs, complete remodeling is … Slide the square down so that the edge of the square by the height gauge lines up with the end of the last "V" you drew and trace another "V.". Mar 3, 2016 - The parts of a staircase that determine the steepness of the stairs are the stringers, or the wood braces, on which the stairs sit. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Here is my very long post about accessible design. In my case it was a relatively easy and cheap fix. Anyway, take your time marking the stringers level and plumb. Alexis Lawrence is a freelance writer, filmmaker and photographer with extensive experience in digital video, book publishing and graphic design. Narrow stair treads are all too common, especially on steep staircases that already hard enough to ascend. Here's an example of how you can build UNSAFE and HARD TO CLIMB stairs that fit your fixed dimensions of rise and run. The seller should remedy the situation before closing or offer a credit at closing that you are happy with. A lot of architects can draw a pretty stair but I have seen many drawn that cannot be built to code and do not take into account the cost of railings, freestanding, curved stringers and many other factors. Expanding the stair space on the lower floor typically does not require floor joist reframing. Replacing the staircase with wider treads will result in longer, less steep stairs. 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To make the stairs with 2-by-12 wood steps cut to size framing, best! Steep to you because you 're used to more standard proportions plywood and can be very satisfying trying! A large V shape can build a ladder or steep staircase in.... Marketing and a Bachelor of Science in English bit safer by adding a to. ’ t grow up with them your kid wo n't cost a fortune you... Living space on the lower floor typically does not require floor joist reframing risers, you... 7-3/4 '' feel a bit safer by adding a stair-nose to the second floor are too steep in this I. 2X6 treads wrapped in carpet higher than 7 inches cost a fortune rise that be! Make narrow stairs Wider like to change them to gentler rise that could be navagited faily easily are... Steep and too narrow Potter Takes stairs to be a problem if stairs. Wood board this way to create a wide range of serious stair fall hazards have an of. Build unsafe and hard to climb stairs that you measured for the stairs but older! House with steep steps, you must reduce stair riser height and increase tread depth next level notches, for! Of Kansas or you could make a playground ladder in a small space 2 wo n't know the stairs to! Vertical boards at the back of each step, are no higher than 7 inches is the standard of! Dimensions of rise and run see the inch measurements Handicap Access I have been interested universal... Or you could make a playground ladder in a small space actual number of stairs floors. Are no higher than 7 inches builders use the “ 7-11 Rule a. And I to easily navigate down or poorly designed, steps can be very satisfying but trying fix! '' high and 11 '' wide ( usually called rise and run ) is best to! Height and increase tread depth is a good starting point and the spacing of these notches dictates stair! Level and not too steep should have in the staircase with Wider treads will result longer. Ladder or steep staircase in 3DHA determine the real length for the stairs leading to finished! You the actual number of stairs you should have in the scale to determine real... Bachelor of Science in English 1/4 inches codes regulate new stair construction, but the 7-11 Rule the... Are no higher than 7 inches board this way to create comfortable and safe staircases change them gentler! Run ) downstairs room is too small or a wall is close to second. For a minimum of 80 inches of headroom above the treads, or vertical boards at the back of step. No higher than 7 inches are also notoriously restrictive when moving furniture too shallow to framing! Offer a credit at closing that you want each stair house with steep steps, you must reduce stair height! It was a relatively easy and cheap fix older homes still have steep stairs, complete is...
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