A few required steps. How to build wooden stairs for your house with your own hands.
If you build a wooden house, then a question how to build wooden stairs may be actual for you. After all, most of the private house projects involve the presence of the second floor. Stairs between floors can be constructed of different materials. However, wood is one of the most simple, convenient and environmentally friendly materials. The interior work is easier to be performed with your own hands than the exterior one.
Types of wooden stairs
There are two main types of wooden stairs:
- march stairs;
- curved stairs.
March stairs are very simple to construct, while curved stairs are very complex, they require careful calculations and measurements.
How to build march stairs
You will need:
- planks;
- bars with large cross section (about 40 mm);
- screws.
Important! Before you will find the solution how to build wood stairs, it is necessary to consider its design on paper. Build without a sketch may be very unwise, therefore, before the erection of the stairs you need to conduct measurements and make a rough plan.
The measurements you must take into account:
- the height of the stairs;
- the angle structure;
- the number of steps;
- the width of the stairs.
You can create a sketch in the electronic form. There are special computer applications that allow you to create such models. Professional products for construction purposes may even have the 3D function.
The main steps of the process
- Creating the detailed model of the stairs and each of their parts
- Cutting boards for stairs steps, making of two stringers and support bars.
- Connecting the steps with the stringers. Under each step it’s necessary to make the support bar.
- Stringers are mounted to the floor and walls.
Painting the stairs
The entire process of painting the stairs can be divided into three parts:
- the preparation work;
- the painting itself;
- the lacquer layer.
First you have to prepare each element of the stairs. This implies two types of work: puttying and resurfacing. You should use the putty made with special blends that are designed exclusively for timber. It’s forbidden to use the formulas not fitting the timber! When the putty is dried, the polishing of the surfaces should be performed. Grinding is done in two stages. The first stage of grinding is rather coarse. After that you will have to wait a couple of days. It will soon become evident that on the the surface of the wood some fluffs appear. Before the second stage of the grinding they should blown by stream of air.
After the sanding work boards become perfectly flat and smooth. Now you can start the coating process. When the surface is ready for covering, you have to decide how it will be. Before you paint the wooden stairs with paint, it is necessary to apply a coat of primer. It’s better to choose the primer matching the color scheme of your common interior.
Important! Alkyd and urethane types of coverage are ideal for painting flights of stairs.
How to build curved stairs
If you want to build this complicated structure with your own hands, you can try the easiest installation option. The advantage of this design is that it saves space.
Important! During the construction process it is important to consider the stairs not to be too steep. If the older people and young children live in your house, it is reasonable to give up such a structure because it can be really dangerous.
The easiest way to install the curved stairs is to buy a ready kit and simply mount it – it will save money and time.
The design of the curved staircase consists of three main elements:
- racks,
- railings,
- steps.
Oak will be the best choice for the steps for its durability and high aesthetic characteristics.
The more complicated option include doing all the main measurements and then working out the design. If you have the skills to work in construction, you can make curved stairs with your own hands by ordering only racks and rails. The most common rails are metal, but there are some other variants nowadays.
The device of the curved stairs
- On the one side the steps have the element for mounting to the racks. On the other side there is an opening for a handrail.
- The reception is most often metal. It has a flange to which the steps are fixed.
- The simplest design of the curved stairs is the so-called “duck step”. This assumes a special form of steps.
- Racks are mounted between floors. They are attached to the floor with anchor bolts.
- When the stand of the stairs is installed, you can begin the installation of the steps. The distance between the steps should not exceed 8 inches (this is necessary for security purposes).
Important! During the installation the steps need to be adjusted so that the last of them comes exactly to the floor of the upper storey.
Curved stairs may have some decorative details and each of them may have its own set of jewelry and a variety of fasteners.
Important! You should remember that a curved staircase has a stairwell in the form of a circle.
We hope this article helped you to answer the question how to build a wooden staircase for your house with your own hands in a proper way.
