Ok,
so you’ve decided to build a set of stairs but you keep tripping over
all these terms that you don’t recognise. So here are some simple
explanations for the most common Staircase terms.
Balustrade
The balustrade is the complete system of railings and pickets that prevents people from falling over the edge.
These are the parts that make up the Balustrade;
Banister
Technically
this is just the rail that you hold with your hand, although sometimes
when people say banister they group the balusters also.
Baluster
These are the vertical pickets that hold the handrail. Sometimes simply called guards or spindles.
Newel
The big post that anchors the handrail. Since it is a
structural element, it extends below the floor and sub-floor to the
bottom of the floor joists and is bolted right to the floor joist.
That
covers the strangest sounding terms you will come across in your
journey on how to build stairs, if you want more info you can look at a
wikipedia article here but be careful not to be overwhelmed by all the info.
If there are any other terms you want explained in simple english, let me know.
Paul
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I just stumbled upon this site where you can find out how to build your own Tiki Bar.. A Tiki Bar is a small bar that is similar to the ones they have in Jamacia. Check out the Tiki Bars here
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How to build stairs: The best books to buy
So I’ve looked all over the internet and have found some really great books which should help you alot in your quest on how to build stairs.
Stair Builders Handbook
This one is for the guy who has a bit of a background in stairbuilding already and wants a good reference manual to go through.
Basic Stairbuilding
And this one is better for someone who is a beginner looking for a basic intro-manual.
So click on the links above and go check them out!
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Spiral staircase maker Duvinage, started up in 1895 was bought on Wednesday by Key Bridge Partners investment firm.Here is a quote from the article in the herald mail on Thursday.
“Duvinage, which has existed since 1895, has installed spiral staircases all over the country, including the White House and the National Gallery of Art.”
It is quite amazing for any company to last for 112 years, and they must be very high quality to produce stairs for the White house.
I think it would be wise to take note of at the kinds of stairs they build if you are looking to learn how to build spiral stairs, or if you just want the end result as quick as possible, they offer stair kits.
While looking through their website I noticed a range of outdoor spiral staircases;
This is a great idea, because they wont use any room up inside the house, this would be a great idea if you are adding an extra room onto the top of your house and there is no space for stairs inside.
Let me know your thoughts.
Paul
Categorized in Inspiration, Stair building news and how to build stairs
So you want to know how to build stairs that look great, but don’t know where to start?
Why
not take some ideas from other great looking staircases and integrate
them into your own set of stairs. Here are some of my favorite looking
staircases.
Here are some great examples from Slattery & Acquroff – a modern Australian staircase builder.
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This
is a somewhat traditional style design, I really like the way these
stairs curve – most houses are very square, this is quite unique.
This
one is more modern and it reminds me of Japanese asthetics, great for
limited space but it may look cluttered if you put anything underneath
it.
This
is another design that looks very modern, I really like the way these
stairs let a lot of light through and maintain a feeling of space.
Actually, this looks like an art gallery of some sort – very chic.
I hope these ideas help and inspire you in your quest of working out how to build stairs.
let me know what you think.
Paul
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