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Replacing basement stairs isn't as difficult as you may think. If you're looking for a Do-It-Yourself project we'll take you thru the job step-by-step. Learn all you need to know about maintenance, buying guides, and general household advice with Think Tank Home.
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- Stair Building Essentials
- Other Stair Elements
- Codes and Permitting
- When to Build Stairs
- Safety Considerations
At its most basic, a staircase consists of horizontal treads that you walk on, vertical risers that separate the treads, and stair stringers that hold the treads and the risers. Other items contribute to the staircase, but those are the three main elements that need to be planned and designed before the building begins.
Stair Header and Landing
The upper part of the stairs is attached to a stair header. The stair header is part of the house, deck, or other structure receiving the stairs—technically, not part of the staircase. The header must be strong enough to support the top section of the staircase. The landing is the ground or floor at the bottom of the staircase. The landing must be level and strong enough to hold the bottom of the staircase.
Skirt Boards
Skirt boards on the outer side of the stringers provide a clean look and make the stairs safer since they make it more difficult for feet to accidentally slip off.
Stair Railing
Hand railingis required for most staircases. If the staircase has more than four risers, you'll need to have railing on at least one side.
Staircase, guard, and railing building code provide specifications while leaving some room for flexibility. Check with your local building permitting office for codethat applies to your area and to your project. With few exceptions, obtaining a building permit is required when building stairs to ensure safety and code compliance.
Indoor staircasescan be built at any time of year. For outdoor staircases, it's safest to build in dry weather. Any pressure-treated wood that you cut for outdoor stairs must be treated with a copper solution before the wood comes into contact with water.
When installing stair treads, work while standing on the ground as much as possible. When you need to stand on stair treads to work on upper treads, make sure that the treads are already securely attached to the stringers. Pay particular attention to the point where the top of the stringers attach to the header board. On freestanding stairs, this i...
Jan 25, 2023 · Also known as a stair or staircase, stairways provide a path for occupants to traverse from one level to another within a building or space. In this post, we’ll review some of the key requirements for stairways from both the International Residential Code (IRC) and the The International Building Code (IBC).
Nov 30, 2023 · You'll learn how to Figure, Cut and install your stair Stringers, Skirt Boards and Treads & Risers From A to Z. You'll learn what materials you'll need and what tools you need to get the job...
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- Basement Finishing Man
Basement entry stairs, steps, handrails: this document describes details for constructing, repairing, or inspecting basement stairs, railings, landings, treads, exterior entries to basements, basement stairwell covers & drains, and related conditions for safety and proper construction.
Aug 17, 2023 · Risers can either be enclosed or left open, as in deck stairs or basement stairs. The board that encloses the back of the step is also called a riser. Tread: The tread is the horizontal section of each stair, sometimes called the run. This is the surface that the user steps on.
Jul 25, 2023 · By Harrison Kral. Updated: Jul. 25, 2023. A simple but helpful summary of what the IRC code says about building stair rise, run, and nosing. Family Handyman. The International Residential Code ( IRC) has specific instructions on the way stairs can be built.
