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Building Stairs in a New Home

Posted Thursday, October 16, 2008 (1 year 23 days ago.) Viewed 71 times.

Stair building methods have not changed much over the years, but with the advent of stricter local building codes in recent years it has become more of an exacting science. Many localities have enacted ordinances that must be adhered to in order to pass the house framing inspection. The days of building steps that are not safe to navigate, lack proper headroom, built shoddily, or too steep have long since passed by.

If you are a general or house framing contractor, you must be familiar with these local codes in order to be successful. In the area where I live they can vary greatly from one jurisdiction to the next, sometimes from one side of the street to the other due to urban sprawl.

Stair Building Guidelines

These are the most common codes in my area for single family dwellings and will probably differ slightly in yours, always check with your local building department .

The minimum required headroom is 6' 8".
Stair tread depth is between 10" and 11 1/4".
Riser height is 7 3/8" - 8 1/8".
Angle of incline 34 - 40 degrees.
Bull nose (stair tread overhang) 3/4" -1 1/4".
Minimum finished stairway width of three feet.
Minimum clear space at the bottom and top of staircase in direction of travel is three feet, this is needed for moving furniture as well as people.
Handrails shall be provided on at least one side of steps with four or more risers, located 34" - 38" above the treads bull nose.

Failure to follow local guidelines will probably result in the staircase failing inspection and costing time and money.

Tips

The process for building stairs always begins with finding the rise and run and dividing them into even comfortable increments. No matter what type (straight, 90 degree L - shaped, winders, 180 degree U - shaped, or curved) the process always begins this way.
The last thing you need is a squeaky set of steps, use a liberal amount of glue, anytime wood contacts wood.
Measure three - four times and cut only once.
If you plan to carpet the stairs a little money can be saved by using 3/4" scraps left over from the sub floor as risers.

Rickie Bell, the author of this article is a professional house framing carpenter with nearly thirty years of custom home building experience in the Chicago area. His website contains extensive information about building stairs and other aspects of custom home building.

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Balloon Framing Gable Walls

Posted Tuesday, September 02, 2008 (1 year 66 days ago.) Viewed 240 times.

Prior to the 1950's balloon framing of new homes was the standard construction method, until the advent of platform framing. Platform framing is a safer, quicker, and more cost effective method than balloon framing. With that being said, balloon framing still has many effective uses in modern house framing that can be incorporated with platform framing for a safer, sturdier, and more cost effective home.

Balloon framing originated in Chicago in the early 1830's and replaced the prior construction method of mortise and tenon. The name originated from the old mortise and tenon carpenters when they first saw the framing method in use. With the long skinny framing members being utilized and held together with only nails, they thought it would probably be blown away with the next strong gust of wind just like a balloon. The name caught on and has endured to this day.

Disadvantages

Balloon framed gable walls are very tall, usually eighteen feet or more above the floor level. This added height requires the use of scaffolding for the framing carpenters, electrician, plumber, heating ventilation and air conditioning, insulator, drywall installer, painter, and trim carpenter resulting in higher labor costs.

Fire can travel up the stud bay just like in a chimney, to mitigate the risk of fire, blocking should be installed at each ceiling and floor level.

The required use of longer studs increases the cost per lineal foot resulting in still higher expenditures.

These walls can be very heavy and dangerous, even life threatening, to raise requiring the use of proper lifting equipment and highly trained personnel. The hazards of manually lifting balloon framed walls has been clearly defined by OSHA.

Advantages

The longer studs resist wind loads better and help to reduce drywall cracking and nail pops.

Very large windows with rounded, arched, or angled tops can be installed to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the home.

Ability to construct a tall chimney.

Two story open foyer.

Great room.

When considering the use of balloon framing to enhance the look and livability of your new home the advantages and disadvantages should be weighed carefully.

The author of this article has 29 years of experience working in the highly competitive housing market of the west and southwest suburbs of Chicago as a carpenter. His job titles have included Master Roof Cutter, Apprentice, and everything in between. Most of his experience is in the high end custom home marketplace, including all aspects of fine home building, from footings to ridge cap. His website contains more tips on House Framing and layout procedures for Balloon Framing Gable Walls

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An Air Nailer Could Make Your Life Easier

Posted Wednesday, July 18, 2007 (2 years 114 days ago.) Viewed 452 times.

These days it is hard to find a construction project or woodworking shop which is not employing the use of modern pneumatic nailers. The choice of the proper model for the task at hand can greatly improve results for hobbyists and pros alike. There is an air nailer available for almost any task you can imagine when working with wood.

Function is the single most important factor when determining which nailer is right for your particular task. Are you going to build a house, deck, install shingles, hardwood flooring, siding, or just build a doll house? There are nailers available for these tasks and many more.

Brad nailers are just the ticket if your building birdhouses or other similar projects with thinner materials. One thing to keep in mind when using brad nails, they are not very strong and should be used in conjunction with a good quality wood glue.

Finish nailers shoot nails that are longer and stronger than brad nails. They also have special nail heads which can be puttied over to hide them. This would be my choice for installing interior trim, building furniture, or other woodworking projects where appearance is important.

Framing nailers shoot nails anywhere from two - three and a half inches.

These are the pneumatic nailers that you see on job sites across the USA.

This is the proper choice for building a home, remodeling, building a deck, garage, or even finishing your basement.

Floor, siding, and roofing nailers are also available, however these are very task specific, and probably better off being rented from your local rental center for the average homeowner. Unless you have a lot of work for these specialty nailers I find it hard to justify their high cost.

Palm nailers are a breed all their own. Palm-impact nailers look something like closed funnels, and they fit in the palm of your hand. Of all the nailers discussed on this site, these are the only ones that use regular nails. Instead of loading in a coil or strip of nails, you simply load one nail by attaching it to a magnetic nail guide similar to a bit guide for a cordless drill. They are very handy for getting into tight places where a regular nail gun or hammer will not fit. If you purchase one of these do not forget the ear plugs, these little beasts are loud and sound similar to a really fast jackhammer.

All of the aforementioned nailers require an air compressor, air hose, and related fittings. However if you do not want to be restrained by the length of your air hose, cordless nailers are available. There are two types of these, battery and gas operated. Cordless nailers, generally are less powerful, slower, and more expensive than their air driven cousins.

The author of this article has 28 years experience working in the highly competitive housing market of the west and southwest suburbs of Chicago as a carpenter. His job titles have included Master Roof Cutter, Apprentice, and everything in between. Most of his experience is in the high end custom home marketplace, including all aspects of fine homebuilding, from footings to ridge cap. .

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