No I'm not spoiling for a fight, but writing about one of the most exciting bits of the our house build so far. I ached and was bruised, but on Saturday we managed to get the Oak stairs fitted. On Friday AM I popped into the Courtyard Designs Workshop to see the stairs (this time assembled) for one final time.
Our Oak stairs were designed and handmade by Sid at Courtyard Designs, and to say that we love them is a massive understatement. We were involved in the design process all the way through, from the initial on-site discussions about what we envisaged to checking with building control for heights etc and seeing how they might end up looking on a piece of shutter ply in the workshop. They really captured what we were looking for in the styling (and using their expertise and experience managed to interpret the bits we couldn't verbalise).
Installation took a whole day and it was hard and heavy work (especially for an office boy). I ached for a day or so afterwards and I didn't do most of the work, but I do have bruises all over my arms to say I did do some of it! They were a tight fit, with the straight rise taking a couple of hours to put into place (it took over an hour to move the final 50mm as they were eased into place). Once this was in we moved downwards until the turn took shape, routering the existing structural Oak Newel post to fit the treads.
We've left the 1st tread off for now whilst we debate whether it is best fitted before the tiles or after?
We had a day to admire them but it was almost a case of no sooner were they fitted, we had to cover them in plastic and cardboard to protect them whilst we continue with the finishing works...
I've learnt a lot about stairs over the last few weeks, how precise they need to be, the terminology of what is a rise, a tread etc.
Since the stairs went in, we've been busy painting, including the kids making there on screen appearance while mucking in and painting their rooms... obviously when the camera stopped rolling they disappeared or suddenly had arm ache - but I did manage to get a few hours out of them "practicing" how to paint before the camera filmed them.
Our Oak stairs were designed and handmade by Sid at Courtyard Designs, and to say that we love them is a massive understatement. We were involved in the design process all the way through, from the initial on-site discussions about what we envisaged to checking with building control for heights etc and seeing how they might end up looking on a piece of shutter ply in the workshop. They really captured what we were looking for in the styling (and using their expertise and experience managed to interpret the bits we couldn't verbalise).
Installation took a whole day and it was hard and heavy work (especially for an office boy). I ached for a day or so afterwards and I didn't do most of the work, but I do have bruises all over my arms to say I did do some of it! They were a tight fit, with the straight rise taking a couple of hours to put into place (it took over an hour to move the final 50mm as they were eased into place). Once this was in we moved downwards until the turn took shape, routering the existing structural Oak Newel post to fit the treads.
The straight rise in place
A rough sketch prior to routering into the existing newell post
Routered, ready to use to form part of the stairs
A blurry pic of the winder
A finished stairs minus the naughty step
From this....
To this..
in just a day
We've left the 1st tread off for now whilst we debate whether it is best fitted before the tiles or after?
We had a day to admire them but it was almost a case of no sooner were they fitted, we had to cover them in plastic and cardboard to protect them whilst we continue with the finishing works...
Since the stairs went in, we've been busy painting, including the kids making there on screen appearance while mucking in and painting their rooms... obviously when the camera stopped rolling they disappeared or suddenly had arm ache - but I did manage to get a few hours out of them "practicing" how to paint before the camera filmed them.
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