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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Carpentry Questions >> Fitting a staircase https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1101123914 Message started by roadblock on Nov 22^nd, 2004, 11:45am

Title: Fitting a staircase
Post by roadblock on Nov 22^nd, 2004, 11:45am

Ok, so now I have the staircase can I install it myself or is this really a job for a pro?
Any tips if I decide to DIY?

Title: Re: Fitting a staircase
Post by JerryD on Nov 22^nd, 2004, 5:42pm

Nothing particularly difficult about a straight flight, just cut the bottom strings square with the bottom of the first riser, lean the staircase up against the top trimmer and make sure the top nosing is level with the landing finished floor level.

Newels have to be fitted but without knowing your exact layout it's difficult to give further advice.

Is the staircase against a wall on one side (or 2 sides) or is it 'freestanding' in the middle of the room?

Is the first tread plain or bullnose or double bullnose etc , so where does the bottom newel fix?

Regardless of these things, it is well within the scope of a COMPETANT diy'er to fit a straight staircase. It must be fixed well though (to an adjacent wall?) by using Fischer fixings (or similar) through the string on the underside of the string (therefore fixings out of sight).

Newel mortice and tenons have to be glued and dowelled, bit of a struggle to get things chopped into place sometimes, depending how much room you have to play with.

Title: Re: Fitting a staircase
Post by roadblock on Nov 22^nd, 2004, 6:00pm

Staircase is straight with the RHS against a Celcon block wall, LHS will be another wall but stud work.

Title: Re: Fitting a staircase
Post by JerryD on Nov 22^nd, 2004, 11:28pm

So the handrail is fitted to one of the walls then?

No newels?

It just gets easier ;D

Title: Re: Fitting a staircase
Post by JerryD on Nov 22^nd, 2004, 11:30pm

one thing I've just thought of, the top nosing will probably be 25mm thick and your landing floor is probably 18mm thick. The top nosing will need to be rebated over the top trimmer to allow for the 7mm difference.