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Building a Home Design Dilemma Remodeling

Stair Railing help please

2 years ago

We are currently rebuilding the entrance to the house. The new stairs going to the basement are in and this weekend the stairs going upstairs will be done. Since the house is 65 years old none of the stairs are consistent and to code so my husband has rebuilt them , the 3 stairs going upstairs are now going to be 4 stairs, the rise on the current stair is to high and the tread is now going to be 11” the ones going downstairs are now 10-1/4” tread which makes it nice to walk down without worrying about slipping, they used to be 8-1/2” on the tread.
You can see the piece of drywall on the landing at the bottom of the railing, this is where the new stairs will end. I would appreciate any ideas on the railing we should be using. We didn’t want a great big post at the turn to go downstairs so we had thought about running the handrail going down from the top on the left side where the pickets or glass will go, and then when you go to the basement it would be on the right side. I don’t really like this idea , if your going downstairs with something in your arms you need to switch hands and I don’t think that would work for everyone . Also we would like glass panels at the top with a wooden handrail but the glass would need to be attached to the stringers. If not glass then what would you you suggest .
Your opinions are greatly appreciated.
No doors on the closet yet due to lack of MDF.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

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Comments (7)

millworkman
2 years ago
No pictures attached.
poorgirl
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you Millworkman! Here are some pictures , the same engineered wood that is on the main floor will also be on all the stairs and landing. Please let me know if anyone would line to see more pictures.
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The building code for stair guards and handrails and traditional good practice are both often misunderstood or forgotten by designers, builders and building inspectors. The IRC requires a Guard and a Handrail at a residential stair but they are allowed to be the same element if it obeys certain height rules. Nevertheless, the guard/handrail must follow the rules of each element. The primary difference is that the handrail should be continuous (ie, not interrupted by newel posts) but the guard can be discontinuous (ie, interrupted by newel posts). This is not only safer but more elegant in appearance. However, the height above the tread nosings of the handrail is allowed to exceed the maximum height at transitions (ie, a drop is allowed) and special endings are allowed at the bottom of the stairway (for instance, a handrail may turn outward and end against a newel post on the bottom tread). code text: "When handrail fittings or bendings are used to provide continuous transition between flights, the transition from handrail to guardrail, or used at the start of a flight, the handrail height at the fittings or bendings shall be permitted to exceed the maximum height. "The use of a volute, turnout or starting easing shall be allowed over the lowest tread."
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I'm not sure but it is probably the I2012 RC. A guard and a handrail are different requirements but they can sometimes serve the same purpose. R311.7.8 requires a handrail for 4 or more risers. R312.1.1 requires a 36" high "guard" at a walking surface more than 30" above grade. At the stairs a handrail can serve as the guard if it is between 34" and 38" above the nosing of the treads.
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The post I mentioned would not be at the bottom tread so the design of a continuous handrail would have to bypass the post to get to a newel at the bottom tread and there would need to be a guard at the new opening whether it be solid, balusters, etc. At first glance it seems a potentially messy solution. Perhaps the handrail could be at the other side and the guard could terminate at the post. The bottom tread should have had returns at each side. Its looks like a abasement stair in the entryway.
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You can mix your own stain from other colors. You’ll need a close sample of the wood though. Maybe you can buy a sample of the same type of wood as your handrail to play with, then buy small cans of stains that are close to the color you want. I got some stainless measuring spoons at Walmart, and disposable styrofoam bowls or preferably leftover glass jars to play with mixes. Also consider buying sandpaper and wood conditioner to use before you stain - it affects the final color. I have had more success with ”original” oil based stains than with any fast-curing or water based or poly stains. I was able to match a piece of oak transition strip to a dark taupe stone tile. It was worth the trouble! You might be successful going with a darker version of the color on your stair treads. Dark colors are easier to get the desired effect, because it is easier to null out the yellow and red tones in the wood. My favorite new stain color is a smokey espresso! I would not paint it white if you are planning to use the handrail a lot.
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poorgirl
Original Author
2 years ago
If you look on the picture of the stair case going down to the basement you can see just above the stringers where the old stair case used to be, you can see the paint colour , it was so steep so we look 14” out of the landing and made them longer. Where the tempest hand rail ends is where the original stair case ended.
poorgirl
Original Author
2 years ago
I would like to change where I posted this , I think maybe it should be in Design Dilemma, maybe it might get some response. Could anyone please let me know how to move it.
Thank you
PRO
Beth H. :
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
You are in Design Dilemma.

have you looked at building codes for you city for proper rise/run or what they require for a railing in that particular spot?

have you looked at pictures of 'stairway to basement' to get railing ideas?
poorgirl
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you Beth H , yes that’s being looked at, we do everything to code or above if we can. I was looking at railings not basement specifically so I’ll look at that .
I wasn’t finding glass panels that were fixed on to stringers with a wooden hand rail on top.
poorgirl
Original Author
2 years ago
Stair and Entryway update

Hi there, i have attached pictures of what the entry way now looks like, the new stairs are in and we have decided to go with a glass panel instead of spindles , with a black ebony stained wooden hand rail that will be incorporated into a post on the bottom and the railing will continue down the stairs to the basement.
My husband managed to find some MDF and is making the flat panel doors for the closet, they will be sprayed White Dove , there will be 3 doors and also 3 doors up top. Could anyone please let me know what colour and type of door handles should go on all these doors. I was thinking that the 3 doors above should be touch doors so there won’t be a handle or knob and not so many handles in this little area. What do you think ?
All the handles in the kitchen and living room cabinets are polished chrome and all the doors in the house have black lever handles. As you can see the 2 man doors have black levers.
The walls will be White Dove and the stringers and trim will also be White Dove in pearl finish.
Also I am at a loss as to a light fixture.
The rest of the stairs will be finished once we get all the drywall downstairs and the laundry appliances so nothing will scratch them.
great appreciate your help, thank you

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