Read Ebook: Practical Stair Building and Handrailing By the square section and falling line system. by Wood W H

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 216 lines and 26237 words, and 5 pages

PRACTICAL

STAIR BUILDING AND HANDRAILING.

Stairs are a succession of steps leading from one landing to another in a building. Each step comprises tread and riser, the tread being horizontal and the riser vertical. The side pieces supporting the ends of steps are called strings: that next to the wall, the wall string; the other, the front, outside, well, cut, open, or close string. When the steps are narrower one end than the other they are called winders. The landing is a platform between the floors, and it is sometimes arranged to give access to a door. A succession of steps between each landing is called a flight. It is not often that the stair builder is called upon to say how and where the stairs are to go, that being the work of the architect; but the former must do his best to carry out the wishes of the latter, who will leave to him the placing of risers, and all details necessarily belonging to the stair builder, who will make the best possible job, having all easings and falling lines as graceful as it is possible to make them. An easing that is too long is almost as objectionable as one that is too short.

He will take the dimensions off on to his rods, and from them set out the whole stairs, showing all doorways, landings, headroom, &c., to 1 1/2 inch scale if possible. All winders must be set out full size.

ELEMENTARY PROBLEMS.

Fig. 1. Draw a straight line, equal in length to the semicircle A B C. With A and C as centres, and for radius A C, strike the two arcs to intersect each other in S. Join S A and S C extended, to cut the line through B in D and E. Then, D E is the length of the required line, and if this was bent around the semicircle it would reach from A to C. This line throughout this work is termed the stretch-out of the semicircle.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show how to bisect any given angle. Let A B C be the given angle. With B as centre, strike the arc D D to any radius. With D D as centres, and for radius more than half the distance D D, describe arcs intersecting in E. Then, a line from B to E will bisect the angle.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show how to ease any given angle, that is to form a curve that will connect the two straight lines, from any two given points, on those lines. Let A B and B C be the two lines forming the given angle, and it is required to connect those lines from A to C. Divide A B and B C into any number of equal parts, connect those parts, and the curve will be formed if A B and B C has been divided into a sufficient number of parts.

Fig. 9 shows a semi-ellipse, A B being the semi-major axis, and B D the semi-minor axis. Let A B and D B, Fig. 10, equal A B and D B, Fig. 9. To strike the curve, move this rod around, keeping D on the major axis, and A on the minor axis, and mark off points at the end of the rod all round.

Fig. 11. Given a semi-ellipse, draw a normal tangent. Determine the foci of the ellipse F F. With D as centre, and for radius A B strike arcs of circles at F F. At any point on the curve, say at S, draw lines to F F and bisect the angle. Now draw through S, square to this line that bisects the angle for the required normal tangent.

CLOSE NEWELLED OR DOG-LEGGED STAIRS, THE SETTING OUT OF RODS, ETC.

Fig. 1 shows the plan of a dog-legged stair. The first thing to be done is to take off the sizes on a rod. First take the rod, marked Fig. 3. Cut this rod in between the brick walls, taking care to try it between the walls where the two flights come together at risers 12 and 13. Set off on each end of this rod the thickness of plaster; now set off the face of wall strings so that they will be flush with the face of the skirting. Then set back from face of the string half an inch, the depth of the housing, this will be the end of the treads and risers. Next set off the centre of the rod, draw the newel and string on the rod, half their thicknesses on each side of the centre line. Then set back towards the centre from each face of the centre string, half an inch, the depth of the housing. This gives the length of the treads and risers; and if ordinary care is taken in setting out this rod, and working to it, no mistake can be made.

The height rod is seen at Fig. 4. Set off on this rod the height from the top of the bottom floor to the top of the top floor. Now divide this height into as many parts as there are to be risers, and the distance from one division to another represents the height from the top of one tread to the top of the next. The number of risers and the height of them must be regulated by circumstances. A few hints only can be thrown out here. The rise should not be less than 6 inches or more than 7 1/4 inches, while the going and the rise added together should not be less than 16 1/2 inches or more than 18 inches. Thus, it will be seen, the going should be regulated by the rise. For instance, say the rise is 7 1/4 inches, then the going should not exceed 10 3/4 inches; this would make the going and rise added together 18 inches. Now, the stairs would be easier if the going was only 9 3/4 , as this would make the two 17 inches, which is a better average than 18 inches. These remarks are not laid down as a fixed and unaltered rule, but are intended as a guide in the setting out of stairs of any description. Mark off on the height rod the floors, joist and ceiling of both landings, as shown at Fig. 4. In putting in the landing, use the height rod to get the height of the joist, but care must be taken to take the height from the proper floor level, in case the floor is not down.

Fig. 5 shows the going rod. Put one end of this rod against the back wall, and mark on to it all doorways, trimmer joists, &c. The width of landing and the going must be regulated by circumstances, but the risers, newels and all joists must be marked on to the rod as shown. In putting in these trimmers it is always as well to square them, that is, put them in square to the side walls, then should the back wall be out of square the difference will be in the landing.

Fig. 6 shows the pitch board. These are best made of zinc. Make the rise equal the height of one rise on the height rod, and the going equal the going of one step on the going rod.

THE CONSTRUCTION OF VARIOUS PARTS OF STAIRS, SHOWING THE APPLICATION OF THE STEEL SQUARE FOR SETTING OUT STRINGS, ETC.

Fig. 1 shows a cradle for glueing up the steps. Let A be a piece of wood about 18 inches long by 6 inches wide by 2 inches thick, and B should be a piece about 2 feet 6 inches long by 3 inches wide by 2 inches thick. Put a 3/4 -inch mortise through B and tenon A into it. Well glue and wedge, and pin as shown. Two of these should be made. It will be noticed that E is cut out for the projection of the front edge of the tread past D, which is the face of the riser, and the mortise in B is kept back to E. F is cut out to fit over the scotia. The holes in the edges C and D are for pins to go in, to wedge against when glueing up the steps. The process of glueing up the steps is as follows: first cut off treads, risers, and scotia about 1 inch or 1 1/2 inch longer than their proper length. Now plane up the treads, and shoot the front edges straight and square; then plough the under side for the scotia to go in about 1/4 inch deep; then plane up the scotia and gauge them to a width and thickness so as to fit tight into the groove. These scotias should next be glued into the grooves and allowed to dry while the risers are being planed up. Plane up the face of the risers, and shoot the edge to go against the tread straight and square. Now fix the two cradles on the bench, by screwing them through B into the top of the bench. In fixing these, try them with one of the treads so as to get them square; keep them about 6 inches from each end.

Fig. 3 shows a part of the outer string housed out for the treads and risers. The steel square is used to get the lines on the strings for the treads and risers, as shown. Get a piece of stuff long enough, marked F, and let it be about 2 inches square; put a good thick saw cut in each end and slip the square in the cuts as shown. Hold the hypothenuse of the pitch board against the fence F and set the blade to the going, and the tongue of the square to the rise of the pitch board. Now to mark the string. Gauge the hypothenuse line about 2 1/2 inches from the top edge of string, and make the distance between A A on this line equal the hypothenuse of the pitch board. Slide the square along from A to A and mark both treads and risers. To mark the housing on the back side of the treads and risers, get two pieces of thin stuff and cut wedge-shaped, allowing them the wedge wider than the thickness of treads to mark the housing for the treads, and the wedge wider than the thickness of the risers for the housing for the risers. Fig. 4 shows a section of the steps with bracketed carriages showing. These carriages are only used in this description of stairs; they average from 2 inches to 3 inches thick; they are put on with the grain running in the same direction as the strings, they are screwed to the under side of the steps and to each other, as shown, and well blocked to treads and risers. They are placed according to the width of the stairs, three under each flight.

Fig. 5 shows a part of the wall string, moulded to match the skirting, and housed out for treads and risers. In putting stairs of this sort together, lay the wall string on the ground, as shown, taking care to get it straight and solid. Then place one end of the steps in the grooves of the wall string, after all the steps have been placed in position, then lay the outer string on the ends of steps, and after the steps have been got into the grooves. Well strut from the ceiling or any convenient place on to the outer string, forcing the steps into all the grooves. Then put in the wedges, glueing them before they are driven in. After they have been screwed up and blocked the struts can be removed.

The nosing and scotia are worked after the steps have been glued up; this is the best method of working in either a machine or a hand shop.

Fit the nosing and scotia into the strings on the bench before putting together, also get the rises to a width and number each step where it is to go.

Fig. 6 shows how the strings are tenoned into the newel; the dotted lines show the tenons and the haunching, the tenon being 3 inches deep and the haunching 1/2 inch deep; this is shown at Fig. 7. The housing out of the newels is described later on where there are winders.

The thickness of treads, &c., varies according to the class of work, but the following may be taken as a good example.

Treads, 1 1/4 inch thick. Project over risers, 1 1/4 inch.

Risers, 1 inch thick.

Scotia, 1 1/4 inch by 5/8 inch.

Strings, 1 1/2 inch.

PLAN AND ELEVATION OF OPEN NEWEL STAIRCASE, WITH SPANDRIL UNDER BOTTOM FLIGHT.

Fig. 1 shows the plan of an open newelled stairs, starting from a bull-nose step at bottom, and having a short piece of rail along the top to give sufficient headroom. The dotted lines show the joist.

Fig. 2 shows the elevation, with spandril and newels. After having taken the width, height and going or run on to the rods, set up an elevation to 1 1/2 scale, when the size of strings can be taken off; newels, length of rails and spandril can all be set out. Draw the line H H parallel to the line of nosing and 7 feet above. Keep the bottom of facia crossing over the bottom flight above this line. After having set out the stairs to this scale mark off the rods full size.

Fig. 3 shows the width rod, with the two newels marked on it.

Fig. 4 is the going rod, with newels, face of risers, joist, &c., all marked on it.

Fig. 5 shows the height rod. Mark on to this rod the two landings.

Fig. 6 shows the newels on the half-space landing. The newel A being the bottom one, runs right down to the floor, the bottom square on it being to receive the bottom handrail, while the short level rail is above this. The newel B, the top square, is to receive the top handrail, and the short rail is below it. Thus it will be seen the twining on the top newel is shorter than on the bottom one marked A.

The details will be found on the following plate.

DETAILS OF CONSTRUCTION.

Fig. 1 shows the top rail of spandril, with the tenon cut ready to go together.

Fig. 2 is the middle rail tenoned and haunched ready to go together to fit into the stile.

Fig. 3 shows the other end of the same rail ready to go into the top rail.

Fig. 4 shows the bottom rail tenoned ready to go into the stile against the newel.

Fig. 5 is the same rail tenoned ready to go into the top rail under the string.

Fig. 7 shows a part section enlarged of the top rail of spandril, string of stairs and capping.

Fig. 8 shows a round-ended step. This is got out in three thicknesses, as shown at Fig. 9. This block is prepared as shown; the riser is cut to the thickness of a veneer, it is glued and screwed at the back, is well glued, brought around and well wedged and screwed as shown; the scotia is glued and screwed to the block, and the tread is well glued and screwed from the bottom. The newel is mortised into the step diagonally, as shown.

Fig. 10 shows the elevation of the trimmer at the top.

Fig. 11 shows the plans of the trimmer, with wedge and method of jointing.

Fig. 12 shows the section of newel and a part of door, frame and spandril.

DETAILS OF A NEWEL STAIRS, STARTING AND LANDING WITH WINDERS.

In planning stairs of this description several things have to be considered. First take off the height and going on a rod. Then decide how many steps there are to be. Draw a plan and elevation, as shown at Figs. 1 and 2. Set off the width of the stairs and draw the two newels. Now draw the line of travel 15 inches from the centre of rail. Take the centre of newels for centre, and strike the quarter of circle top and bottom in continuation of this line, which divide into as many divisions as there are to be steps. In drawing the winders keep the narrow ends as wide as possible, and for this purpose they can be brought past the newels into the strings; as we can have no sympathy with the system that crowds all the narrow ends of winders into the newels, by that means making the stairs unnecessarily dangerous. The dotted lines show the trimmers and joist; care must be taken to have sufficient headroom. It will be noticed that the wall string is jointed at both ends, so as to get sufficient width. When these strings are set out like this to a scale, it is seen at once what there is to joint on. Fig. 3 shows the short string at the bottom, and Fig. 4 that at the top. These short strings must be made to ease into the long wall string at the same height, also to ease into the skirting. To fix these stairs proceed as follows: set the steps 1, 2 and 3 at the bottom, and 12, 13 and 14 at the top, out full size on a board, with the wall strings and newels. Tongue and groove the strings together in the corners, having the tongue on the long string at the bottom. Mark the treads off the board to cut and not try to fit on the job. If the rods have been set out correct in the first place, and as correct can be worked to, they can be cut in the shop for the bottom winders, but for the top ones the lines should be taken off the board out to them, and cut when fixed. Put the flight together, including step No. 12 at the top and 3 at the bottom, then fix on the bottom newel, after which step No. 2 can be fixed in position. Then put the short string in its place, also step No. 1. Now let the stairs go down into their place and do all necessary blocking and screwing. It will be understood that everything has been fitted before this, also that these bottom winders are glued up. Next put on the long newel and glue and pin it; slip the short string at top into its place, then fix in the risers 13, 14 and 15, and treads 13 and 14 and the nosing at top. Glue, screw and block these after they are in. Before cutting the treads and risers at the top, try with a rod to see if the lines on them taken off the board are correct, and if there is any difference allow for it when cutting them in.

Fig. 5 shows the plan and Fig. 7 the elevation of the newel for the bottom, with part of winders to 1 1/2 inch scale. In setting out the newels mark the position of risers on to them, thus, make 1, 2, Fig. 7, equal to 1, 2, Fig. 5, and set up the height of a rise, and square out a line and make 2, 3 equal 2, 3, Fig. 5; this riser, it will be seen, comes on the edge; again set up a rise, as shown by 3, 3. From 3 square out a line and make 3, 4 equal 3, 4, Fig. 5, and set up the height of a rise. The same process would be repeated as long as there were any risers striking the newel on plan. Of course the newel would be set out full size on the board that the winders were set out on.

Fig. 6 shows the plan of newel, and Fig. 8 the elevation of a part of it. Repeat the process described at Figs. 5 and 7.

HALF-SPACE LANDING, WITH A STRAIGHT FLIGHT ABOVE AND BELOW, AND A CONTINUED RAIL, STARTING WITH A SIDE WREATH FROM A NEWEL.

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet