Open Stairs

Here you will find easy to understand information on Open Stairs.

IMPORTANT!

When thinking about stairs in general, remember to double check all measurements before ordering or building stairs.
stair tread

An Open stair is very common and definitely dresses up a house. It consists of two stringers, treads with mitre returns, risers and a narrower top tread known as a nosing. Normally, these days builders may use a total of anywhere between 13 - 16 risers to reach the floor above. Generally, these stairs will be carpeted down the middle. Therefore, more expensive lumber is used as it will be mostly exposed.

One advantage to using an open stair is that these are available from many different stair manufacturers throughout the country and possibly the world. One advantage of an open stair is that it can be delivered to the jobsite and instantly installed. This provides an easier way for the tradesmen to go between the floors of the project. It may also be built as a partial open which turns into a box part of the way up. This technique gives dramatic entry flare and then saves dollars after about 50% of the stair is between walls.

Open stairs can cost anywhere from $70 to over $120 (US) per riser and they are worth every dollar! Buy Open Stairs

Footnote: Railings for open stairs are not preassembled on top of a wood cap. Level rails can be preassembled but usually on Landing Tread not cap. Most codes require 3 balusters spaced at 4" on center maximum per each tread. Learn more about Railings

Does RUN Matter?

You bet it does! In most municipalities or other governed places to live, the run of any stair will normally be dictated to you. It is up to you to learn this and other codes as they relate to stairs.

Normal runs for Residential stairs are 10" "clear of the tread above". Added to this number is the overhang or "nosing" which is very typically an additional 1-1/4". These two added together, will give you an 11-1/4" deep tread to walk on each step going up or down. This is a comfortable size on which to walk.

To compute the overall length (or Run) of the total stair, take the number of treads you have times the run (in this case 10") and then add 3" to this number. In otherwords, 14 treads, each with a run of 10" = 140" overall length. You need to add 1" for the thickness of the top riser plus an additional 2" for the placement of the Plumb cut (or vertical cut) in front of the first riser. 2" allows for the thickness of most carpet including pad to wrap around the nosing of the first tread but not viewed from either side. If the wrapped carpet and pad were seen from the sides, you would most likely see the jute back of the carpet. An unaccepatble look to most of us.

Always keep in mind that there will always be one more Riser than Tread in every stair built properly. In the example above, a stair with 14 treads is really a stair with 15 risers.

Commercial stair runs will be greater than residential.

Does RISE Matter?

Just as run, yes it does. Rise is referred to as the amount of vertical travel your foot must make while going from one tread to the top of the next one above or below. In most residential cases, this number cannot exceed 7-1/4". So this translates into most common residential stairs being 15 risers. It used to be common for the normal stair to be only 14 risers for a typical 8 foot high ceiling, however, that ended when most codes changed and would no longer allow 7-5/8" individual rise.

To determine the correct rise for your stair situation, take the overall dimensionj from floor to floor, subtract out the thickness of any finished flooring on the 1st floor and divide by 7-1/4". Round the answer to the next whole number. Next, take the overall rise less finished flooring and divide that by the whole number of risers you just determined in the step before. This will give you a per rise number which is the individual rise of the new stair. As an example, let's say your total rise is 107-1/2" and your finished flooring is 3/4" thick. Do the math and you have the real (effective) rise to be 106-1/2". Divide 106-1/2" by 7-1/4" which equals 14.68 risers required. Round 14.58 to 15. You need a 15 rise stair to legally get to the next floor. So, 106-1/2" divided by 15 risers = 7.10" of rise each.

In summary, a overall rise of 107-1/2" requires a 15 rise stair @ 7.10" with a 10" run making the overall length needed for it to fit into of at least 153" long or over 12 feet.

Footnote: Keep in mind that as you add each additional riser, you also automatically add one more tread, and, at 10" of run this makes your overall stair nearly 1 foot longer. This is frequently a real problem in most tract-built houses.

How to Determine the Correct Width

Again, codes dictate the minimum width of most stairs used for residential and commercial purposes. You probably would never find many legal stairs under 35-1/2" wide. This has been the historical size (width) of most stairs built over the last several decades. A wider than 3 foot stair is a very favorable addition anywhere the size can be fitted in. It makes the moving of furniture and other things much easier. Typical favorable widths include 41-1/2", 47-1/2" and 59-1/2" wide stairs.

You may have noted by now that stair widths are referred to as 1/2" below the actual finished opening. A finished opening is one that includes the addition of drywall, sheetrock or other panelling. A 1/2" of space is generally allowed to physically get the (preassembled) stair installed into the opening (assuming it is being installed as one of the last things).

Footnote: When attempting to install a Pre-built Open stair into a finished opening, you cannot rotate the stair in that opening. It is too wide to rotate. You can rotate a preassembled Open stair in a properly sized rough opening (one which does not include the drywall installed yet).

Additionally, take a moment to determine how the approximate 13 foot long, 3 - 4 feet wide wooden unit will enter the house when it is delivered. You'll need at least 14 feet of length in front of the rough opening to get the stair aligned into the opening (especially if it is a finished opening with drywall already installed).

Web Updates

I will continually add new improvement projects, repair and maintenance information, remodeling ideas as well as general tips and ideas for turning your house into your home. So be sure and check back often for new additions.

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