For those who don't know what this is, it is a stairs used in places
where there is not enough space for an ordinary staircase. The treads
are shaped so that they alternate between being wider on the left then
the right. I've heard of them being used in the UK but never in the
US or Canada. Has anyone ever built or used one? I wonder what a
building insector would think of them.
On 2010-05-20 19:06:08 -0400, Swingman <[email protected]> said:
> Get vertigo just looking at it!!
Would kind of preclude toting a queen-size mattress to the second
floor, wouldn't it?
On May 21, 11:10=A0am, "Joe" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Steve" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
>
> > On 2010-05-20 19:06:08 -0400, Swingman <[email protected]> said:
>
> >> Get vertigo just looking at it!!
>
> > Would kind of preclude toting a queen-size mattress to the second floor=
,
> > wouldn't it?
>
> LOL, I was thinking the same thing... but then, if you need to save *that=
*
> much space in the house, you prob don't have room for a queen anyway! =A0=
;-)
The house that was just built across the street from me had stairs
that wouldn't pass inspection so they walled them off until the
building inspector left, then cut through the sheetrock. Nice.
"Steve" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On 2010-05-20 19:06:08 -0400, Swingman <[email protected]> said:
>
>> Get vertigo just looking at it!!
>
> Would kind of preclude toting a queen-size mattress to the second floor,
> wouldn't it?
>
LOL, I was thinking the same thing... but then, if you need to save *that*
much space in the house, you prob don't have room for a queen anyway! ;-)
jc
On 5/20/2010 4:48 PM, Swingman wrote:
> On 5/20/2010 2:59 PM, Jimbo wrote:
>> For those who don't know what this is, it is a stairs used in places
>> where there is not enough space for an ordinary staircase. The treads
>> are shaped so that they alternate between being wider on the left then
>> the right. I've heard of them being used in the UK but never in the
>> US or Canada. Has anyone ever built or used one? I wonder what a
>> building insector would think of them.
>
> I saw them all over the place in the British Isles, but I believe you
> will find that most building codes in North America classify "alternate
> step" stairs as "ladders" and only allow them in certain areas, like
> attic access, if at all.
>
> That said, I wouldn't let that stop me if you're serious because these
> things are often negotiable with building service departments and you
> never know until you ask or make an issue of it. I would, however, want
> an engineer or architect to design them for plans submittal to stand a
> chance of getting approval.
>
> Just a note of personal experience ... despite the fact that they are
> supposedly designed for same, these things are tough on forward descent,
> particularly on oldsters. AAMOF, I stayed in a Sheffield B&B a few years
> back and did not relish the idea visiting my daughter's room at my age
> because I knew I had to come back down them in a dimly lit stairwell ...
> and I used to do a lot of rock climbing. :)
DAG's found this you:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/03/alternating-tread-stairs.php
Velly interesting if you want to see looking down some of these things
looks like:
http://www.treehugger.com/leoniestair.jpg
Get vertigo just looking at it!!
Whatever route you take, I'd consider a timely paid, rather large
liability policy on hand, at all times ...
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlC@ (the obvious)
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlC@ (the obvious)
Put your architectural engineer's stamp on the drawings and when somebody
kills themself you go to jail. That's all they want to pass them.
"Chris Friesen" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:x6OdncuWTsC-
[email protected]...
I saw pictures of a more extreme version of this where there was a
center stringer and stairs were completely missing on alternate sides.
This lets you go with a much steeper stair but still get full depth treads.
Chris
On 05/20/2010 01:59 PM, Jimbo wrote:
> For those who don't know what this is, it is a stairs used in places
> where there is not enough space for an ordinary staircase. The treads
> are shaped so that they alternate between being wider on the left then
> the right. I've heard of them being used in the UK but never in the
> US or Canada. Has anyone ever built or used one? I wonder what a
> building insector would think of them.
On 5/20/2010 2:59 PM, Jimbo wrote:
> For those who don't know what this is, it is a stairs used in places
> where there is not enough space for an ordinary staircase. The treads
> are shaped so that they alternate between being wider on the left then
> the right. I've heard of them being used in the UK but never in the
> US or Canada. Has anyone ever built or used one? I wonder what a
> building insector would think of them.
I saw them all over the place in the British Isles, but I believe you
will find that most building codes in North America classify "alternate
step" stairs as "ladders" and only allow them in certain areas, like
attic access, if at all.
That said, I wouldn't let that stop me if you're serious because these
things are often negotiable with building service departments and you
never know until you ask or make an issue of it. I would, however, want
an engineer or architect to design them for plans submittal to stand a
chance of getting approval.
Just a note of personal experience ... despite the fact that they are
supposedly designed for same, these things are tough on forward descent,
particularly on oldsters. AAMOF, I stayed in a Sheffield B&B a few years
back and did not relish the idea visiting my daughter's room at my age
because I knew I had to come back down them in a dimly lit stairwell ...
and I used to do a lot of rock climbing. :)
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlC@ (the obvious)
On 05/20/2010 01:59 PM, Jimbo wrote:
> For those who don't know what this is, it is a stairs used in places
> where there is not enough space for an ordinary staircase. The treads
> are shaped so that they alternate between being wider on the left then
> the right. I've heard of them being used in the UK but never in the
> US or Canada. Has anyone ever built or used one? I wonder what a
> building insector would think of them.
I saw pictures of a more extreme version of this where there was a
center stringer and stairs were completely missing on alternate sides.
This lets you go with a much steeper stair but still get full depth treads.
Chris