staircase stringer materials

[mukka]

have to build two new staircases for my house, one for the loft and of course the original, the original eaten by unwanted house guests.
Need to find out what materials people have used, obviously parana pine is an option, but as i am able to use cad and produce cutting files was thinking of making them out of mdf or ply, i have seen mdf stringers, but wondering if anyone has any experience.
all thoughts appreciated.

ooh yeah both staircase have a 90deg winder without landing and the steps need to be supported by stringer and newel post

 

[JFC]

Ive never used MDF for the strings . Used 25mm MDF for the treads and 12mm ply for the risers , white wood for the string and newels . Thats the cheapest way i've made them .

 

[Scrit]

I've seen MDF risers, even MDF treads, but never stringers. The thought of having an entire staircase made from cardboard makes me shudder - especially when it gets wet or if you have a fire :shock: The bigger timber merchants generally supply Scandinavian redwood (pine) stringers in something like 10 x 2in PAR or Russian whitewood in 11 x 1-1/2in PAR - these are unsorteds so they're pretty clear of knots. As Jason says the white is generally considerably cheaper

Scrit

 

[Scott]

Taunton's "For Pros by Pros" series book entitled "Building Stairs" (ISBN 1-56158-653-6) has an article by a guy who makes "squeak-free" stairs by laminating two layers of 3/4" ply using "shop grade" white glue (whatever that is! :?: :roll: ) to make 1 1/2" stock which he then uses to make notched stringers.

Glue is applied by roller.

For a straight run he glues an 8'+4' length over a 4'+8' length i.e. staggers the joins to get a 12' stringer. From the picture it looks like you need about 40 G cramps to hold it till the glue sets.

Never tried it myself

Good luck! :wink:

 

[Scrit]

For a straight run he glues an 8'+4' length over a 4'+8' length i.e. staggers the joins to get a 12' stringer.

I just wonder what the building inspector would say about that

Scrit

 

[Jezmaster]

we made a staircase completely out of MDF, as the client would use the stair just for acess to a box room up in the loft.

inch and a quater stringers,

inch risers,

and three quater risers.

pretty strong.

 

[Scrit]

What thickness was that Jez? 1-1/4in seems a lot thinner than the 1-1/2 to 2in PAR we normally use

Scrit

 

[mukka]

when your routing out for the stringers lets say for 22mm mdf are your routing out 22mm or adding an extra to allow half mm for fitting the 22mm into the stringer

 

[mukka]

when your routing out for the stringers lets say for 22mm mdf are your routing out 22mm or adding an extra to allow half mm for fitting the 22mm into the stringer

ie rout the housing for treads and risers so they fit withutthe use of wedges, is it possible