LATEST PROJECT

Our latest project was the fabrication and installation of a Stairway, Mantle, Flooring and Trim from Reclaimed Heart Pine. This project was performed for a good friend of mine who was working in Iraq while the project was being performed. The project was located in the Cotaco area of Somerville, Alabama.

The heart pine was purchased and milled by Donnie James of James and Company from the Collinsville, Alabama area. The dimensioned lumber and flooring was delivered and upon inspection we found that Donnie and company had sent, yet again, an unbelievable quality of heart pine for the project. We were off to a great start!

We started the project by dictating the upper and lower landing for the project.

 

The bands were cut and planed and notched to receive the joists that would all be exposed. The upper landing was decked with 2 x 6 center matched decking that would be visible from down below the landing also. The landings were set and now we were ready to start on the stringers and treads. The stringers were cut from 4″ x 12″ and the treads were cut from 3″ stock. The stair design was to be open treads with no risers.

Next, we built a jig to router the notches for the treads.

The treads were all cut to length and mortised for the notches in the stringers. Everything was dry-fitted and the stringers drilled for the bolts to attach the treads to the stringers.

Now the challenge was to set the stringers with the treads bolted to the stringer that would go against the wall.

The stringer had to be held out so that the treads could be bolted to the inside stringer and then the whole assembly moved as a unit to the wall. The outside stringer was then slid into the treads and then the treads bolted to the outside stringer. The outside stringer was then notched at each bolt location and square pegs made to cover the bolt holes.

Here are pictures of the stringers set and the plugs installed.

While the stringers and treads were being set the newel posts, handrail and balusters were being fabricated.

They were installed and everything sanded.

While the handrail parts were being installed the heart pine post was being sanded and prepped and the capital and base for the post fabricated.

The post, base and capital were installed after the wide heart pine flooring was installed.