Designed Stairs

Designed Stairs has the experience to design structural, open-riser staircases that are also beautiful works of contemporary art.

  • Stair Pricing — Oak vs Custom Materials, Bamboo to Walnut

    When we quote stairs in custom wood species we often hear the question: “Why are stairs in custom wood species so much more expensive than oak?”

    When shopping for flooring, you may find there is not a significant difference in pricing between oak flooring and species such as Brazilian Cherry, Walnut or Bamboo for example. So why then are stairs so much more expensive when using custom species over oak?

    Stair parts

    Let’s look at the differences between flooring and stair parts.

    Flooring is manufactured on a machine that is set up once and not taken down until the cutters are ready to be sharpened. Even exotic species are manufactured in large runs, and not manufactured per job. Stair parts are manufactured only in the most common species (oak). Stocked parts are made in large runs. However, parts in custom species are made per job. This, of course, is very labor intensive compared to making thousands of parts at one time.

    Flooring consists of one component: a tongue and groove board. A stair has, on average over 30 different parts to make up the stair. Stairs require treads, risers, stringers, rails, various rail fittings, balusters plus a variety of trim parts. Even the different lengths of balusters used in the balustrade requires unique set ups.

    TIP: Budget first. Make selections and budget your project prior to starting. This will help avoid unexpected surprises.

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  • What You Need to Know: Using Bamboo for Your Stairs

    Bamboo

    Bamboo has become popular in the past few years. It is desirable due to its sustainability and unique appearance. Bamboo is a unique material, and has some limitations compared to wood species you may be considering.

    First, bamboo is a grass and not a tree. It is hollow and does not grow as tall or as big in circumference as a tree. The processing of bamboo requires cutting the grasses into ¼” x 1″ strips and gluing together.

    Bamboo is only available in shorter lengths. The small size works well for strips of flooring, however not as well for longer or larger items. Stairs typically require long lengths for handrails and stringers or skirt-boards. When using bamboo, this would require splicing or bolting shorter lengths together, leaving a visible and undesirable joint line.

    A typical stair requires about 30 unique parts, such as treads, risers, stringers, cove, rails, rail fittings, newels, balusters and a variety of trim pieces. Most of these parts are not available in bamboo. Treads and risers are readily available in bamboo, while rails, newels and balusters are available on a very limited basis.

    Due to both the nature of bamboo and availably of stair parts, a stair with bamboo would often utilize bamboo treads to match the flooring. Risers and stringers would be painted (using a paintable material). Rail, newel and baluster materials are typically chosen to match other trim in the home.

    Hint: Be sure to use a carpet runner when using bamboo for treads. It is very slippery and can be dangerous to walk on.

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  • Custom Wood Stairs to Match Your Imported Wood Flooring

    Sapele

    There are many choices in hardwood flooring today. A recent search revealed over 25 species of readily available hardwood flooring from which to select. Over half of these species are imported from other countries.

    Most imported hardwoods are grown in a tropical climate, which results in a much different growth cycle for the tree when compared to hardwoods grown in the U.S. As a result, the wood is much heavier than our native species. This presents a challenge when drying the wood that it will not crack when it continues to dry out in your house after installation.

    When these species are used in flooring, the drying issue is resolved by installing it without glue, and the narrow strips of flooring allow for movement after installation. This can create a problem when using the same species for stairs however. Stair parts are thicker than flooring, and must be glued together. Once the wood is glued together, its movement is now restricted as the wood continues to dry out. The end result could be a crack in your stair.

    When choosing a stair company, make sure their experience goes beyond stairs, and they have experience working in the species you are looking at. Consult with them for guidance on appropriate species for your stair. They may recommend alternative species that are a close match in color to your flooring. Hiring a knowledgeable expert will help ensure a problem free stair for years to come. At Designed Stairs we routinely use over 25 species. See our Materials page for many species that we have built stairs in.

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