Grand Stair Tower

2015

Timbers: Interior/Exterior
Species: Douglas Fir
Surface: Sanded 4 sides
Grade: Select Structural
Quantity: 128 Pieces, 6,136 Board Feet
Interior Finish: Minwax Red Chestnut #232/Walnut #2716 (50/50 Mix)
Exterior Finish: Sikkens Cedar #077
Edges: Stop Chamfered
Joinery: Ash Pegs/Steel 

This grand staircase is the centerpiece for an addition to an old Swiss chalet-style house on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, set in park-like surroundings overlooking a pond. The corner columns of the staircase – 10×10’s – are broken about halfway up. The splice where the column halves meet is reinforced with a powder coated steel “sleeve”. The color of the steel is a close match to the color of the dark-stained Douglas fir treads, risers, and stringers. The treads are 3×14 and the risers 2×5. All material of the main components was specified as kiln dried clear Douglas fir. Mahogany caps conceal the necessary steel hardware. The stairs serve four floors of the house, including a top floor meditation room and a basement entry to the house from the garage at the basement level.