What supports stairs in a terraced house?!

[Sue]

Stupid question I know, but if I remove the tongue and groove panelling and the laths it's nailed onto from my understairs cupboard, the stairs won't fall down, will they?

I want to store stuff under there temporarily but still be able to get at it without having to take everything else out first, and the cupboard is being rebuilt at some point anyway.

Not being an engineer - and my school physics teacher having omitted to teach me any mechanics because "girls don't like mechanics" (thanks Mrs Garnett, it was a compulsory section of the A level paper :)) ) I have no idea what may be holding the stairs up apart from a few flimsy bits of wood :))

[alice]

maybe 10 years ago i did the same. house still standing.

[KidKruger]

I'd expect it not to be T&G or panelling which holds up the staircase.

It's usually the stringer - the diagonal timber, resting on a cross beam at the landing level or a timber upright which may form the main bannister pole on floor / landing above.

[*Bob*]

Get at it with a lump hammer, Sue.. What's the worst that can happen EH?

I don't think anyone will give you an 'absolute guarantee' without seeing it in person - to rule out anything weird or wacky - but at KK says, it's usually a stringer, not cupboards underneath.

Take a couple of panels out, expose the bottom of the staircase to have a look with a torch and you'll most likely see exactly that.

Then have at it with a lump hammer.

[KidKruger]

There'll be a LOAD of dust under there so although bashing away with a big hammer is fun, in the end you'll be cleaning-up more than really necessary. Alternatively you could use a crow / nail bar, claw hammer, saw and maybe drill to work your way in. If you're able to save the panelling to a large extent you may be able to re-use part of if for doors to the storage space you create.

[Sue]

*Bob* Wrote:

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> Get at it with a lump hammer, Sue.. What's the

> worst that can happen EH?

>

The whole house collapses, taking with it me, my sister and her parrot (both currently staying), and then the whole terrace collapses on both sides of it like dominoes :))

Then my insurance company won't pay up for any of it :)) though I suppose that probably wouldn't be my problem as I'd be buried under a pile of rubble :))

OK more stupidity. How can something on the floor above hold up stairs going from that floor to the bottom floor?

[KidKruger]

It's a done by timber, not panelling.

[red devil]

The single flight of stairs is a self-supporting structure. The landing carries the load, it's supported on 3 sides by walls. The single flight of stairs is fixed to the landing, flank wall, and the floor. Imagine leaning a simple ladder, as long as it's fixed at the top and bottom to prevent it from slipping, you could walk up that too...

[Tradesman32]

The stair string is the main structural timber in the construction of your staircase. The stairs will sit on your ground floor and lean against what's known as a trimmer joist within the structure of your first floor. You will also find if there is a stair string along a wall, the string will be bolted/nailed to the wall.

Back in them thar olden days the stairs were made with materials that are a little lighter than most used today which means that although the additional support of a stud wall underneath the stairs shouldn't by rights be required given the age of the stairs and its section sizes, it may be best not to take the stud wall the panelling is attached to away entirely. Maybe leave a support in place half way along the string to be on the safe side.

[intexasatthe moment]

Does this picture help ? http://windwardconstruction.us/wp-content/gallery/remodel/ne-12th-stair-construction.jpg

[*Bob*]

How about this one?

[Seabag]

Oh Oh.. is that a shot from Money Pit with Tom hanks *Bob*

[*Bob*]

God, I saw that at the cinema. Now I feel quite old.

[Sue]

Thanks all. I'll try to attach some rather poor pics of the inside of the cupboard.

So you reckon if I remove not just the T&G but also all the wooden strutty things it's nailed on to, the stairs will not fall down, as they're miraculously held up by stuff above them ??

Oh **** I've had to make them all smaller :( Hope they're now big enough to see ....

One is very blurry but life is too short .... I expect you get the gist ....

ETA: More bad words, I've cleverly repeated one and omitted another, oh well, senility proceeds apace ....

[Jeremy]

I would suggest that the film has a higher place in public consciousness than it really deserves...

[Sue]

*Bob*'s pic looks like something by Escher when he was just learning to draw :))

[*Bob*]

Never thought I'd see photos of your understairs, Sue.

[KidKruger]

Sue I can pop round for 10 mins at weekend and tell you what you've got there.

It's no biggy trust me.

[Sue]

KidKruger Wrote:

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> Sue I can pop round for 10 mins at weekend and

> tell you what you've got there.

> It's no biggy trust me.

KK you're a star!

I'll text you :)

[RosieH]

I really thought this was going to be the opening line to a joke.

[KidKruger]

Looks like you've already got access to understairs for storage ?

Or you just want access from the side ?

[KidKruger]

Rosie many a true word in jest etc....

[Sue]

RosieH Wrote:

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> I really thought this was going to be the opening

> line to a joke.

Oh dear, sorry!

[Sue]

KidKruger Wrote:

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> Looks like you've already got access to

> understairs for storage ?

> Or you just want access from the side ?

I have a door at one end.

Whenever I want to retrieve anything from the other end, I have to take everything out.

When my kitchen is done (and whilst it's being done) I have a small freezer which I intend to keep under the stairs, however I also need access to stuff beyond it, plus access to my coal hole via an existing trap door, as the stopcock is down there (ooh missus).

I'm going to (hopefully!) remove all the T&G and battens so that I can put the freezer there plus a load of kitchen stuff while the new kitchen is in progress, then when the kitchen is complete I'm going to have the cupboard fitted out with shelves etc for storage, plus several T&G doors for easy access, rather than just one as at present.

Does that make sense?!

I wanted to remove the T&G now so that I could start putting stuff there before the builders started ....

[Seabag]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> I would suggest that the film has a higher place

> in public consciousness than it really deserves...

Come on Jez, it was a great film

In fact i'm going to re-watch it sometime soon

Keep us posted on "Stair Watch" Sue

You could always take the whole 'staircase/deathslide' thing out and turn downstairs into a bungalow, and the (no longer) upstairs into a loft. Then apply for planning and turn the "loft" into an upstairs, thus adding more space to your newly converted bungalow

I'm happy to discuss this idea further Sue. I'm all about thinking-outside-the-box type solutions me