Live Edge Slabs

Live edge slabs are where the carpenter incorporates the natural edge of the wood when milling the material.  The use of slabs in the furniture industry has exploded in the last 10 years.   A lot of the wood used for slabs is usually graded not suitable for conventional milling (D4S or nominal lumber).  Table tops are probably the most common use for the slabs these days as they looking amazing and have character like no other! 

Usually the slab is milled using a modified chainsaw which is mounted to a frame/track which helps you cut the slabs out evenly. 

One of the most important steps when milling slabs is the drying time.  The slabs we have access to have been air dried for 2 years and then finished off in a kiln.  If the slabs are not properly dried, they will check (crack) and basically fall apart.  Sometimes "bowtie/butterfly" keys are built into the slab where there is checking present to help stabilize the wood.  I love the look of the keys and they are usually made out of a wood that contrasts the main slab so they stand out.

Here at Stairhaus, we have access to some large libraries of slabs which are air/kiln dried and ready to go.  We can provide you with a finished table top or give you the slab and let you source your own legs.  Epoxy finishes seem to be very poplar these days as they add a thick layer of protection while giving you the ability to see the entire slab clearly under the finish.  Below are a few pictures that may get you excited about slabs as they are very beautiful.

Wood Finishing - Protect Your Investment!

Easily one of the most rewarding processes when completing a stair & railing project, or any other wood working project.  Finishing can make or break a job.  There are two main reason why you finish wood:

1) Protection: It is important you seal the materials so you can stabilize the materials with respect to the environment where the wood materials will reside.  Protecting/sealing the wood will provide your materials with "armor" against wear and tear and anything else that could harm the materials (sunlight, spills, bugs etc)

2) Colour: Staining materials gives you the ability to match the colours of your wood to others that might be in your house (match the stairs to your flooring).  Every species of wood has a different staining ability.  It is important you take this into consideration when determining what colour you end up going with as you may not be happy with the finished result.  For example, Maple is a very dense wood which is very difficult to stain, especially dark.  The materials should be "conditioned" prior to finishing which will give your materials a much more consistent look. 

Finishing can be expensive!  I find that most people do not allow enough in their budget when it comes to protecting their stairs & railings.  This process is VERY labour intensive and can take up a few days due to the time it takes for some materials to cure.  Probably the most important step and the one that takes the longest is the preparation of the materials.  Sanding & taping take lots of time however they are key if you want a consistent and beautiful finish. Stains and clear coats can be either sprayed or manually applied, both have their pros and cons.

It is very important that you do not look over this step as protecting your investment is very important.  A poor finish can ruin a project, we have seen it many times.  PLAN PLAN PLAN!  We offer professional finishing services here at Stairhaus, let us help you protect your stairs & railings.

Really Cool Stairs #8 - Cantilevered Stairs

These stairs are personally my favorite.  I love their clean looks and ultra-modern presence.  The last 2 pictures in the gallery show how these stairs are designed and what is hidden behind the walls which gives the stair its strength.  These stairs are expensive but in my opinion, pieces of art!

Really Cool Stairs #7 - Wild Newel Posts

Check out these works of art!  The newel post, or railing post as most people call them, are responsible for all of your railings strength.  There are many flashy ways to customize the posts you have in your house, it all really comes down to budget.

Below are some wild examples of workmanship and creativity.  Here at Stairhaus, we are capable of replicating anything  you throw at us.  Check these cool posts out!

Stair Lighting - Plan Ahead!

Add lighting to your stairs?  No problem!  Installing lights in your stairs not only makes them look cool, it will also make them a whole lot safer when using them at night.   Technology in the LED market has opened up many doors with respect to the lighting options you now have.  The lights are low voltage, very bright and indiscreet. 

If you want to incorporate lighting in your stair & railing project, it is important you plan well in advance.  We are not electricians so the electrical rough-in's would need to be completed prior and would need to be installed in the correct locations (we will do all of the planning for you).  Lights are commonly installed on the walls, risers and tread overhangs.  We are capable of hiding all the wire and making the lights nearly invisible until you turn them on.

Take a look at a few options in the pics below.  Lights are a great addition to a stair & railing project, definitely something worth considering when planning out a build or renovation.

Really Cool Stairs #6 - The "Fun" Edition

This #blog entry is dedicated to stairs that are quirky and fun.  Generally designed around what kids think are cool, a few of these stairs definitely make going "down" really fun.  I think the slides will start anyone's day off on the right foot!

What is a Kiln?

• Woodworking: when wood is used as a construction material, whether as a structural support in a building or in woodworking objects, it will absorb or desorb moisture until it is in equilibrium with its surroundings. Equilibration (usually drying) causes unequal shrinkage in the wood, and can cause damage to the wood if equilibration occurs too rapidly. The equilibration must be controlled to prevent damage to the wood.
• Wood burning: when wood is burned, it is usually best to dry it first. Damage from shrinkage is not a problem here, and the drying may proceed more rapidly than in the case of drying for woodworking purposes. Moisture affects the burning process, with unburnt hydrocarbons going up the chimney. If a 50% wet log is burnt at high temperature, with good heat extraction from the exhaust gas leading to a 100 °C exhaust temperature, about 5% of the energy of the log is wasted through evaporating and heating the water vapour. With condensers, the efficiency can be further increased; but, for the normal stove, the key to burning wet wood is to burn it very hot, perhaps starting fire with dry wood. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_drying)

ALL of the material we buy here at #stairhaus is kiln dried.  The removal of moisture is controlled and we end up with a much more stable material.  Even our barn board is kiln dried as most of our competitors in that market sell it slightly air dried or green.  It is important to understand this process so you can appreciate all the steps it takes to get a beautiful piece of wood.

*click on the pictures below to view a few different styles of wood kilns

Really Cool Stairs #5 - Circular Stair Edition

Most people walk up and down their carpet grade circular in their home every day and not think much about it.  Did you know it takes nearly 3-4x longer to build a circular over a standard straight set of stairs?  We love building circulars however they seem to be less and less popular as the typical 2 storey homes are being replaced with larger bungalows. 

A circular stair takes up more room however definitely makes a statement when you first walk into a house.  Here at Stairhaus, we are fully capable of designing and building virtually any circular you throw at us.  Whether its curved nosing & railing or the  traditional "Scarlett O'Hara" sweeping double circulars, let us make this happen for you!

*Click on the pictures below to move to the next one

What's In Style? Steel Spindles!

Out with the old, in with the new!  Everyone remembers the twisted, solid steel spindles in your parents house back in the 70's, 80's and 90's right?  The top "railing" was that gaudy gold vinyl and the spindles were traditionally twisted flat black or painted white with gold "accents".  YUCK!

Well wipe that stigma from your mind!  Bezdan, our steel spindle supplier, has modernized the entire steel spindle market by offering sleek, clean and light weight new products.  These new spindles offer transparency to your home while keeping a clean modern look.  Here at Stairhaus, we currently install 9/10 homes in Bezdan spindles.  This look is timeless and they will give your home an entirely new feel.

Bezdan is a Canadian based company located in Burnaby, BC.  They have an Ontario warehouse, typically guaranteeing us orders within 24hrs to our door.  We know what the other companies offer and it was an easy decision to deal with this company.  Their quality and customer service is second to none.

Take a minute to browse their site as they offer many other products which are in line with their steel spindle product line.  Whether it be glass fittings or steel cable, Bezdan makes sure we have the materials to get the job done.

In this picture: Stainless Steel Tube Spindles 1-1/2 x 1/2 (Rectangular)

In this picture: TL12X-30 and the TL102X-1-30 in Satin Black

Create your own pattern with the wide variety of spindles Bezdan offers.

Really Cool Stairs #4 - Glass Stair Edition

How cool are these stairs? These might not be for everyone however I think they are masterpieces! It is pretty incredible what you can do with glass!

Enjoy!

Live Edge Slabs, Table Tops and more............

Our forte here at Stairhaus is stairs & railings, however we have branched out into the reclaimed wood market to diversify our business even more.  Over the years, working with previous employers, we had numerous requests to match a customers salvaged wood flooring.  With the way the flooring industry is going right now, the demand for reclaimed materials is huge.  Recently partnering with a long time friend, we now have the ability to sell basically ANYTHING you throw at us with respect to rustic/reclaimed wood materials. 

Check out these beautiful live edge spalted maple slabs - THE PERFECT table top.

You can get really creative with these reclaimed materials and I think that is what makes them so cool and interesting.  There is a lot of character in the wood and people now really appreciate it!  Here is a cool table top that was glued up by one of our customers - North Shore Finishing - here in Barrie.  They used 2" Brown Board (Hemlock) mixed with some old 2x4's that previously were used for a lath & plaster wall.

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Can't Get a Pre-Assembled Set of Stairs Into Your House? No Problem!

Can't get a pre-built set of stairs into your house? No problemo, this is how we get around that! It costs slightly more than a regular stair install however we essentially build the stairs right inside the opening. This stair was installed yesterday in Rosseau (Bala) - Check it out!

Materials: Solid Oak 1-1/16" Treads, Oak Stringers & Risers.
Railing: To be installed next week - Steel Spindles/Contemporary Oak Post

Here is the step by step process when building a set of stairs inside of a house.

#stairs #railings #barrie #stairhaus #cottage #bala #rosseau

Really Cool Stairs #3 - Log Stair/Railing Edition

Here at Stairhaus, we are always blown away with what some people can do with a log.  There are some really skilled woodworkers/carpenters out there that can turn an ordinary logs into a masterpiece.  Timber Frame/Log staircase & railing systems are cool and look awesome...........in the right house that is!  Check it!

#stairhaus #stairs #railings #barrie #logstairs #timberframe #logs

Stairs, Railings and the Building Code

With respect to the Ontario Building code, which is a branch of the Canadian Building Code, there are some VERY important guidelines we must follow so that your stair and railing systems pass inspection.  When building a new house, sometimes your architect misses a few things which can complicate your stair and railing layout.  If you are in the middle of a full scale renovation, it is important to know what the current code requires. 

There are minimums and maximums with respect to the rise and run,  height of railings, material thicknesses and railing spans.  Handrails and guards are what keep you from falling off of a balcony or down a set of stairs.   Inspectors sometimes mix up exterior vs interior code, so it is important you have someone who knows their code and makes sure things are done properly.

Here at Stairhaus, we deal daily with inspectors and know what is legal.  Whether it be headroom clearance, railing height or rise/run, it is our job to make sure your stair & railing system will pass code.  If there are issues that will make your system fail, we will let you know how to rectify the problem. 

Stair and railing codes are in place for your own safety.  Think of it this way:  It is important a firefighter can make it up and down your stairs in case of an emergency.  They wear a lot of gear and need to be able to get up and down the stairs with ease.

Let Stairhaus make sure your stairs are built properly and that they exceed what our building code demands.

Really Cool Stairs #2 - Craftsman Edition

Craftsman style is classic!  Painted stringers, risers and spindles with stained treads, rail and posts.  We suggest if you are going to go with a fully painted post, you consider using a stain grade cap as they are contact points (kids hang their jackets, swing around them).

This is very common and looks awesome!

#stairhaus #barrie #railings #stairs

* Please click on the image to move to the next one.

How to safely rip a barn beam...............SAFETY FIRST!

We are on Instagram!  If you add us, we will promise that we will blow your mind and keep things interesting!

Working with reclaimed materials can be very dangerous.  All of our barn board comes denailed however we sometimes come across surprises like buck shot, broken nails and staples.  Its kinda the "nature of the beast" when working with very old materials, so it is important you take the necessary steps to ensure you don't injure yourself or anyone around you (including your tools).

Check out the custom cradle Dylan (Owner/Design Professional) built to make sure it was done safely and ripped straight as an arrow!

#stairhaus #barrie #railings #stairs #barnboard #barnbeams #reclaimed

Really Cool Stairs #1

I love searching Google for crazy new stair ideas/concepts.  There are some really creative people out there and we LOVE seeing people push the envelope with respect to stair & railing design.   Here is the first installment of many "Really Cool Stairs".  I plan to do this weekly/bi-weekly and showcase some really cool projects that I searched out on the web.

Enjoy

* These are not jobs we have completed.  Simply stairs & railings I think are beautiful and are what inspire us everyday here at Stairhaus.

#stairhaus #stairs #railing #barrie

Custom Woodworking? We Do That Too!

Things come up sometimes that you probably didn't plan for.  In carpentry, these types of issues are common.  Well -  have no fear, Stairhaus is here!  Whether it be a custom trim piece or a newel post you liked in a picture you saw, stop by or email us a picture and let us source this for you.  If we can't manufacture it here in our own custom shop, let us help source the best place to have it made for you.

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Custom 1-3/4 x 1-3/4 Oak outside corner with a 1/4" reveal.  We manufactured these pieces for a large construction company in Toronto who are taking care of all the custom woodworking/millwork in a newly remodeled condo building.

Our custom shop's turn around is roughly 1-2 weeks based on quantities and scheduling.  Give us a call today and let us help you finish your next project.

#stairhaus #stairs #railing #custom #millwork #barrie

How Do You Protect Your Stairs From Damage Once Installed?

This is a very common question and we want you to know that we have this covered!  Every set of stairs leaves our production facility wrapped and protected.  We highly recommend that your new stairs be installed just after drywall, however sometimes the stairs are installed before.  In a new build, you will have trades constantly using the stairs to get up and down, so it is crucial that the wood is protected.

As you can see above we have 3 layers of protection.  The first layer is a plastic/poly sheet which keeps the dust, dirt and sand off of the treads which is then followed by a layer of cardboard.  This is all held down with a strip of 1/2" particle core.  The strip is stapled down using 18g staples which are easily removed.  Once you are ready to finish the stairs, the protective strips are removed and the small staple holes are filled using a wax pencil (this process should be done by a professional finisher).

Let us know if you have any questions.  The protection aspect of our stairs can be modified based on how much protection you want.  For example, if you have a pine set of stairs, we will cut the protective strips the length of the tread so that none of the soft wood is exposed. 

#stairhaus #barrie #stairs #railing