Construction Studies

Project: Stairs Detail

To create a model of a Georgian Staircase with all of the necessary components for a hand-made staircase. This is in order to examine and learn about the methods, style and craft that goes into this aspect of construction.

Introduction

Profile of Famous Architects

Function and Form

Georgian

Stair Types

Stair Safety

Architecture in Stairs

Story Board

Working Drawings

Cutting List

Planning

Realisation

Evaluation

Experiments

Bibliography

Introduction

I made a similar project to this for my junior certificate materials technology wood project. And I was very eager to improve upon my previous attempt. After much research and investigation of other building details, along with experience I have gained from making my junior cert project, I have decided to make a stairs detail in the style of

I also plan on using a lot of the machinery that I have not gotten to use before.

Profile of Famous Architects

Frank Lloyd Wright

Born June 8^th 1867 Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator. He made more than 1,000 structures, 532 of which were completed. Wright believed in structures that were in harmony with humanity and its environment. This is called organic architecture. His best structure could be Fallingwater (1935). He died on the 9^th of April 1959.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Brunel was born on the 9^th of April 1806. He was an English mechanical and civil engineer. His designs revolutionised public transport and modern engineering. Brunel set the standard for a well-built railway. One of his most famous structures is the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Brunel died on the 15^th of September 1859.

Le Corbusier

Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris, better known as Le Corbusier was a Swiss-French architect and designer. He is one of the pioneers of what is now known as Modern Architecture. Born in Switzerland on the 6^th of October 1887. Providing better living conditions for residents in crowded cities was a big part of his work. He died on August 27^th 1965.

Function and Form

Inspiration

During various family holidays around Ireland, my family and I have visited many famous and historical buildings. I have always been captivated by the different staircases I have seen, from spiralling concrete features in Hook Head lighthouse and St. Canice’s Round tower to huge, old wooden craftwork in Loftus Hall and Kilkenny Castle.

What also inspired me in this project was the vast array of machinery present in our class room. I have always been interested in these machines but I have not gotten to use many of them. I wanted my project to use as many of these machines as possible as well as hand tools.

Function and Form

I wanted to make a traditional straight stairs with a newel post and balustrade as it is the style that is most commonly found in this country and it will be challenging to make. I also want to add a newel post and balustrade to add to the detail of the piece.

My stairs detail will have no secondary function; it will be used for the sole purpose as a model stair case. It could be used as a reference for making a similar staircase. As art should not have any practical function other than its aesthetic appeal, this piece could be seen as an artistic project as well as a construction project.

Georgian

Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I, George II, George III, and George IV—who reigned in continuous succession from August 1714 to June 1830.

The style of Georgian buildings is very variable, but marked by a taste for symmetry and proportion based on the classical architecture of Greece and Rome, as revived in Renaissance architecture. Ornament is also normally in the classical tradition, but typically rather restrained, and sometimes almost completely absent on the exterior.

Georgian buildings can be seen in many places in Ireland, for example Pery Square, Limerick, and Merrion Square, Dublin. The buildings, which made elegant family homes, were commonly built on around squares or in terraces.

Different materials were often used to build Georgian houses in different parts of the country. In Georgian times brick was as ballast in ships, the surplus brick was used to build Dublin’s great Georgian terraces.

Loftus Hall

Loftus Hall is a large mansion house on the Hook peninsula, County Wexford, Ireland. Built on the site of the original Redmond Hall. Loftus Hall is built it the style of Georgian architecture.

In about 1170, Sir Alexander Redmond (de Raymond) with his kinsman, Raymond Le Gros, accompanied Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, to Ireland. He acquired certain lands in County Wexford on which he built The Hall, at House land near Porters gate. One of the building’s main features is its hand-crafted oak Georgian staircase.

I took a certain amount of inspiration from the staircase at Loftus Hall due to its Georgian style.

Georgian

My visit to Loftus hall last Halloween was very educational and offered many examples of Georgian architecture. The tour guide was also very knowledgeable on the mansions architecture.

Stair Types

The layout of a house can affect the staircase used. I will discuss some of the most common staircases.

Types of Staircase:

Straight Flight: This staircase has no twists or turns.

It rises from one floor to another in a straight line.

Half Turn: This has a landing with two flights. When you walk

up the stairs you do a U-turn on the landing between flights.

Quarter Turn: The flights are at 90 degrees

to each other with a landing between flights.

Spiral: A spiral staircase is used where space is extremely limited, and

sometimes for an aesthetic affect. It spirals around a central axis

Stair Safety

Stairs can be dangerous if not designed or used properly. To reduce risk, stairs are governed by a number of regulations and requirements.

Pitch ratio = Twice the rise plus the going should equal between 550mm and 700mm.
Maximum rise = 220mm, with an optimal height of 175mm. A bigger rise can make the stairs difficult for younger or older people to climb.
Minimum going = 220mm, with an optimal depth of 250mm. This is to ensure that there is enough space to put your foot on each step.
Headroom = Between the pitch line and the ceiling level must be at least 2 metres. This allows enough headroom for even the tallest person.
Maximum pitch = This is 42 degrees, with an optimal pitch of 35 degrees. Any more than this and the stairs would be too steep to climb comfortably.
Nosing = 16-25mm is the regulation regarding nosing. This teaches a person to move their foot so that they do not injure themselves climbing the stairs. It also adds more depth to the thread.
Handrail = 840-900mm above the pith line. At this height the average person will be able to hold the handrail without difficulty or discomfort.
Balusters = Balusters must be close together; the test is that a 100mm diameter ball will not pass between them. This measurement is based on the size of an infant’s head.
Maximum of 16 steps between floors/ landings. This is a safety measure to reduce the distance a person would fall if they tripped. It also allows a break for younger or older users.
Guarding of the stairs should not be climbable by children and should be a minimum of 900mm in height.
Minimum width = If the width exceeds 1000mm a handrail must be provided on both sides.
Door clearance = The landing at the bottom of the stairs must be at least 400mm clear of the door swing.

Cutting List

Member	Material	Quantity	Length	Width	Thickness
Riser		4	566	65	14
Thread		4	566	125	14
String		2	926	160	24
Newel Block		1	187	65	65
Newel Post		1
Hand Rail		1
Baluster		4
Leg		2
Glue Block		8	25	25	25
Step Cover

Realisation

Evaluation

Research:

For this project my research was done online and in two books. The books I used were “Understanding Architecture Through Drawing” by Brian Edwards and “Architecture 101: Introduction to Architecture” by Tim Fallon. The internet played a huge part in my research as I could not find these books in any local shops, I found them on www.iBooks.com.

I spent a lot of time on the internet researching various stair case styles and pictures of imaginative stair cases. I didn’t expect the internet to have so much information on this specific topic. I become very interested in this topic and I found myself researching architecture and stairs for joy rather than for my project.

Time Scale:

I estimate that this project took me around 55 to 60 hours to complete. I am including the time it took me to write this report. When I started this project, I was unaware that it would take this long to complete. I was also very frustrated by having to complete the project in short-burst sporadic sessions like in; single classes. I would have much preferred to have worked on it for 3-4 sessions of 3 hours. A lot of the time in the classes was used setting myself up for work and cleaning up after work, leaving very little time for actual work. Mr. O’Driscoll’s after school sessions gave me sufficient time to work on my project.

I completed this project between September 25^th and April 15^th. Despite the negative aspects of the school time-table, I still fully enjoyed making this project.

Degree of Difficulty:

The main skills required to do this project were:

Tech Drawing
Wood working
Wood finishing

This was a very technical project and it needed precise accurate wood cutting. This piece was also incredibly difficult to picture its components I my head, this is why it needed many working drawings to reduce the risk of making errors.

Planning:

I found the plan of procedure to be very useful because it helped me work out details that I didn’t think I would need to worry about. It also helped hugely when working out how to connect the steps to the open string. I wouldn’t have been able to do this project without careful planning.

Working Drawings:

As I have previously mentioned; the working drawings were pivotal for my projects success. The working drawings were very time consuming but they were worth doing as it helped me hugely in understanding what tasks needed to be done and all of the measurements required. The working drawings were one of the first things I did for this project.

Quality of Craft:

I enjoyed using so many different machines while making my project but making many intricate pieces with precise measurements in such a small time frame was difficult. I learned a lot about the quality of craft and how no short cuts can be taken.

Quality of Finish:

I used three grade of sandpaper when sanding parts of my project

100 Grit
180 Grit
220 Grit

Having sanded down my project three times, I applied two coats of Danish Oil. I wanted to use this varnish because overtime all I would have to do to refresh the project is lightly cut down with zero-zero wire wool and apply another coat.

What I Learnt:

I used many wood working skills while making this project and it gave me the opportunity to develop these skills. I was amazed by the effectiveness of the glue that I used and how all of the steps held together perfectly. I also learned that it is possible to make almost anything you want out of wood; it is such a versatile material. Some parts of the project that I previously thought would be very easy turned out to be some of the most difficult features. I learnt how affective a finish can be on a project, transforming it aesthetically.

Health and Safety:

As I was using many machines I had to take extreme caution while using operating these power tools, especially while using the band-saw and router. While using the router I covered the cables from the step-down transformer with a mat, I wore a safety mask and ensured that all of my clothes were tucked in safely. I also checked my surroundings, cables and equipment regularly. I consulted Mr. O’Driscoll before turning on any power tools in case anything was not secured properly.

Conclusion:

This was a very challenging experience. While it enhanced my woodworking skills and my general knowledge of what the different machines in the room did and how they work, it was still very time consuming. However, I am very happy with the outcome of this project. With the experience I have gained, if I were to do this project again I would pick a simpler design to ensure it was finished fast so I could focus on theory, the practical-day-test and the folder. This project was stressful at times but, given the opportunity, I would still do it again.

Experiments

Experiment 1

The Glue Test

I was very concerned about the glue I was using as it would hinder my ability to connect the riser to the thread. I felt it was necessary to test the glue that I was using.

Aim of Experiment: To investigate the strength of Universal PVA at three different gluing times and leave them overnight to dry.

Apparatus: Universal PVA, 3 pieces of 3mm ply, 3 pieces of long timber.

Method:

Apply the glue to three pieces of ply.
Connect the first piece of timber to a piece of glued ply immediately.
Wait approximately 10 minutes until the glue on the second ply is thicker, and then apply the second piece of timber to it.
Wait approximately 30 minutes until the glue on the second ply is much thicker, and then apply the third piece of timber to the third ply.

Result:

The first piece glued perfectly and was very hard to break.
The second piece glued well be was still easily breakable.
The third piece barely glued at all.

Conclusion:

This has reassured my suspicions about when to use the glue.

I will now use this information when gluing my steps.

Experiment 2

Wood Finish Test

As I wish to apply a form of finish to my project, I must use the most appropriate one.

Aim of Experiment: To investigate 5 different wood finishes resistance to moisture and sunlight over a one month period.

Apparatus: 5 wood finishes, 5 similar pieces if timber, Saw, Cloth to apply the finish.

Method:

Apply 3 coats of each wood finish to its respective piece of timber allowing to dry between coats.
Leave one of the pieces of wood unfinished.
Saw each piece in half and expose one half to sunlight and leave the other in a cool place.
Record the findings of the pieces after one month.

Finish	Unfinished	Teak Oil	Danish Oil	Linseed Oil	Matted Varnish
Finished Surface	Chalky	Shiny	Shiny	Soft	Smooth
After	Loss of colour	Loss of colour	Kept colour	Kept colour	Kept colour

Result: Most finishes fared well while Teak Oil and the Unfinished piece had some deficiencies.

Conclusion: I was much more confident as to what finish to use after this experiment, or more importantly, which finish not to use.

Experiment 3

Centre of Gravity of an Object

Aim of Experiment: To find the centre of gravity of an object. I.e. wood.

Apparatus: String, Piece of wood, Strong place to hang the wood from.

Method:

Let the wood hang from a string which may be attached to the object in different places.
Find the place where the string is supporting the object and continue the line that the string falls on (straight down).
That line will go through the centre of mass of the object.
One line isn’t enough. Turn the object a bit and hang it from a string attached somewhere else.
The intersection of these two lines are at the centre of mass of the wood.

Result: The centre of gravity of the wood was found.

Conclusion: As I found the centre of gravity, I am confident that I can use this for many tasks in my project.