HI Ness 

Sorry to be a pain but is there any chance you could send the quarter turn stairs from an older version of Sketchup. I use version 15.3.330. The model won’t open in my version as it was made in version 16 the newest I guess. I didn’t know whether there was an open version or if this is a way to make you purchase the latest version.

Regards

Tom

Hi Ness

The customer likes the quarter turn stair so with that in mind if have a few questions.

1. As there is a wooden handrail and glass balastrade around the perimeter of the stairwell i would like to position the top newel post on the upstairs landing instead of on the face of it and using a double post. I need to investigate the floor joists etc to see how the post and stringer will be positioned/cut. With that in mind if it makes sense do you have any tips or points to consider?

2. The customer would like the under side of the top flight of stairs exposed. The design was to use oak stringers, post and handrail and make the steps from softwood as they will be carpeted. I could easily laminate the steps to make the underside oak. Does stairdesigner propose making the steps with wedges and blocks or just fit neatly in a rebate and using a thicker tread?

please excuse the ignorance concerning staircases.

3. Are the 90x90mm newel posts adequate to carry the weight of 10mm toughened glass panels? The left hand side newel post will run to the ground helping to disperse the weight and the stringers bolted to the wall.

4. I noticed in your installation video you use bolts to fix the handrail, stringers etc. Is there a brand you recommend? And i guess you plug the bolt holes after?

hanks for you time and advice. Hugely appreciated.

regards

tom

Thanks Ness

Working in Sketchup with the stairs is great. It would take an eternity to make accurate stairs without your software. Attached is a rough model in situ. Just playing around to see the implications of design choices.

Thanks again for the help much appreciated. 

Hi Ness 

Thanks for getting back so promptly and tweaking. I have modeled the room with the half turn stairs in that you kindly provided. Initially the customer wanted a quarter turn but i was struggling to get it to fit but managed it last night oddly. Walking away and coming back helped.

If at all possible if you are able to provide a Sketchup file for the quarter turn so I can model that so they have a choice that would be great. 

Once in Sketchup the problem with handrails etc is eliminated. It was due to it being next to a wall. I have also realised I need to offset the newel posts in so the stringers don’t have a gap between them and the wall. The main reason I like to model so I can foresee these problems.

I have attached a photo of what I meant by newel post on first step. The reason being the stairs are accessed from multiple directions and I fell bringing the post up allows slightly easier access. Also with the half turn staircase is it possible instead of having two posts to have one larger one at the point where the stairs rotate internally? Almost like a spiral staircase central post. Shown in picture below.

Once the customer decides which staircase to use I envisage using your checking and cutting list service, Stairlite Pro? A really good value service really impressed you’ve made it accessible to small businesses like myself. The tutorials are great especially seeing as you not only design but install. I trained as a designer but make as well. I think it’s important to do both.

Regards

Tom