How to replace old too narrow stairs in limited stairway?
by
Sally Row
In my 100 plus year old house the stairs going up to bedrooms are too narrow. How do I get the step to be wider and spaced correctly when I have limited space in the stairway? This stairway has 12 narrow steps from floor to landing, a corner then 5 ample steps up to the top landing.
2 answers
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Move. Stairs are one of the most difficult architectural features in a house to design and particularly to change. Narrow stairs are the ghosts that haunt most homes over a hundred years, especially city homes. Due to the bearing walls that usually confine the steps, you will need an architect and/or 'licensed' contractor to solve this in your particular home. Be careful if it is a contractor as if he does not have extensive stair experience, you can be buying extreme structural problems. References and thorough questioning before the hire is a must! Also, I would check with my insurance as such a task moves foreword as well as building code inspectors, as such a major change could negate your insurance if a problem develops. Good luck. (You will need it).
Johnchip
on Jul 27, 2015
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We had that problem in a house we bought in TN that actually had a ladder nailed to an opening above it that we needed to make a loft bedroom. We opened a space next to the wall (of course closing the one in the middle) then built "double steep half steps! They are basically as wide as a regular set of steps but are staggered so each one takes up only half the space. Placing your foot on the left half, than the right half- just picture steps cut in half down the middle & staggered.it worked great, & took less room.
Kathryn Pluto
on Jul 27, 2015
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