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Building the Foyer Staircase

Bob visits with Mark Fortunati who is building traditional looking staircase in the foyer. The stringers, which hold the treads and risers, are the backbone of the staircase. Mark has already cut and fit the skirt boards. The skirt boards are basically a continuation of the baseboard that go up the sides of the stairs all the way to the top and must be carefully fitted and cut. That includes putting a dado on the back of each rise and on the back of each riser so that the two are fitted together in a traditional joint. Mark dry fits first before gluing the tread on to the first riser. Once he's sure of the fit he secures it using a good panel adhesive that not only helps it stay together but also prevents squeaking. The outside skirt is cut a bit simpler. There's no rabbeting, but it does have a miter cut on each side of the risers for a tight fit. Not every piece is glued together. The spindles (or balusters) sit in the little holes that receive them and are fit one by one into the bottom of the railing. Because they aren't glued or nailed, they can float or move as needed with expansion and contraction.
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Building the Foyer Staircase

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" What we're looking at here are four stringers usually cut out cut out of spruce. And the stringers are really the backbone of the staircase they're going to be holding the treads and the risers and obviously the weight of everybody that's going up and down the stairs now. Our staircase builder. Marquardt and that he has already taken care of cutting and roughing in the staircase. And all the other trades have come through the house now he's back in the house in order put the finishing touches -- And what he already has accomplished is cutting and fitting. The skirt boards. The skirt boards go basically as a continuation of the baseboard on the floor. Up the side of the stairs all the way to the top and these have to be carefully fitted and cut. And that includes putting in -- data on the back of each rise. And on the back of each riser so that the through. Are fitted together as -- a traditional joint now over here you'll notice that he's already put in place one of the turned newel posts which come direct from the factory now show me exactly how these fit together mark. Well. Let's. This riser. It's very infamous currently fest. -- flight that. And that's the backside of the works but if you were. Walking up the stairs you'd start seeing that fit like that. OK so we glue them up actually just. -- Like us. That it would look. Excellent it's kind of get a long here. All right so we'll put them all the components abortive. That's the right orientation. Yet. And it. OK well. So nailing from the back assures that we're not going to see any kind of nail heads. All right now we can push it back into place will it fit there. Excellent. Right now we're shooting two and a half inch nails into the right into the face of the first riser. And are you ready Friday. Try to fit the first threat. That's. Right. Applicable well. Announcement and -- it's fit perfect right fits fine on the corner yup all right so how about some panel adhesive show us. Some serious squeaking. Yeah that's one of the keys in terms of good products that are available now. A good adhesive like this. Will that only helps it stay together will prevent any noise in the future. This trip excellent. This is the outside expert which is cut a little bits of glues no gravity. But we do have a miter cut on each of the risers. So that when it fits in. Well. You should have a tight fit. Just like that."

" All the pieces of the staircase are carefully fitted of many of them do not get glued together all the balusters are just. Really in the little holes that receive them but here where the handrail will go right on top of the newel post you do want to put a little bit of adhesive. And mark you -- of that. We're in on up."

" He courses. Dry fitted this once."

" And then once he sets it down there the spindles or balusters. Go into the bottom of the railing one by one. And it's important not to have them glued or nailed because you want them to float and move if they need to with -- expansion and contraction. But it's going to be a beautiful staircase stuff and as you can see all the rest of the treads and the risers are already in place. That and then this one is just scribed into place that I will need a fastener right -- and then up here we have another transition. That he'll get -- you know. I'll put the -- and who it. And one unique thing to look at. This is not yet these little jigs are supports that are temporary here which are very important when you're trying to work on one of these all by yourself."

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