Cherry Spiral Staircase done!!

[Steve Clardy]

Finally. After two years. Got the steps all in and trimmed, cherry, customers ran out of moola. So I got started again back in February, working off and on. The daily commute of 68 miles one way about wore me out.
Heres some various shots, during and after construction. I just got the final coat of poly on last thursday, but these pics don't show it. These are from the first of the week. Somehow I lost or haven't found the pics gluing up the railing, using a zillion clamps.
I have to go back in a week or so and install one piece of trim, and do some trim work in another place in the house.
I have to say this was one of the most difficult stair jobs I have done. The manufacture doesn't recommend bending the railing over a 42" radius. This radius is 28". I had to soak the outer pieces in water for two days to get them to bend, without breaking, which would have been costly if they had broke. Two 12' laminated and one 8' rail in cherry cost me over $1600.00
I also did the fireplace mantle and legs, fluted, next to the balcony railing.

Thanks for looking.
Steve

[Steve Clardy]

More pics, not in any order.

I also did the shelfs by the windows, in solid cherry.

[Steve Clardy]

More pictures

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Wow Steve that is a beauty. You do amazing work. I can't see any "screw ups" anywhere on that baby. :) Thanks for sharing. Alan in Md.

[Steve Clardy]

And a few more pics. The nerve wracking part ot this kind of work is, cutting the spiral rails. Not only do they bend in a circle, they twist as you lay them up. They do not lay down flat on your miter saw, so it's a guess sometimes as to what angle you cut them, if you're cutting them at the angle you want. So always cut them long, then adjust your cuts again.

[Glenn Clabo]

I have always felt that stair makers are artists...and you continue to prove it. WOW!

[John Renzetti]

hi Steve, Great work. Thanks for posting the pictures. Did you fabricate and fit most of the parts in your shop first, and then build it again on site.
take care,
John

[Steve Clardy]

hi Steve, Great work. Thanks for posting the pictures. Did you fabricate and fit most of the parts in your shop first, and then build it again on site.
take care,
John

Hi John. The treads and risers were glued up in the shop, I ran the trim with my molder, made the tapered balistors and newel posts in the shop. The railings were glued up on site, fitted the the steps, taken home, sanded, taken back, and installed.

[Chris Padilla]

Mmmm, that should darken up nicely over time, Bro! Good job...mum would be proud! :)

[Tyler Howell]

Bravo Bravo, Very fine my friend. a nice job.:cool:

[Dave Brandt]

That is just incredible work! :eek: Beautiful!!! BRAVO!

[Roy Wall]

Steve,

That's a cool staircase!!! Lots of character....very, very nice job!!!!

Whats the tread/riser ratio.....? Definately a serious vertical rise in a tiny space...

Excellent!!

[Mike Parzych]

I'd feel guilty walking on it.

[Effie Lever]

Boy that’s gorgeous, one day I’d like to try a project like that.

Effie

[Scott Coffelt]

vetty nice.....vetty nice...

[John Miliunas]

Ahhhh....heck. What's the big deal? Just Steve's normal, high caliber of skill and execution! We've come to expect nothing less!:D As usual, Steve, beautiful work! Thanks for the look...:) :cool:

[Steve Clardy]

Steve,

That's a cool staircase!!! Lots of character....very, very nice job!!!!

Whats the tread/riser ratio.....? Definately a serious vertical rise in a tiny space...

Excellent!!

Hey Roy. There are two angles on this one. First four straight steps are 45 degrees, then the spirals are 52 degrees.
Sure wish I was in on the construction of laying out the framing for them. They were basically already there. I would have spiraled all of the steps, eliminating the cut, and 22 degree change in the top part of the main handrail. I really didn't like how that came out, but hey, it was there and couldn't change it. Homeowners didn't want to pay to re-frame it either.

[Richard Wolf]

From a fellow stair builder, nice work, Steve.

Richard

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Steve....simply beautiful! So beautiful, in fact, I'll bet your twin will want to claim some of the credit! :D

[Steve Clardy]

Steve....simply beautiful! So beautiful, in fact, I'll bet your twin will want to claim some of the credit! :D

Lol. Yea. He's wanting one so Mom can get out of the basement!!:eek::confused::eek::)

[Christopher Stahl]

That's excellent work. What a cool project to work on.

[Sam Blasco]

Cool stuff. Looks like a real labor of love, not to mention craftsmanship.

[Lou Morrissette]

Steve,

How would one make a frame for that piece? That's where that belongs. It's a work of art.

Lou

[Jim Becker]

"wow!!!!!!!!!!!"

[Vaughn McMillan]

Very impressive, Steve. I wouldn't know where to begin thinking of building something like this, and you not only did that, you made it beautiful to boot! Excellent job.

- Vaughn

[lou sansone]

I got dizzy just looking at the photos.. very trickey ... I can see why it took two years to do.


great job
lou

[Russ Filtz]

I love cherry, but how well does it hold up in flooring, esp. stairs? It always seems to be fairly soft when I work with it. At least compared to maple, walnut or oak.

[Steve Clardy]

I love cherry, but how well does it hold up in flooring, esp. stairs? It always seems to be fairly soft when I work with it. At least compared to maple, walnut or oak.

It holds up real well. I use Missouri cherry. Very hard, especially when routing. Always seem to get that burn on it. Tough to sand out.

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

Wow...that's impressive.

You're a patient man. :D

[Dan Forman]

Exquisite work and wood. Someone must have some deep pockets.

Dan

[larry merlau]

very nice stairway steve, didnt realize that missouri cherry was harder than others. i can see why i hadnt heard back from you ,you have been pretty busy. 2days of soakin to get the bends right must have been an expeirnce and i bet your gray hair is from makin those cuts that you hope are right on the rails. great lookin stairway steve maybe someday i can see one up close.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Wow...very nice work Steve! How did you make the railing? I have always wondered how they were done.