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STAIR-BUILDING AND THE
STEEL SQUARE

A MANUAL OF PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION IN THE ART OF
STAIR-BUILDING AND HAND-RAILING, AND THE
MANIFOLD USES OF THE STEEL SQUARE

PART I—STAIR-BUILDING

By FRED T. HODGSON

AUTHOR OF “MODERN CARPENTRY,”
“ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING, SELF-TAUGHT,” ETC.
MEMBER OF ONTARIO ASSOCIATION OF ARCHITECTS

AND

MORRIS WILLIAMS

WRITER AND EXPERT ON CARPENTRY AND BUILDING

PART II—THE STEEL SQUARE

By MORRIS WILLIAMS

ILLUSTRATED

CHICAGO
AMERICAN TECHNICAL SOCIETY
1917

COPYRIGHT, 1910, 1916, BY

AMERICAN TECHNICAL SOCIETY

COPYRIGHTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

INTRODUCTION

On entering a building, almost the first thing that meets the eye is the staircase and unconsciously it is made to serve as an indicator of the quality of the architecture. If the design is poor or the construction faulty, this flaw immediately gives the visitor a bad impression of the whole building. Furthermore, stair-building is a rather difficult subject and the principles involved are very little understood, which is evidenced by the fact that the layouts as furnished by architects in their plans are often improperly done.

Probably more mistakes occur in connection with the stairway of a building than with any other construction feature. It is with the idea, therefore, of giving a complete though simple presentation of the construction methods as applied to standard design of staircases, that this book has been prepared.

The article discusses straight and winding stairs, stairs with well hole, layouts for curved turns, the proper proportions of rise and width of tread, the design of hand railings and many other problems, the solution of which will be found very useful.

Coupled with this article is a most instructive section on the Steel Square, containing many applications of this useful instrument to roof and other types of construction.

GREYROCKS, ROCKPORT, MASS.
Frank Chouteau Brown, Architect, Boston, Mass.

CONTENTS

PART I
STAIR-BUILDING
Page
Stair construction [ 1]
Definitions [ 2]
Setting out stairs [ 8]
Pitch-board [10]
Well-hole [18]
Laying out close-string stair [22]
Open-newel stairs [32]
Stairs with curved turns [34]
Geometrical stairways and hand-railings  [43]
Wreaths [43]
Tangent system [44]
Bevels to square wreaths [60]
How to put curves on face-mould [68]
Arrangement of risers [74]
PART II
STEEL SQUARE
Introductory [ 1]
Specifications for steel square [ 1]
Miter and length of side of polygon [ 4]
Steel square in roof framing[ 7]
General problems [ 8]
Heel cut of common rafter [13]
Hips [13]
Heel cut of hips and valleys [16]
INDEX[1]

HALL AND PARTIALLY ENCLOSED STAIRCASE IN LONG HALL,
GREYROCKS, ROCKPORT, MASS.

Frank Chouteau Brown, Architect, Boston, Mass.

PART I
STAIR-BUILDING

Introductory.

In the following instructions in the art of Stair-building, it is the intention to adhere closely to the practical phases of the subject, and to present only such matter as will directly aid the student in acquiring a practical mastery of the art.

Stair-building, though one of the most important subjects connected with the art of building, is probably the subject least understood by designers and by workmen generally. In but few of the plans that leave the offices of Architects, are the stairs properly laid down; and many of the books that have been sent out for the purpose of giving instruction in the art of building, have this common defect—that the body of the stairs is laid down imperfectly, and therefore presents great difficulties in the construction of the rail.

The stairs are an important feature of a building. On entering a house they are usually the first object to meet the eye and claim the attention. If one sees an ugly staircase, it will, in a measure, condemn the whole house, for the first impression produced will seldom be totally eradicated by commendable features that may be noted elsewhere. It is extremely important, therefore, that both designer and workman shall see that staircases are properly laid out.

Stairways should be commodious to ascend—inviting people, as it were, to go up. When winders are used, they should extend past the spring line of the cylinder, so as to give proper width at the narrow end ([see Fig. 72]) and bring the rail there as nearly as possible to the same pitch or slant as the rail over the square steps. When the hall is of sufficient width, the stairway should not be less than four feet wide, so that two people can conveniently pass each other thereon. The height of riser and width of tread are governed by the staircase, which is the space allowed for the stairway; but, as a general rule, the tread should not be less than nine inches wide, and the riser should not be over eight inches high. Seven-inch riser and eleven-inch tread will make an easy stepping stairway. If you increase the width of the tread, you must reduce the height of the riser. The tread and riser together should not be over eighteen inches, and not less than seventeen inches. These dimensions, however, cannot always be adhered to, as conditions will often compel a deviation from the rule; for instance, in large buildings, such as hotels, railway depots, or other public buildings, treads are often made 18 inches wide, having risers of from 2½ inches to 5 inches depth.