Oak Staircase - pics

[FamilyWiggs]

Continuing the pic frenzy tonight - here are some pics of my new oak staircase which is part installed. Am so pleased.
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[FamilyWiggs]

And a couple more:

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[yamin]

Thats SOOO beautiful! Be stunning once you've got the white gloss paint all over it!!!!! :lol: (I'm just jealous, its just lovely!)

 

[shelli]

I too am envious - we could only afford pine for our staircase - have got lots of oak beams to pat and stroke though so not too sad overall.

I agree with Yamin and I love the detailing - I'm interested to know how are you going to protect the wood ?

shelli

 

[Penners]

I'm interested to know how are you going to protect the wood ?

Yes - very important. Otherwise the oak might start to show a bit of wear in a few hundred years.

 

[shelli]

I'm interested to know how are you going to protect the wood ?

Yes - very important. Otherwise the oak might start to show a bit of wear in a few hundred years.

Ha Ha Penners - just wondered because its a staircase - do you just leave it or put something on the treads so muck can be cleaned off easily

 

[Penners]

Jus' teasin', Shelli.

If some sort of protection is required, personally I would use oil or wax. Any man-made paint/varnish/lacquer would look fine for a while, until it started to wear. Then you have to strip it and start again.

With oil or wax, on the other hand, you just wipe a bit more on.

 

[biffvernon]

Wax can make oak very slippery. Great for sliding down the banisters but perhaps not wise on the treads.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Thanks for the comments - we are so pleased with how it is turning out. It has been well worth the wait and the worry as the 5 & 8 yr old gene puddle swing up and down the ladder 8 feet above the stone floor for a few weeks!

It does cost more, but we have taken the view that we want someone to be admiring it in a couple of centuries' time, and so have decided to eBay the kids in order to pay for it.

Here is a pic of where it is upto today:



WIth regards protection, I thought we might either:

a) carpet it;
b) gloss paint it;
c) use a coloured dye to "age" it

Just joking!

Actually, I'm not sure what to do. The patina in old wood develops precisely because of greasy hands running over newel posts and handrails; then again the thought of aforementioned gene puddle squirting suntan lotion on it (as happened this morning!) or dropping jam sandwiches is a worry.

What would the experts suggest - leave it and wait for the initial grub to turn into "character" (but this could take decades!), or a light oil, or what?

Would be keen not to change the colour too much, but equally would like to do something that gives a little bit more contrast to the carving - at present it doesn't stand out as much as I think its beauty justifies being noticed.

 

[Penners]

Wax can make oak very slippery. Great for sliding down the banisters but perhaps not wise on the treads.

Fair point, Biff, although some floor waxes claim to have anti-slip properties.

Never tried them myself. I was so proud of the softwood staircase I made that I carpeted every square inch of it.

 

[Philip_I]

Looks lovely. I'm will shortly be in the market for something similar. Out of interest how much did it cost?

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Philip - have pm'd you, but it seems to be stuck in my "outbox" at present. Let meknow if it doesn't arrive and I'll resend.

 

[Nemesis]

It will stick in your outbox until it is read I think.

Oh come on - don't be coy...

 

[Philip_I]

Thanks for the message. Reply on its way.....

Nemesis - if he told you he would have to kill you. Shocking amount of money

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Like I said upthread - the kids are on being sold on eBay to fund the purchase!

Nemesis - not being coy, but the chap doing it may not want me to broadcast to all and sundry on here, as I think he has underpriced, given the time it is taking 2 of them to complete. Happy to pm genuinely interest parties though.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Philip - have posted part of your pm to me, as it may be of interest to others:

"I am in the process of buying a house that already has a poor imitation of that staircase but my wife took an instant dislike to it and somehow it just doesn't match in with the exposed beams and new floor we plan. Not sure yet what we are going to do with it. Hoping can change it somehow but in worst case might just start again. Interestingly the spindles are very similar to those on your staircase which I hadn't seen before. Do you know anything about the history of that kind of shape?"

I don't really know much about the history of that shape. However, we went through in some detail with the chap making it various designs from the 16thC, and he had a number of scale drawings of designs from a variety of books. I can ask him for the reference if you would like. Alternatively the likes of Andrew Bodenham of BiffVernon on here will probably be able to advise also.

Each of the pieces is hand cut, so each is very slightly different. The newels and handrails, etc all have chisel marks on them. I've asked him not to smooth them off too much as I like to see the handwork in the finish.

We can now use the stairs, although the handrails on the upstairs floor are not yet in, so a few more days yet. Will postthe final pics when complete.

Incidentally, anyone know where I can get some reclaimed 11" dirty Victorian pine floor boards from? I had trouble, and so got some recut 9" boards online from http://www.ukarchitecturalantiques.co.uk recently - and they look too new to match the existing ones. I am in N Wales on the border with Cheshire.

 

[Penners]

the kids are on being sold on eBay to fund the purchase

If only eBay had existed before my kids went past their sell-by dates.

 

[Penners]

anyone know where I can get some reclaimed 11" dirty Victorian pine floor boards from?

The only suggestion I can make is to scour the reclamation yards. But 11" boards in reasonable condition will be like hen's teeth. The problem is that it would have been almost impossible to cut pine boards of that width without incorporating a fair amount of sapwood, and after 100 years or more that is likely to have rotted or been appreciatively munched by creepy-crawlies.

 

[Philip_I]

Only just seen your reply Mr. Wiggs. Purchase of house going through right now fingers crossed and once we get in and start exploring options I might well try to pick your brain further on the designs.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Thanks Penners - if only they were as common as hen's teeth! For now I have gone with 9" resawn boards, but they don't look right so I'll keep looking.

Philip - pleased to help if I can.

Robin