A staircase worth walking up.

The brief

The stair was structurally sound but covered in worn carpet, with turned spindles and a bulky newel that closed off the hall.

The awkward part

The stair is the only route to the bedrooms, so it had to stay usable every evening. Riser heights varied by up to 9mm, which shows badly once you put oak on it.

What we did

Treads and risers were templated, cut and finished off-site, then fitted in two halves over consecutive days. Each tread was scribed individually to take up the variation. The new balustrade uses slim square section spindles, painted, with a solid oak handrail and a reduced newel post.

Finished

More light through to the hall, no squeaks, and a handrail that feels right in the hand. Finished in a hardwax oil the owners can re-coat themselves.