I think my fascination with spiral staircases stems from my love of efficiency.
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With a standard staircase, there is a ton of wasted space on both floors. For example, with 8-foot-tall walls, the steepest straight staircase allowable by building code in my area would have a footprint of just over 12-feet-long on the second floor and well over 14 feet on the first floor. At a width of 3 feet, this is a total area of about 80 square feet, including landings.
Most architects use some of that space under the stairs for storage, but it still isn’t very useful. A spiral staircase, on the other hand, requires a minimum footprint of 58 square feet including landings. When it comes to saving sustainably, a smaller footprint means spending less money on a bigger house, and using less resources to build. In addition, a spiral staircase is beautiful, and I knew it would be a focal point for the house.
You can buy kits to build a spiral staircase online, but they are extremely pricey, so I decided to build mine myself. I bought the plans from Jim Self. I found his website back when I was designing the house and was impressed by the number of people who had used his plans and sent in pictures of their finished staircases. They looked really good, and many of his customers said that the plans were easy to follow. While I wouldn’t quite agree that they were “easy” to follow, they certainly weren’t too difficult, and the end result was a staircase I can be proud of.
Most of the difficulties I had with construction stemmed from a lack of high-quality tools. These stairs are best constructed in a woodshop with a joiner, surface planer, drill press, and plenty of working space. I didn’t have any of those, and I made do with my tablesaw and hand tools.
If I had any more space to store large tools, I would have bought a few and it would have made the job much easier, but I need to finish building the house before I start building my woodshop! I’ve mentioned it before, but I’ll say it again, and keep in mind this is coming from someone who doesn’t like to spend money. If there is a tool out there that can make the job easier for you, my advice is to buy it. The money you spend will be well worth it.
The first part of building a spiral staircase is designing it. You need to decide how thick and wide you want your treads to be and how steep you want your spiral. The International Residential Code (IRC) limits the distance from the bottom of one tread to the bottom of the next (the rise) to 9 1/2 inches. The tread width is limited to 7 1/5 inches (minimum), measured at 12 inches from the center pole.
Once you decide on the tread size, you measure the distance between the first floor and the second floor and divide by your desired rise to see how many treads you need. These numbers can be adjusted a little to figure out the size of your treads and spacers. My design called for 14 treads, each 2 13/16 inches thick. with 5-inch spacers between them. This allowed for just about the perfect distance when adding in the landing.
For those planning to build your own home, I can’t tell you often enough how important proper planning is. Even with all the planning I did, I still made a ton of mistakes, and those mistakes are the reason it has taken over two years to get to this point in the build. The more you plan, the fewer mistakes you will make, and the faster you will complete your build.
Although the plans called for hardwood, I decided to cut costs and construct the treads from spruce 2×6s. I contacted someone who had used the same plans who had also used softwood and he was really happy with how they turned out, and since softwood can be bought in thicker sizes than hardwood, it would be easier for me to build the thicker treads that my wife thought would look really nice.
The first step to building the treads was to glue the 2×6s together to make 44-inch squares, each 3 inches thick. Without a jointer, I tried to make do using my table saw, but the problem there is that you are using the opposite face as a guide as you run the board through the saw so it won’t work unless one face is already perfectly flat. My solution was to attach each 2×6 to an 8-foot level and then run it through the table saw, using the level as a guide and shaving just enough off to get a straight edge. It wasn’t a perfect solution, but I was using the tools that I had.
I glued 2x6s into a two-layer, 44-inch-square piece that was 3 inches thick. I repeated the above process six more times and then carted all of the pieces to a nearby woodshop for planing. You need a really big surface planer for this task. I was able to cut two tapered treads from each of the blocks to end up with 14 treads.
I also bought a long section of 3-inch pipe, fifteen 3 1/3-inch spacers to go between the treads, and a 3-inch nipple and coupling.
I was lucky enough to have a friend with some welding experience, so after renting a welder he helped me get my skills up to speed by practicing on some scrap metal. Then I went to work on the real deal.
After assembling the main pipe, it was time to position it and, piece by piece, slide the treads and spacers onto the center pole. After all of the treads and spacers were attached I fanned them out a bit to get an idea of how the finished product would look, as shown in the photo below.
With the treads in place, it was time to attach the balusters and railing. The balusters are made from 2×2s with notches routed at one end so each baluster can be screwed to the edge of a tread. After screwing the balusters in place, I used scrap wood and masking tape to attach them all together so they were nice and straight, as the photo below shows.
Next, I cut the center of a piece of poster board out and laid it across the tops of the balusters, stretching it into a small helix. I stapled the poster board to the tops of five of the balusters and then marked out the outside of the balusters on the bottom of the poster board. I removed the poster board and laid it on the floor so I could see all the marks. Using some geometry and a bit of trial and error, I located the center and radius of the marks I had made. I subtracted half the width of the baluster from the radius I had calculated so that gave me the center of the handrail. I added half the width of the handrail to get the radius of the outer form and subtracted it to get the radius of the inner form. Once I felt like I had a good estimate of the railing radius, I set to work making a form for it.
The railing is constructed of seven thin plies, which I placed on edge and glued together. I used a slower-setting glue so I had time to push the plies into the forms before they set in place too much. You want them to be able to slide past each other just a little as they bend into the circular shape.
I built the forms with some scrap plywood cut into a curve for the inside, and then small square blocks for the outside of the forms, as the photo below shows.
The square blocks allow for a little bit of space to maneuver the slats into place before they are snugged up using little shims. It’s important to take care when calculating the inside and outside radii for the forms. I estimated the radius using the tops of the balusters, and I want those balusters to be centered on the bottom of the railing, so I had to do a little math to get the right radius for the inner forms and the outer forms.
The next part was incredibly difficult, and if I had to do it over again I would have used maybe 10 thinner slats instead of the seven thicker ones I used. A few of the slats ended up breaking as I was bending them into place. Fortunately, I was able to just put those in the middle and once everything was clamped together tightly the mistake was hardly noticeable.
Once the glue had dried, it was time to experience the incredible power of sandpaper. You would never dream that this ugly mishmash of sticks and glue would ever turn into such a beautiful railing, but with some perseverance and an orbital sander, it somehow did. I swear, I’m not playing any tricks on you! The only thing I did to get the before and after shots you see below was to sand.
Even though the handrail was glued up on a flat surface, it had enough flexibility after the glue dried that it could be coaxed into the helix shape required to align with the tops of the balusters.
The last step was to drill holes in the railing for the screws and then screw it onto the balusters. I used the same method as with the balusters to countersink the screws and cover them with wood plugs. The color, unfortunately, didn’t quite match the way I wanted it to. The last step was to attach two intermediate balusters between each of the main balusters. The building code dictates that a 4-inch-diameter sphere must not be able to pass through the space between any of the balusters.
The top of the spiral staircase is finished off with a wooden newel and balusters were placed all around the perimeter of the landing. Again, it is important to notch the balusters so they lock into the landing, and also to ensure a 4-inch sphere cannot pass between any of the balusters.
I used a router and some scrap pine wood to build a railing at the top of the landing and then added a couple of metal brackets to bolt the ends of the railing to the wall. If I had really planned things out well, I would have installed some extra blocking in the wall so the bracket could have been screwed into wood. Unfortunately I didn’t so I had to use drywall anchors to attach the railing to the drywall.
I used the same brackets to attach the ends of the hand railing of the spiral to the wall. This makes it just a little less wobbly when you are really pulling on it.
I finished off the spiral with several coats of clear varnish. This will protect it and also gives it a little bit of shine. I also used some black spray paint to cover up the manufacturers lettering on the steel pipe that acts as a center pole.
The only part I have left will be to install some trim where the second story flooring meets the edge of the landing, but that will have to wait until the flooring is installed. The flooring will go over the top of the landing and the trim will extend down the edge to cover the transition from wood to plywood to top tread.
This is one in a series of blogs detailing the construction of a net-zero-energy house in Point Roberts, Washington, by Matt Bath. A list of Matt’s GBA articles can be found below. You’ll find Matt’s full blog, Saving Sustainably, here. If you want to follow project costs, you can keep an eye on a budget worksheet here.
Previous posts by Matt Bath:
An Introduction
Foundation Formwork
Designing and Installing a Septic System
Pouring the Slab
Framing the First Floor
Framing the Second Floor
Framing the Roof
Shingling the Roof
Wall Sheathing
Installing Drains and Vents
Plumbing Rough-In
Completing the Dry-In
Electrical Rough-In
Installing the Ventilation System
Installing Trim and Siding
Air Sealing and Insulation
Interior Walls
Installing the Heat Pump
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Reclaimed wood is gaining significant popularity as a building material, finding its way into a wide range of spaces, including renowned establishments like Google’s offices and local coffee shops. Its appeal is particularly strong in commercial projects, thanks to its multitude of health benefits, sustainable attributes, captivating story, and breathtaking aesthetic.
At TerraMai, we receive a plethora of inquiries about reclaimed wood, and we thoroughly enjoy addressing them. To provide you with some valuable insights about reclaimed wood, we have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions we receive:
Answering the question “What is reclaimed wood?” may seem straightforward, but its definition actually encompasses multiple layers. Essentially, reclaimed wood refers to wood that has been salvaged or repurposed in various ways. It can originate from vintage buildings and structures, where the ethical dismantling of these old structures provides access to highly sought-after old-growth wood.
Additionally, reclaimed wood includes wood diverted from landfills, as repurposing wood waste into beautiful materials is another form of reclaiming wood. In other words, both previously used wood and discarded wood fall under the umbrella of reclaimed wood. The beauty of reclaimed wood lies in the fact that it eliminates the need to cut down new trees.
The allure of reclaimed wood has captured the attention of the design world, particularly in commercial projects. Its appeal extends beyond aesthetics, as it offers numerous benefits such as positive impacts on health, sustainability, compelling narratives, and stunning visual appeal.
Designers and architects have embraced reclaimed wood as a favored choice, seamlessly integrating its aesthetic appeal with responsible construction practices. Its rich textures, warm tones, and unique grain patterns not only add visual interest to spaces but also evoke a sense of timelessness and a connection to nature. Moreover, every project that incorporates reclaimed wood contributes to waste reduction, the preservation of natural resources, and the creation of harmonious environments that coexist with the surrounding ecosystem.
By opting for reclaimed wood, we actively participate in the preservation of forests and reduce the strain on our planet’s timber reserves. We breathe new life into discarded wood, transforming it into sustainable materials that possess unparalleled beauty and character. Reclaimed wood allows us to honor the legacy of old-growth forests and cherish their irreplaceable qualities. With each piece, we carry forward a legacy of sustainability and craftsmanship, creating spaces that resonate with history, elegance, and a deep respect for the environment.
Reclaimed wood is sourced from various origins, using a range of methods. TerraMai, the leader in reclaimed wood, is committed to sustainability and uses diverse sourcing types to ensure a reliable supply of reclaimed wood:
These various methods of reclaiming wood offer sustainable alternatives to traditional timber sourcing, reducing waste and minimizing environmental impact. By repurposing wood that would otherwise be discarded or left to decay, we make the most of this valuable resource and contribute to a more circular and responsible approach to construction and design.
TerraMai uses these supply sources to create a diverse range of reclaimed wood products, including paneling, siding, flooring, and decking, offer eco-friendly alternatives to new wood. These allow us to provide high-quality, beautiful wood that exceeds expectations. We maintain high workplace standards in our overseas operations, personally inspecting all facilities to ensure ethical practices and quality control.
When investing in reclaimed wood for your projects to avoid potential problems, it’s crucial to choose a reputable reclaimed wood company that prioritizes quality, customer service, and possesses deep wood expertise.
Here are some important considerations to keep in mind:
By selecting a reputable reclaimed wood company that prioritizes quality, expertise, and customer satisfaction, you can have confidence that the reclaimed wood material you receive will perform well in your projects. Embracing the unique character of reclaimed wood adds a touch of authenticity and charm to your designs, creating spaces that tell a compelling story while promoting sustainable practices.
Often we’re asked, “When will you run out of reclaimed wood“? Despite having done this for more than 20 years (or perhaps because we HAVE done this for more than 20 years!), we just keep finding more and more and more.
Many people think that all reclaimed wood is decades or even centuries old, and this is largely why reclaimed wood might seem like a limited resource. While much reclaimed wood is old wood, some reclaimed wood is not. Many reclaimed wood sourcing methods are sustainable, meaning that these sources are enduring and continual. Reclaiming wood will remain as a valuable and lasting process.
Reclaimed wood is generally safe for various applications, but it’s essential to consider factors beyond the wood itself, including finishes and adhesives used during reclamation and manufacturing.
One significant safety advantage of reclaimed wood is its low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. As a natural material, wood is inherently non-emitting for VOCs. Reputable reclaimed wood companies prioritize environmental responsibility and sustainability, opting for finishes with zero or low VOC content. This ensures that the final wood product emits minimal harmful toxins into the air, promoting healthier indoor air quality.
Beyond low VOC emissions, using reclaimed wood may offer health benefits. Studies suggest that being surrounded by natural materials like wood positively impacts human health and well-being. Wood’s calming effect, stress reduction, and connection to nature create a pleasant and soothing environment for occupants.
Safety also extends to responsible sourcing. Reputable companies prioritize reclaimed wood from old structures or sustainable practices like water reclaimed wood or orchard reclaimed wood. These sources are less likely to be exposed to harmful substances, ensuring safer materials.
Trusted reclaimed wood companies implement rigorous quality control measures. Thorough inspections and testing verify that the wood meets industry safety and performance standards.
To further ensure safety and environmental responsibility, consider certifications like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). These validate the reclaimed wood’s sustainability and adherence to high ethical benchmarks.
In conclusion, when sourced and processed properly, reclaimed wood is a safe and environmentally friendly building material. Opt for trusted suppliers prioritizing low VOC emissions and sustainable practices to enjoy the unique beauty and character of reclaimed wood while promoting a healthier indoor environment.
Reclaimed wood can indeed be installed with ease, much like new wood, provided certain considerations are taken into account. The key to a trouble-free installation lies in partnering with a reputable company like TerraMai that maintains a solid quality program, enjoys a good reputation, and possesses expertise in reclaimed wood.
High-quality milled reclaimed wood should perform comparably to its new wood counterpart during installation. A trustworthy reclaimed wood supplier will have robust quality-control measures in place, verifying that each piece meets strict standards for dimensional accuracy and overall integrity.
Proper acclimation is vital for both new and reclaimed wood installations. Allowing the wood to acclimate to the environment in which it will be installed helps mitigate potential issues related to expansion and contraction. Reputable reclaimed wood companies will provide guidance on acclimation to ensure the wood adjusts to its new surroundings appropriately.
With the right reclaimed wood product, proper acclimation, and attention to quality, the installation process should be smooth and seamless. Reclaimed wood not only offers unique beauty and character but, when sourced from a reliable supplier, can be installed with the same confidence and ease as new wood, resulting in stunning and environmentally responsible design solutions.
The cost of reclaimed wood varies depending on many factors, such as the species of the wood, it’s age, availability, sourcing method, and more. The price will also vary from company to company. However, you may find you’ll spend a little more than you would on new wood. Salvaging wood takes some extra work. Finding and securing sources, and the process of extricating, de-nailing, quality checks and remilling take a bit of extra care to ensure you end up with a quality material that looks great and installs well.
There are companies that sell reclaimed wood and there are those that sell wood that looks like reclaimed wood. Ask questions about sourcing and get to know the company you are purchasing from. Reclaimed wood should have a reclaim story of where it originated and how it came to be a repurposed material. Post-consumer reclaimed wood can be FSC certified recycled for further verification. At TerraMai, we want to make buying reclaimed wood easy and have a dedicated national sales team to partner with you. We also have an eStore where many of our materials can be purchased.
There are a variety of factors that have contributed to reclaimed woods’ growing popularity. One reason is the increased demand for using sustainable materials and using authentic materials with story. Sustainable design is a top priority for architects today, and that means choosing building materials that aren’t harmful to the planet. Reclaimed wood is inherently sustainable and requires far fewer resources to process it, making it a go-to choice for designers all over the world.
More and more people are looking for an experience and are choosing materials that align with their personal and brand values. Reclaimed wood can provide a connection through the power of story.
Many different looks from naturally distressed to clean and crisp can be achieved with reclaimed wood, but rustic design in commercial environments is best achieved with reclaimed wood. Similarly, biophilic design is more popular than ever, and reclaimed wood is arguably one of the best building material for creating biophilic spaces.
Starchitect firms like Perkins+Will have been using more and more reclaimed wood in their work. While designers use reclaimed wood for all of the reasons mentioned above (see Question 9), the intersection of aesthetics and sustainability is what draws many top designers to the material. Other designers, like Michael Green, are attracted to reclaimed wood for its character. Each piece of reclaimed wood carries a unique history with it, and this instantly adds verve and personality to any built environment.
Age will vary dependent upon the source of the wood. Old growth wood salvaged from vintage buildings could be over 100 years old while post industrial wood waste may be much younger. No matter what its age is, salvaging wood and repurposing it helps minimize resources going to the landfill and negates the need to cut new trees.
Milling reclaimed wood is surprisingly straightforward. The wood is inspected for damage and other quality issues and then stripped of nails and any other metal. Dimensions of the sourced wood will direct final dimensions of the milled material. Some planks may be removed if they are too thin or narrow. Additional steps are similar to milling new wood as far as equipment is concerned. How the material is defected and quality checked along the way will be company directed.
Like any wood, reclaimed wood will perform and look its best with appropriate maintenance. How the wood is finished, if it is an interior or exterior application, and level of usage will direct a care and maintenance program. With the right care, reclaimed wood can last decades. For more information, consult our Care & Maintenance guidelines.
Depending on the species, milling, finish and the wood’s installation location, the wood may change a little or a lot. If the reclaim material’s weathered face is surfaced to reveal fresh wood underneath, there may be some color variation from plank to plank. This color variation may mellow over time as is true for teak. The initial color variation seen across the boards will homogenize over time such that all the planks become a more similar teak brown. Placement also matters; reclaimed wood used outdoors as siding or decking will weather more and faster than lumber used for indoor environments. A nice soft grey patina will develop if the wood finish is not maintained.
From TerraMai: Reclaimed lost Coast Redwood Weathered Siding at Cadence Park, Irvine, CA.
Almost all wood species can be reclaimed. The most popular are teak, oak, redwood, fir, pine, and cedar (especially Western Red Cedar). However, there are many exotic options, including peroba, cumaru, and acacia.
Reclaimed wood is one of the most environmentally friendly building materials in existence. Sourcing reclaimed wood is more energy efficient than harvesting new wood, and it also doesn’t require any living trees to be cut down. It leaves a minimal energy footprint while yielding maximum eco-friendly results. On top of that, some reclaimed wood can be FSC Certified Recycled and can earn points toward green building certifications like LEED.
While a lot of reclaimed wood is FSC Certified Recycled, not all of it can be. At first, that might seem bad, but that’s not necessarily the case. FSC certification applies only to post-consumer reclaimed wood. Post-consumer meaning wood that has been utilized by consumers in some manner like old buildings, bridges, fencing and other structures. There are many other methods to source reclaimed wood that prevent materials from becoming landfill waste but they do not fall under FSC jurisdiction.
Using reclaimed wood helps reduce the demand for newly cut trees. Unfortunately, many new trees are still cut down and this demand can lead to deforestation. It is important that people are aware that some 18 million acres of forest are lost each year and to also know the impact that deforestation is having on the environment, wildlife and quality of life. Understanding this impact can help customers make informed purchasing decisions.
A project expansion or renovation can require material match the original installation, or a customer may wish to build many facilities with the same look. Large quantities of reclaimed wood can be sourced and continue to be sourced over time so that there is consistent and lasting inventory. Some sources of reclaimed wood will be quite unique and one-of-a-kind but many post-consumer and post-industrial sourcing streams will continue for the foreseeable future.
Despite worries that reclaimed wood is just another fashionable trend, it’s not going away anytime soon. Architects and designers have realized the immense benefits that come with reclaimed wood, and the aesthetic is universal and timeless. Its high sustainability factor is another reason why it will be one of the most desired building materials for the indefinite future. As starchitects continue to use and find more ways to implement reclaimed wood into their designs, the outlook for continued growth is positive.
I hope this article has answered your questions on reclaimed wood. All in all, it’s a fantastic material that will remain popular for a long time. There’s nothing quite like reclaimed wood; the beauty and character found in reclaimed lumber are unmatched. Reclaimed wood not only enhances the look of a space but also helps to save the earth. What more could you want from a building material?
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