Renovation project - Stair hokey cokey

Renovation project - Stair hokey cokey

The stairs are in place, but we now we have a new problem, the hole we cut in the floor is not big enough. This was the new hole John had made, the new hole that has had a new joist fitted, the new hole that was finished; the new hole that now needs completely changing.

The first thing is to make a new trimmer joist, luckily the piece of wood we bought for the (old) new trimmer joist was 5 metres long, so we have exactly the right length left for the new, new joist. Yes it is a bit confusing.

John puts some posts under the old joists as he removes the new one again and notches the new, new one into place.

You can buy metal joist hangers for this job, which is easier, but because we are keeping the joists and floorboards on show we do not want to see pieces of metal. To do this the ends of the joists have to be cut so that they fit into each other, this is a much older and more traditional way of hanging joists.

The next issue is the newel post at the top of the stairs. John has a post but no matter how he attaches it, it still wobbles slightly. There is no option but to take the stairs down again and cut the post in to the top of the stairs.

I cannot bring myself to watch this, as it is yet another of those moments where one wrong cut, destroys everything.

I leave John to it, until I hear him shout me. He has done it and rebuilt the stairs (yet again!) but they are not quite in the right place.

The solution is, if John holds the top in place, could I just lift the bottom and bounce them into place, now I don’t know if you have ever tried to lift and bounce a full set of heavy wooden stairs, but believe me, they are heavy!

I try a few different ways until we feel them move, another couple of bounces and they are all back in place. I feel like I am dying, but it can only do my muscles good (I hope!)

It really feels like we are doing the hokey cokey with these stairs, you put the stairs in, you take the stairs out, in, out and bounce them about, you do the hokey cokey and turn around, that's what it's all about (or so it feels) ad I bet you are singing now as well!

I go to have a look at the newel post and it is perfect.