For those of you who have a knack for architecture and engineering, you might want to know more about this stuff.
What is a stair stringer?
A stair stringer also called string or stringer board is the board where treads and risers are attached. Can be found on both sides parallel to each other.
Staircases have two on each side. If the stairs are built along the wall, then that wall will be called a wall stringer since the treads and risers are fixed on it.
Types of stringers:
WOOD
Wood stringers come in different wood varieties and are the backbone of the staircase. They add warmth and hominess to your place. It has an aesthetic and functional use that will last more than a lifetime.
- Pre-cut: you can find this on your local handyman stores, give them your measurement, and they will give what you’re looking for ready to install.
- Uncut: if you’re up for a challenge and want to cut the stringers yourself, then there are available wood stringers for you.
- Pressure treated: usually for outdoor decks and stairs. Pressure treated will resist termite and fungal attack for years.
METAL
Metal stringers are quite common today since it has a lot of advantages.
- Cost-effective: metal is much more affordable than wood since it is moulded along to fit perfectly on your stairs. It is also easily installed than wood, bolted on with a screw and that’s it.
- Low maintenance: No need to varnish, sealing or staining that wood requires from time to time. Have a very high resistance to temperature, and suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
- Resilient: Metal stringers and stairs are very resistant to changes in weather changes, termite and mould attacks. Metals from manufacturers are usually treated to be rust and corrosion proof.
- Excellent investment: metal will last for a very long time, making them a great investment as compared to its counterpart.
Stair Treads
The horizontal part where we step on, in a stairwell. A good stair tread should be firm, stable, and slip-resistant.
Wooden stair treads
Provide great aesthetic value to your staircase, and improves the overall appearance of your house. Wood is known for its clean and elegant look, and with wooden stair treads will make your stair area genuinely unique.
Metal stair treads
With the limits of available wood today, metal treads are preferred than concrete treads.
They have a few advantages:
- Lightweight compared to cement.
- Easier to install since you don’t have to wait for the cement to dry and cure. Cuts labour cost and time when fitted on your building or houses.
- More affordable than wood or concrete.
- Safe since metal can be donned with an anti-slip surface and lights can be placed together with metal stair treads as compared to poorly lit concrete stairs.
An increasing number of households are also using plastic treads and stair stringers, but they are less durable than wood, metal or concrete materials. Whichever material you will choose, consider what is best for you. You need to weigh the cost of the items and of course labour fees when it comes to fitting.
