Spiral staircase and railing help!

10 years ago

I just moved into a home built in 1969 and I don't love the ornate wrought iron (?) spiral staircase and attached railing. It was painted glossy white when I moved in--I repainted it black, but still don't love it.

Having a spiral staircase doesn't bother me (the lower level has a walkout, so furniture and such isn't a problem), I just want a more contemporary look, while still staying true to the overall age/look of the house. Maybe cable or glass? I don't like scrolls or knuckles, etc. Any suggestions?

Also, I pulled the gross carpet out of the stair tread pans and got bids for flooring, but the flooring places I talked to won't put hardwood or laminate in the stair pans due to some sort of expansion concern. Then I thought I'd have concrete poured in the treads, but was quoted $3500 for the dozen or so treads, which seemed really pricey and made me wonder if it would make more sense to just save up and replace the whole thing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Featured Answer

weedyacres

10 years ago

You should be able to DIY poured concrete treads. Just mix it up in a wheelbarrow outside, and bring in a bucket at a time for each tread.

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Comments (7)

User
10 years ago
You need to talk to a stair company. Flooring companies have little experience with spiral staircases. They are correct about the expansion issue, but that is easily solved if the craftsperson understands the problem.
ms b thanked User
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ms b
Original Author
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I actually started with staircase builders but didn't have much luck, unfortunately. I called each staircase company in Salt Lake City to see about cutting off the busy scroll work or replacing the whole staircase. I received only one call back, but they no-showed for the appointment, so I moved on to flooring places, hoping to get at least a halfway solution.

(Side note: I also called a contractor and a designer, but neither was interested--I'm assuming it's too small a project since it is new stairs/flooring/countertops/backsplash and not a whole house? What is the threshold at which you can hire someone to help with remodeling? 50k? 100k? Or is Home Depot your only resource unless you're high end or commercial...arggh so tired, so sore--if there are any ladies out there who are reading this, just buy some new, pretty, cookie cutter home...avoid this older house remodeling hell...anyhoo, venting over...)

Do you have to worry about any sort of expansion concerns with concrete?

Or do you just pour it in and level it and let it cure?

Is there any sort of primer you have to put in the metal before you pour in the concrete?
geoffrey_b
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I'd replace the whole thing. Check this out:

Staircases
ms b thanked geoffrey_b
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
10 years ago
"...but the flooring places I talked to won't put hardwood or laminate in the stair pans due to some sort of expansion concern."

This is nonsense. Leave a little room for expansion and contraction; maybe caulk the gap.

Stairways have strict building codes for good reason; they can be dangerous if done wrong. Replacement is not for the uninformed.
ms b thanked Joseph Corlett, LLC
ms b
Original Author
10 years ago
Yes, I am definitely worried about doing something dangerous. I had another no-show from another flooring guy yesterday, so I think I'll give it up on replacing the staircase or the step tread inserts. It sounds like it may be best just to put the old carpeted plywood treads back in, since I've decided I want to put the house back on the market and don't want to make a change that makes it somehow not pass inspection!
User
10 years ago
It would help if you showed us the "look" of the house.