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He goes into great detail to complete the entire stairway, bottom to top. My interest was specifically on how to build outdoor stairs, which many "Construction" oriented books, in my opinion, do not explain to any useful degree. This book is very informative and the information is extremely useful, not only for pros, but also for those who have a working knowledge of building practices. This book fills in the blanks to build useful, and long-lasting stairways, inside and out. The author explains not only the how, but also the why of steps (pardon the unintended pun) to building stairs and associated woodwork.
I purchased a DVD from TheStairGuy.com. It goes into less detail than Building Stairs. It is comprehensive and easy to follow. Built the cabinets, plumbing, wiring, tile, hardwood floors and windows.When it came time to replace the stairs, I looked through my collection of Fine Homebuilding and didn't find much help. I consider myself as a serious DIY with attention to detail.
I highly recommend it.The book Stairs & Railings is advertised as a quick guide and that is what it is. I have remodeled nearly every room in the house. It is not worth the time or the money.My wife purchased two books for Christmas for me. But it still is a good book and complements the other book.Gary This one and Stairs & Railings step by step projects.The book Building Stairs is an excellent book that covers all aspects of construction and trimming out the stairs.
I've seen a lot of very elaborate jigs made up for this, but this author simplifies it beautifully. This book simplifies but doesn't dumb down the process. It's the only one I'd recommend, honestly. There are a lot of books on stair building available and it's overwhelming to choose the right one. This book is like my cheat sheet, reminding me of all the things I really wished I had remembered.Reading it is like working next to a top notch carpenter. A lot of stair building books are very high-minded (with good reason because the geometry can be complex). I think if you've never built a set of stairs before or installed handrails and balusters, going just from this book should work out fine, though it's hard to work only from books. If you're a carpenter, put it on your bookshelf and keep it handy if you only do stairs once in a while, you'll be glad you did.This is one book that will not be "lent out" to friends.
I am a carpenter who builds stairs once in a while--meaning I usually forget the things I learned from the last experience. It simplifies it in the way only an experienced carpenter can simplify it. They will need to buy their own. I particularly liked the section on doing easings on over-the-post handrails (176-177), which have caused me trouble in the past.
I bought this book based on the excellent reviews, and I haven't been disappointed. That book appears to be a loose collection of former Fine Homebuilding articles, including the previously mentioned March 1998 article. As an example, I located a local source for engineered stringer lumber after going to a URL listed in the book. Engel, "Bulding Finish Stairs." Despite having these resources, I still lacked the confidence to tackle the project, and I wanted a better book. I am a serious DIYer, and when I decided to tackle a stair construction project in a two-story addition, I looked through my collection of books, downloaded stair building codes, and found whatever else I could on the internet.
I had some initial confusion as to whether I should buy this book since there is another book by almost the same name, "Building Stairs (For Pros by Pros) by Fine Homebuilding Editors", that received horrible reviews. I also had back issues of Fine Homebuilding Magazine, where I found various articles, including the March 1998 issue which has an article by Mr. If you need to build some stairs, indoor or outdoor, this book has everything you need to start the job, provided you already own a shop full of tools and know how to use them. I have a collection of similar books from Fine Homebuilding, and they are of somewhat limited value. The book fully explains the trade-offs between various types of construction and details how to accomplish the job with illustrated clearly-written text.
There's always something new to be learned by any of us and this book is chock full of new and interesting methods and tips on how one can build a stair the right way and without error. Mr. This is truly a well-written book on how to build stairs. Engel explores every aspect of stairbuilding and describes each step in the process in great detail. Well worth the price to purchase. I highly recommend this book for the novice and the expert, alike.
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