Hi, Loads of good advice given in old thread about the concrete
flooring I'm laying. Just run into a problem area I hadn't thought of
though:
Our 'project' has no ground floor to speak of, just tiles on soil -
very damp. DPC has just been done and I'm now laying new floors with
damp proof membrane, but have realised that there is a section under
the foot of the stairs which I can't access because there is a small
wall at the back of the under stairs storage area (not sure if this is
structural support for the staircase)
Question is, do I just lay concrete flooring up to the foot of the
staircase and stop or should I start dismantling the stairs for
access?
I fear the answer is going to be removing the stairs because the whole
point of the new floor is to get rid of the damp and the stairs are
pretty soggy & spongy at the bottom. I'm clueless as to how to tackle
this so any advice on removing and refitting/replacing would be much
appreciated (as would book / website recomendations). I'll also need
to know if removing the bottom couple of steps renders the rest of the
staircase unusable because we are living upstairs at the moment!
Obviously if anyone can come up with a less disruptive plan, that
would be even better : )
Going off on a bit of a tangent, all ground floor joinery is suffering
from some sponginess / rot at the base for a couple of inches (has
been checked - no dry rot thankfully!). Skirting and architrave is
being replaced but does anyone know if it's possible to treat and/or
fill the existing doorframes, or is it a rip them out and start from
scratch job? I'm assuming this is a complicated and expensive job best
avoided if at all possible?
Thanks for reading.

On 23 Mar, 14:46, "Mike" wrote:

Hi, Loads of good advice given in old thread about the concrete
flooring I'm laying. Just run into a problem area I hadn't thought of
though:
Our 'project' has no ground floor to speak of, just tiles on soil -
very damp. DPC has just been done and I'm now laying new floors with
damp proof membrane, but have realised that there is a section under
the foot of the stairs which I can't access because there is a small
wall at the back of the under stairs storage area (not sure if this is
structural support for the staircase)
Question is, do I just lay concrete flooring up to the foot of the
staircase and stop or should I start dismantling the stairs for
access?
I fear the answer is going to be removing the stairs because the whole
point of the new floor is to get rid of the damp and the stairs are
pretty soggy & spongy at the bottom. I'm clueless as to how to tackle
this so any advice on removing and refitting/replacing would be much
appreciated (as would book / website recomendations). I'll also need
to know if removing the bottom couple of steps renders the rest of the
staircase unusable because we are living upstairs at the moment!
Obviously if anyone can come up with a less disruptive plan, that
would be even better : )
Going off on a bit of a tangent, all ground floor joinery is suffering
from some sponginess / rot at the base for a couple of inches (has
been checked - no dry rot thankfully!). Skirting and architrave is
being replaced but does anyone know if it's possible to treat and/or
fill the existing doorframes, or is it a rip them out and start from
scratch job? I'm assuming this is a complicated and expensive job best
avoided if at all possible?
Thanks for reading.

You'd best stop and ask at
http://periodpropertyshop.co.uk/phpB...wforum.php?f=1
first


NT

The message . com
from "Mike" contains these words:

Our 'project' has no ground floor to speak of, just tiles on soil -
very damp. DPC has just been done and I'm now laying new floors with
damp proof membrane, but have realised that there is a section under
the foot of the stairs which I can't access because there is a small
wall at the back of the under stairs storage area (not sure if this is
structural support for the staircase)
Question is, do I just lay concrete flooring up to the foot of the
staircase and stop or should I start dismantling the stairs for
access?

You need to do the whole floor if you want to cure the damp but you may
not need to dismantle the stairs. The wall might be there just to
provide an end stop. If the wall is the support for a quarter landing
the landing will need support before you take out the wall but if it is
a straight flight I think the stringers should be pinned to the walls
and even if that is inadequate you should be able to give the stringers
alternative support while you demolish the wall and dig out beneath the
foot of the stairs.

--
Roger Chapman

Thanks for the advice Roger. I was just thinking, I may not have
described the situation too well though. The wall I'm talking about is
only a stubby little thing and is only preventing access to the bottom
two or three of steps. I could probably manage the job if I removed
just a couple of risers or treads but I'm not sure how to tackle this
as the stairs have a wall either side ('closed' I think is the correct
term)? Also, not knowing anything about how structural support works
in staircases, I wanted reassurance that doing this would not affect
the strength of the rest of the stairs - we need to use them while the
work is being done as we live on the second floor.

The message .com
from "Mike" contains these words:


Thanks for the advice Roger. I was just thinking, I may not have
described the situation too well though. The wall I'm talking about is
only a stubby little thing and is only preventing access to the bottom
two or three of steps. I could probably manage the job if I removed
just a couple of risers or treads but I'm not sure how to tackle this
as the stairs have a wall either side ('closed' I think is the correct
term)? Also, not knowing anything about how structural support works
in staircases, I wanted reassurance that doing this would not affect
the strength of the rest of the stairs - we need to use them while the
work is being done as we live on the second floor.

You don't say whether it is a straight flight or a turner but either way
it is unlikely to matter with such a low wall. AIUI with a straight
flight the stringers are supported by the ground floor and and also
fixed to the adjacent walls if the walls are strong enough. But the wall
fixing doesn't seem essential as you can have free standing flights
although it will make a significant difference in your case whether or
not the wall fixings are there at all or are strong enough to retain the
stairs in their rightful place when the ground is removed.

With an enclosed stair you may not have a newel post at the bottom of
the stairs but if you have there is at least the possibility that the
bottom end is sunk into the floor. I don't know how important that is
should the damp have led to the sunken portion rotting.

From what you say I would have thought the wall is there only to block
off an awkward shaped cavity that can't usefully be used for anything
but I could be wrong. Just remember that on Usenet no advice is ever
guaranteed and go cautiously as you demolish the wall and particularly
as you excavate under the bottom of the stringers. You will have to play
it by ear when it comes to supporting the stairs while there is a hole
underneath but if you have to prop the treads from below prop both sides
as close as possible to the stringers and if you are at all doubtful
prop the next step as well. I assume you would want to start with props
as low down as you can get.

Unless the stairs are of a very peculiar construction you will not be
able to remove either riser or tread from the outside without destroying
them and would need access to the underside to replace them. Depending
on how well they have been glued, nailed and wedged in removing them
with access to the underside may be no easy task but at least with
access to the underside you would be able to fit replacements.

--
Roger Chapman