ᐅ Space under the stairs not suitable for construction

Created on: 12 Nov 2020 13:25
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MiCasaEsSuCasa
Hello everyone!

We are currently in talks with two different construction companies. Both know about our wish to use the space under the stairs as a small storage room by installing a drywall partition and a door. One company says: absolutely, we can do that! The other says it’s not possible because the drywall partitions would warp significantly since the wooden stairs will continue to settle and move for a long time. With the company that agrees, we have planned a staircase with a landing, while the company that disagrees proposes a straight staircase (just in case that matters).

I have often seen such spaces and was surprised to hear that it might not be possible.

What do you think?
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ypg
12 Nov 2020 23:49
This is how it looks on our side, once from the inside and once from the outside (the inside also clearly demonstrates the purpose of the chamber :p)

Modern dark wooden staircase in front of a light wall, taken from the side.


Open shoe rack with boots, casual shoes, and sneakers; basket in the top right corner and winter clothing.
M
MiCasaEsSuCasa
13 Nov 2020 00:00
ypg schrieb:

This is how it looks for us, once from the inside, once from the outside (the inside also clearly shows the purpose of the cavity :p)

Now I understand the light issue 😀
Yes, let’s keep masonry as an alternative in mind. I think company 2 is reluctant to build it because a straight staircase would obviously require much more wall construction. With the landing staircase, it’s basically just the front around the door, the rest is solid anyway.
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ypg
13 Nov 2020 00:06
In our case, only the wall below the risers is prefabricated panel construction; the rest is solid. We don’t have a stringer staircase, that’s the difference. With stringers, this shouldn’t happen, right?
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MiCasaEsSuCasa
13 Nov 2020 00:48
ypg schrieb:

In our case, only the wall below the risers is a panel construction; the rest is solid. We don’t have a stringer staircase, that’s the difference. Shouldn’t this kind of issue occur with stringers?

I’m not sure about that.
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pagoni2020
13 Nov 2020 09:07
Whether you build the substructure with drywall, aerated concrete blocks (Ytong), or a wooden frame plus OSB, it hardly matters. If there are concerns about deformation of the staircase assembly, in my opinion, you should simply avoid connecting this new component directly to the stairs. You could intentionally leave a gap of about 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 inches) between the masonry or constructed base cabinet and the wooden staircase, or in the case of a wooden construction, place a strip over the gap that can be adjusted or replaced if any deformation actually occurs.
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MiCasaEsSuCasa
13 Nov 2020 21:09
pagoni2020 schrieb:

Whether you build the substructure as drywall, with aerated concrete blocks (Ytong), or a wooden frame plus OSB, etc., it’s almost irrelevant. If there are concerns about the staircase structure warping, in my opinion, it’s best not to connect this new component directly to the stairs. You could deliberately leave a gap of about 1–2cm (0.4–0.8 inches) between the masonry or built-in base cabinet and the wooden staircase, or in the case of a wooden construction, simply install a trim strip over the gap that can be adjusted or replaced if any warping actually occurs.

Great! Thanks for the suggestion! I’ll keep that in mind when the time comes.