Stairs and windows, Part 1.....

Stairs and windows, Part 1.....

August 19th -- This is no doubt the first of several installments of what will be the story of stairs and windows.

Although the construction of the infamous basement stairwell was a focal point of the excavation and foundation efforts (which now seems like a long time ago), the stairwell has pretty much been neglected...that is, until today!  

The following series of photos show how the framers put in the joists for the landing, hung three stringers that define the rise (the vertical distance between each step) and where the treads will eventually be placed.  It is a bit difficult to see from these photos because there is some framing in the way, but there are three stringers.

 Here is a view, looking straight down into the stairwell that shows the third stringer that is obscured in the above photo.

Architects always think about things differently than the rest of us, and the architect for this project is no different.  Because the stairwell is on the north side of the house, he wanted very much for there to be ample and natural light.  At the top of stairwell landing is a window that faces west (see photo on the left) and along the north wall of the stairwell there will be cut outs for three windows (you can only see two of the cut outs in the photo on the right).  I am thinking that during the winter, I might be curled up in a comfy chair on the stairwell landing with a book, because the natural light will be killer!

Speaking of windows....the first shipment was delivered today!  Here they are stacked in the mudroom awaiting their installation.

 Finally, you might be wondering, like me, when the framing for the covered deck off the upper-level master bedroom would appear.  Well, here is a view of the supports needed for this feature, looking up from the floor of the gathering room addition. 

It turns out that constructing the covered deck off the master bedroom is no small feat as it must be waterproof and waterproofing this type of structure that is over a living space is much more complicated than it might initially seem....sort of like most of the features found in a house that I used to take for granted, but now have learned so much more about!