First shared project

[woodsworth]

Well I woke up a couple of weeks to a little model on my table.

The week before we had cut the handrails off our staircase as my partner wanted an open stair case with big chunky pine treads, rustic looking etc... So we were left with this eye sore.

After a week of open stairs she decided she didn't like it being open at all, thus the model of paneled wall. Behind the paneled wall is where the fun bits are.

She has decided on a little desk and seat, and because we like the minimalist look we have also decided to hand the TV on the inside of the door so that when it is all closed up there are no electrical gadgets around.

So under the seat and on the other side of the area for feet are pull outs for junk junk and more junk that teachers produce. that shouldn't be a problem but then there is the door. It has to hold a TV.

What kind of hinges can I use that will make the door less obvious and hold the weight of a say 27 inch flat screen.

So I'll be starting this project today. Well the designing and creating a cutting list etc. Maybe get to rough cutting the wood and bringing it in to acclimatize.

 

[MikeG.]

Bloody ****!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

You can't have an open stair like that! It doesn't comply with Building Regulations. Not only will this make it very difficult to ever sell your house, I dread to think what would happen if a toddler or old'un fell off one day!

It's going to be a **** of a job to put a newel, rail and ballusters back on that stair, but you are going to need to do it.

Sorry.

Mike

 

[woodsworth]

I don't know what your thinking, the whole thing is going to be enclosed so there won't be a need for any such things and it is easy to attach a handrail to the wall. keep up mike!

 

[MikeG.]

Sorry.....

...........but there really isn't way to tell that from what you've posted. Just humour me, and put up something temporary whilst you do the work. It's lethal as you've left it.

Mike

 

[woodsworth]

From my understanding and what i've read it doens't have to be enclosed any how. It does need a handrail though. I've seen a lot of very high profile jobs on television shows that have exposed stair treads. In some cases on old houses they can't get beds upstairs if they had a handrail. I know one job i did a couple of years ago, i built them one that could be removed so they could get their bed up.

 

[MikeG.]

No, a domestic stair needs a handrail at least 900mm above the nosing line, and is not allowed an opening anywhere that will allow a 100mm diameter ball to fit through. Them's the rules.......

Mike

 

[woodsworth]

This may be the case in writing, but it is definitely not enforced at all. We would not of been able to buy the house we are in right now if that was the case. Nor would hundreds of houses i've seen last year be able to be sold. It would be impossible to enforce such a rule in some properties and some that could have a handrail it would not be desirable with the design of the staircase.

Not to mention the houses i've seen just on grand design alone. I've seen several houses on that show that i can freshly remember not having a handrail either part of the way or non of the way up the stair case. I doubt they would have an issue selling those properties either.

That aside my partners design calls for a raised panel wall that will enclose the whole stair case and we have agreed that we are putting a handrail on the wall side of the stairs.

 

[MikeG.]

My understanding is that you have to certify that all works done to your property are compliant with the regs when you sell it. This is apparently a requirement from the mortgage lenders. So, if you don't need a mortage, or aren't selling a house, you can fail to comply without fear of sanction........unless, I suppose, someone sues you for an injury that they receive as a result of some non-compliance.

I too have seen Grand Design projects with non-compliant stairs, and it annoys me no end. I suspect that they haven't yet applied for or received their completion certificates, and that when that time comes they will be forced to amend the stair enclosures and rails.

Mike

 

[wizer]

Mike, don't have a heart attack, our house has had no balusters for 28yrs+.

 

[petermillard]

Handrail issue aside, I'm not sure I'd want to have to open a door every time I watched TV - or have it on show every time I wanted to work in the cubby under the stairs, either...

Still, smaller LCD TVs are pretty light, usually (9-12 kgs or so for 26") plus whatever the weight of the door is, of course. Blum concealed hinges (kitchen cabinet style) are good for approx 6 Kg per hinge, so 3 or 4 of those should spread the load reasonably well.

How do you plan to keep the cables tidy? Sky box? Video? Or are they hanging off the door as well on a floating shelf??

Cheers, Pete.

 

[miles_hot]

why have the TV etc on a door? It is possible to store the TV in the space it is possible to just leave it in that space and have either doors which open conventionally or some sort of rollers (tambora) or swing into the unit - or maybe ones which pivot on the middle so that the TV does not have to arc to the left....

Miles

 

[woodsworth]

Shame on you wiser! lol.

We don't have a skybox? or video box. We only watch DVD's and i'd like to get a monitor that has a DVD tray in it. I do know what you mean about opening and closing it all the time, so i may just have it inset behind a few panels that i can just open. I don't know if monitors are different then TV's we don't have a TV currently and when we do hook it all up we still don't want a TV. We currently watch our DVD's on the computer, 21 inch monitor. Perhaps a mounted 27 inch mac would do the trick.

I don't know it's all in the planning stages right now any how. But I don't think mounting it on the cubby hole door will be a good idea after reading your post. Some more thought, cardboard and tape. We don't have a TV so didn't think of how unpractical that idea was...

Thanks so far for your input so far.

 

[pren]

we don't have a TV currently

:shock:

But ..... but ..... what's all your furniture pointed at?!

*walks off muttering about it not being natural*




:lol:

 

[miles_hot]

we don't have a TV currently

:shock:

But ..... but ..... what's all your furniture pointed at?!

:lol:

Soon to be moved to a position just in front of the stairway to catch all the falling grannies or providing a nice "alternative" decent - rather like the toilet roll adds of a few years ago featuring a workforce who seemed reluctant to use the stairs...


Miles

 

[PeterBassett]

...and when we do hook it all up we still don't want a TV.

Well said! We've been without TV for four years, just DVDs. It's brilliant.

 

[mickthetree]

our house doesn't have a handrail or newel post, neither does my folks house or my cousins house, or my mates house.

I fell over the edge from off the top of our stairs numerous times as a kid and it hasnt done me any harm. I'M JUST AN OLD OWL OUT OF LOVE WITH A SEXY LADY AND AN OVEN GLOVE!!!

 

[wizer]

I fell over the side of ours when I was about 16 drunk as a skunk. Maybe that why...

 

[MikeG.]

I was about 16 drunk as a skunk.

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
Tom, that's not legal! :lol:

Mike

 

[wizer]

really Mike? I had no idea occifer, hic

 

[Max Power]

F***ing **** . Sorry to be offensive but you lot should be castrated, how would you feel if a child fell of the stairs and landed on their head? I fell of a set of steps and woke up a week later having been on a life support machine and am left with brain damage as a result . Get your fingers out and shut the stable door before the horse bolts :shock: