Customer Reviews

Building Stairs (For Pros By Pros)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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 also had back issues of Fine Homebuilding Magazine, where I found various articles, including the March 1998 issue which has an article by Mr. Engel, "Bulding Finish Stairs." Despite having these resources, I still lacked the confidence to tackle the project, and I wanted a better book. I bought this book based on the excellent reviews, and I haven't been disappointed. 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. The book fully explains the trade-offs between various types of construction and details how to accomplish the job with illustrated clearly-written text. As an example, I located a local source for engineered stringer lumber after going to a URL listed in the book. 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. That book appears to be a loose collection of former Fine Homebuilding articles, including the previously mentioned March 1998 article. I have a collection of similar books from Fine Homebuilding, and they are of somewhat limited value.

This book covers every aspect of stair building very thoroughly. Some of the topics covered are both open & housed stair construction, winders, handrailing, & exterior stairs. Much attention is paid to detail. There are literally hundreds of excellent photos & clear, concise drawings. The text is easy to follow & along the way the author shares plenty of tips & techniques for building beautiful, durable stairs. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned carpenter, you'll find plenty of good information here. A great addition to my library!

A nicely organized and well laid-out manual that covers everything from stairbuilding basics up to complex railing and finishing details. Written in an easy-to-read casual tone with clear photos and drawings, helpful sidebars and useful appendices. Definitely recommended.

There are a lot of books on stair building available and it's overwhelming to choose the right one. I am a carpenter who builds stairs once in a while--meaning I usually forget the things I learned from the last experience. 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). This book simplifies but doesn't dumb down the process. It simplifies it in the way only an experienced carpenter can simplify it.

I particularly liked the section on doing easings on over-the-post handrails (176-177), which have caused me trouble in the past. I've seen a lot of very elaborate jigs made up for this, but this author simplifies it beautifully.

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. It's the only one I'd recommend, honestly. 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. They will need to buy their own.

This is truly a well-written book on how to build stairs! Mr. Engel explores every aspect of stairbuilding and describes each step in the process in great detail. I highly recommend this book for the novice and the expert, alike. 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! Well worth the price to purchase!

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. The author explains not only the how, but also the why of steps (pardon the unintended pun) to building stairs and associated woodwork. He goes into great detail to complete the entire stairway, bottom to top. This book fills in the blanks to build useful, and long-lasting stairways, inside and out.

I consider myself as a serious DIY with attention to detail. I have remodeled nearly every room in the house. 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 purchased a DVD from TheStairGuy.com. It is not worth the time or the money.
My wife purchased two books for Christmas for me. 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. It is comprehensive and easy to follow. I highly recommend it.
The book Stairs & Railings is advertised as a quick guide and that is what it is. It goes into less detail than Building Stairs. But it still is a good book and complements the other book.

Gary

I wanted to tackle building some new stairs for my basement and as it had been quite a few years since I had done stair work of any kind I thought I should bone up on the basics. This book was just what I needed.

I'm not all the way through this book, but so far, so good. If you go to any bookstore it is easy to get lost wading through many generic books on every subject. After reading reviews, I was so happy to get this book instead of other similar books (even in name). This is a well written book by a seasoned craftsmen. His understanding on the subject is apparent, and I appreciate the easy-to-read nature but at the same time having some real "how to" meat. Definitely a great help.

Covers all the basics and on to advanced techniques. Compared to other books on this Ive seen, this one is by far the best.