Garage Stairs - Something interesting?

[scootermcrad]

I recently started planning an addition for our garage. The addition will have a large room above which will act as a wood shop as well as access to the area above the current garage which will be restructured for additional space possibly even an office. One of the major things we've been planning is a garage addition with character as well as revamping the original portion of the garage to share that character. I have always worked better when I work in a space that is inspirational, so the addition and facelift to the old must provide this.

One of the things that has always been on the list for any garage project is planning the layout around an interesting set of stairs. At one point I was very interested in an old set of caster iron spiral stairs to access the second floor, but I feel like the footprint just becomes too large with a usable set of spiral stairs. Still not ruling it out, but now the thought of a sweeping set of stairs is sounding like the best idea. Easy to carry things up and down, and they don't take up much more room than a standard 90-degree stair set and still allows for storage underneath.

Anyone done an interesting set of stairs in their garage?

Let's see some pics!

 

[TAMPAGT07]

How about going with a standard staircase with a different car mfg logo on each step..

 

[sublimate]

http://www.stairporn.org/

 

[scootermcrad]

http://www.stairporn.org/

That is an awesome website! Thank you!

 

[AZ Pete]

Are you planning a lift to move your machinery and materials into the upstairs shop?

 

[scootermcrad]

You guys probably think I'm insane, but I'm thinking outside the box of your typical garage, I guess. The garage is where the "magic" happens when it comes to fabrication and design for me, so architecture is big for me.

Was thinking more along the lines of something like this. A little drama with the stair set themselves and handrails with super simple mill work.

Originally finding a set of old turn of the century cast iron spiral stairs were hot on my mind, but again, the draw-backs when carrying things up and down. OH! And the price of these old stairs seems to be out of reach anymore unless you run across someone who just needs them out. But I love the industrial feel and would still consider them, I think.

 

[scootermcrad]

Are you planning a lift to move your machinery and materials into the upstairs shop?

I'm actually thinking of having a 3' x 4' (ish) removable section in the ceiling above to get equipment up there mount a hoist above it so I can store engines, axles, body parts, and move any equipment up there I might need to lift.

Having the removable floor/ceiling section for hoisting eliminates the need to go up and down the stair with "huge" and heavy stuff, but I don't want to have to remove that section any more than I have to.

Oh... and ceilings will be 10+ feet. Possibly 12 feet, depending on how the framing works out. Still working on that.

 

[bottom feeder]

Looks like you're willing to give up a lot of floor space for your stairs?? Those long, sweeping designs take up a lot of area. I'd guess most folks on here want to minimize the amount of area taken up by the stairs and maximize the useable space.

 

[scootermcrad]

Looks like you're willing to give up a lot of floor space for your stairs?? Those long, sweeping designs take up a lot of area. I'd guess most folks on here want to minimize the amount of area taken up by the stairs and maximize the useable space.

Just looking for inspiration. Any stairs are going to take up some kind of floor space. They would be open, not enclosed underneath, so storage underneath would actually work out great. I was thinking more like the first ones where they are straight(er), but instead of taking a straight right angle turn they could sweep a bit.

Maybe the spiral stairs WILL be a better... Hmmm

Maybe I'm just nuts.

 

[scootermcrad]

This is really the type of stairs I'm faced with, if I played it safe and just built standard stairs. So that's why I've been thinking, why not add a little bit of character to the construction. A little bit of sweep really isn't going to take up that much more floor space, if any.

 

[Oldbroncogarage]

Looks like you're willing to give up a lot of floor space for your stairs?? Those long, sweeping designs take up a lot of area. I'd guess most folks on here want to minimize the amount of area taken up by the stairs and maximize the useable space.

I've been contemplating building a set of stairs that is hinged at the opening in my upstairs floor (12'4" from the shop's floor to accommodate a 2 post lift). I figured I could use a hoist (like the electric ones in Northers/HF) to raise the stairs upwards and stow them against the bottom of the upstairs floor (ceiling of the workshop proper). Anyone see this done? Am I off my rocker or would this give a decent solution with minimal consumption of floor space? Of course I'd have to move stuff out of the way when I lower the stairs but hey, that's better than permanently losing the space - no?

 

[Throbbin Rods]

This is really the type of stairs I'm faced with, if I played it safe and just built standard stairs. So that's why I've been thinking, why not add a little bit of character to the construction. A little bit of sweep really isn't going to take up that much more floor space, if any.

This is exactly what I did, doesn't take up much space and I can bring up anything I can physically carry

 

[Woody610nb]

If you are serious about a curved staircase, I can build it for you for a reasonable price. I am a retired stairbuilder with 25 years of experience and I live in Concord NC.

 

[bigred292]

These are mine- I went for practicality. I got the can storage idea from a member here.
Under the stairs is one of my CL scores- vintage IR horizontal compressor that set me back a whopping $60.
The compressor is hidden behind slidind doors. Underneath the stair treads is portable air tank and motorcycle jack.
Aerosol can storage above with sliding doors as well.
Next will be water hose reel next to compressor

And paint obviously!

 

[Screwtape]

I removed my old stairs and added a cheap and small spiral staircase, in order to make up for not being able to move things up and down the stairs I built a dumb waiter (only partially completed in this picture).

 

[plow]

I want an old fire escape stair thingy.

 

[zkling]

How about an escalator?

 

[bottom feeder]

I've been contemplating building a set of stairs that is hinged at the opening in my upstairs floor (12'4" from the shop's floor to accommodate a 2 post lift). I figured I could use a hoist (like the electric ones in Northers/HF) to raise the stairs upwards and stow them against the bottom of the upstairs floor (ceiling of the workshop proper). Anyone see this done? Am I off my rocker or would this give a decent solution with minimal consumption of floor space? Of course I'd have to move stuff out of the way when I lower the stairs but hey, that's better than permanently losing the space - no?

I haven't seen a garage with stairs hinged at the ceiling line, but there's a thread in the Garage Gallery that has stairs that are hinged at a fairly high stairway landing:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28505

 

[Oldbroncogarage]

I haven't seen a garage with stairs hinged at the ceiling line, but there's a thread in the Garage Gallery that has stairs that are hinged at a fairly high stairway landing:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28505

Great thread and that's basically the idea I was toying with...can't see why it wouldn't work!

 

[sublimate]

I've been contemplating building a set of stairs that is hinged at the opening in my upstairs floor (12'4" from the shop's floor to accommodate a 2 post lift). I figured I could use a hoist (like the electric ones in Northers/HF) to raise the stairs upwards and stow them against the bottom of the upstairs floor (ceiling of the workshop proper). Anyone see this done? Am I off my rocker or would this give a decent solution with minimal consumption of floor space? Of course I'd have to move stuff out of the way when I lower the stairs but hey, that's better than permanently losing the space - no?

Do you mean like this:

or this:

 

[Mike K.]

I use these metal stringers & hinged them to swing up to allow for additional floor space.

http://www.artisticironworks.com/stair.html

Mike K.

 

[scootermcrad]

If you are serious about a curved staircase, I can build it for you for a reasonable price. I am a retired stairbuilder with 25 years of experience and I live in Concord NC.

Yes! I'll shoot you a PM so we can talk. Thanks for responding!

 

[scootermcrad]

Anyone in the NC vicinity or surrounding states have a set of old cast iron spiral stairs laying around? Not the welded steel stuff that is being made now, but the true cast stuff. Ebay has managed to elevate the value beyond what they are worth (which is why I see the same stuff on there that was on there last year) as have all these picker and salvage TV shows.