drywall stair carriage

We have been told that we have to put up 1/2 inch drywall to the stair carriage in our basement renovation in order to be approved for inspection.

When I went to measure the numerous different pieces that we would need for all the different angled parts I noticed that there are not many places on the bottom of the each stair to secure the drywall. The only places that I saw were the sides of the stairs which did not seem adequate enough.

Do we have to install 2x4's inbetween the stairs? What do we have to do?

 

Exactly what do you mean by "stair carriage"?

 

Perhaps a pic or two would help us understand what you need.
http://forum.doityourself.com/electr...your-post.html

 

The stringer or carriage is nothing but adequate.
Is your carriage recessed with the tread and risers sticking out past it?

Most instances a stair way will have a partition wall built at an angle under the carriage and everything is drywalled from under the tread/risers to floor.
But I suppose that if there is no partition continuing to the floor, then the outsides of the diagonal supports get dry walled just the same, as well as adding 2x4 blocking between the carriages so that you can wrap the bottom with drywall as well. This must be a fire code type thing but it looks really good as well.

Am I :
A) Making sense
B) Not understanding the question

Either way it doesn't matter since you'll want clarification from your inspector.

 

Wirepuller - the stair carriage is the area under the stairs. For instance, we are finishing our basement and under the stairs is our cats litterbox room.....I guess some people may turn it into a crawl space or storage.

Mickblock - yes, there are parts of the risers that are sticking past the side support. The inspector said the walls of the carriage do not have to be drywalled only the underneath or the "ceiling" of the stair carriage.

When we looked at it, it seems that sense past of the risers stick out, we are going to have to put up a few 2X4's in order to have a flat place to attached the drywall. There are alot of areas that are not flat that are a bit tricky.

 

Without seeing you situation, I would say you need to add blocking between the stringers so that the blocking is flush with the bottom edge of the of the stringers. This will give an even framework to support the drywall.

A photo of what you have would be a big help.

If you want an enclosed space, then you would add framing from the stringers to the floor to frame the sidewalls directly under the two outside stringers.

 

That sounds exactly what we are thinking. Not sure if you know code but we have a sprinkler in there as well and it would not be flush with the drywall unless we drop down that area with 2x4's. Does that sound right?

 

I will not make any further suggestions until I see a photo of the area in question. Your description is vague. You can see the area, but we cannot see it.

As far as code is concerned, that would apply for your local building authority. Since you have not given us your location, we do not know what codes would apply.

 

Okay, I took 4 photos of the area. I tried to do the best I could with the angles of the space.

This first one is a picture of the stairs above my head when you enter the area.
http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/a...XJzMS5qcGc.jpg

This second one is just a straight forward shot from the doorway.
http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/a...XJzMi5qcGc.jpg

The third one is a shot of where the sprinkler head is, where I think we will have to drop down the ceiling so the head is flush with the drywall.
http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/a...XJzMy5qcGc.jpg

And this fourth one is a close up of the stairs around the corner but shows how the risers are not flush with the supports.
http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/a...XJzNC5qcGc.jpg

 

Is the person who told you to drywall the stairs before the inpector sees it the same person who built it?

 

Mickblock- the county building inspector told me during our final inspection that we had to drywall the stair carriage, that is why we got a disapproval. Not the same person at all...The drywall company was a whole other mess and dissapointment.

 

I've never seen stairs built like that, doesn't look like it would be stout enough with just 1xs on the sides and no stringer in the middle.

 

I agree with Mark. Apparently, the stringers are supported by the studs. You will need to install framing for the drywall and tie it in to the studs. No support available from the stringers. The pros may have further ideas. I would not accept a stariway built in this manner.

The A/C duct looks like it is below the sprinkler head. What will you do about that?

 

That is one light duty set of steps.
I'm seeing boards used as stringers that have been cut all the way through the bottom to let in the treads and risers plus cleats. You really need to add some support. Right now you've got preciouse little. You would at least need additional center support.

Never move a large appliance using these steps in this condition.
Sorry to add to the drama. I've read that you've had other dilema's as well.

 

Thanks for getting back to me. Your comments actually scare me a little because this house was built only 5 years ago by a major home builder. We have moved several large items down these stairs and it makes me wonder about the other staircase.

What we are thinking of doing is for under the stairs putting up boards along the sides, top, bottom and middle....almost like a box with a line down the middle. We would attach them to the studs on the walls and make sure they are flush as much as possible again the stringers or stairs. This would provide support as well as flat areas to attach the drywall properly.

Also I read that you can nail or secure the side of the stringers to the wall studs for extra support.

Does that sound adequate?

As far as the flexible duct, we would have to bolt it up again when we are done, probably not right under the sprinkler head though.

 

Don't mean to scare you, utility steps are constructed like this all over the country, just not according to this very... improvised method. Stringers are notched way low, the gutted notches have blocks of cleat stuffed half in and halfway out, the treads look like plywood instead of 2x lumber. Brads or staples to anchor the risers to the back of the treads...
I'd just make a stringer for the middle and support it at each end. That way each tread has added support as well as the whole thing, using the landing and floor as support instead of the studs. Which aren't arranged specifically for that purpose. Same for the top section.

It's possible that the height and width of each stair may not be uniform. Which isn't a bad thing as far as support, but it would have to be considered when making a matching stringer for the center. But definitly read up on staircase construction from the framing aspect to get an idea of how to add a stringer.
Then add furring (nonstructural strips of wood) lengthwise down all three to get out past the bottom of the steps for your drywall.

Have a good day and don't fret!