Outdoor Spiral Stairs

Once upon a time… You know how it goes. The other day I was out on the deck looking at a spiral stairs I had built about twenty years ago. I use them every day and wonder how I would connect the two decks without them.

Yes, I have built numerous outdoor projects, but this is the one for which I am most proud.

During one winter, way long ago, I built each of the tread as a unit, from two pieces of CCA treated 2X6, one piece of 4X6, and one short piece of 2X6 as the tread end. I bored a 1 1/2 inch hole in each tread so a 1 1/2 galvanized pipe could become the center pole holding everything together.

Each tread weighed a few pounds when completed. That following spring I was ready to construct the stairs and enlisted the help of Cathie, my wife, to help put everything together. We had no problems screwing all the steps together while the stairs were laying on their side. The next step should bring a smile to everyone. I can remember standing there admiring our handywork and commenting, “It should be no problem to swing this into place, because I have the pipe flange in place and ready to go.” So the two of us walk up to the stairs, laying there waiting for us, and grab hold and lift. Problem was that the thing wouldn’t budge! My, my, did the stairs every get heavy! It is truly amazing how fifteen stairs become so heavy after they are screwed together. I remember sitting there and laughing loudly. That would have been the best picture!

So, with some extra help from a block and tackle, and some friends, we finally get the stairs into place and secured. Now comes the fun part – the spiral railing. Over the months of construction, I had been asked repeatedly how was I going to build the railing? I would just smile and say, “wait until spring and I will have you help me.”

After erecting the main stairs, I moved my 14 inch bandsaw onto the lower deck. No small feet in itself! Have you ever lifted an old cast iron Delta bandsaw? I had upgraded the bandsaw over the years to include a 1 1/2 horse, heavy duty, motor. It turns out that was a good move! The spiral railing was constructed from two 24 feet long 2×6 CCA treated deck boards that were resawed to 3/16 inch thick. The seven best results from the two very long boards were used to laminate the railing. Remember I said this was constructed in the eighties? There were not many glue options back then. I chose the Urea formeldahyde glue that was used to construct the World War II Mosquito Bomber. Nasty stuff! I do not have pictures of this part of the construction because it was somewhat intense!

Picture this – 24 feet of 3/16 inch CCA treated 2X6 lumber lying in the grass, in the sun, all seven pieces. Curling and moving with the sun’s rays beating every ounce of moisture out of them, while I try to figure out how to spread this nasty glue on them, which has a working time of under two hours. Thank goodnes for the two helpers! I am sure this would have made a great Laurel and Hardy movie! Just imagine three guys running around trying to keep these seven boards flat, trying to get glue on them and hoist htem all into position, clamp and screw beginning at the top, and working down to the bottom. And then there was the slight breeze…

And we were successful. And amazed. And tired. Likely, I will never forget that day. Neither will my former friends. Just kidding!

Prologue: The spiral stairs is still in production and used every day. I have been looking things over to see how I might add additional ballistairs – I am concerned about grandchildren who climb like monkeys all over the stairs. Why wasn’t I concerened about my own children using these stairs? The only rational answer is “Grand parenting must be more serious business”!

-- Judd, Adel, Iowa, http://www.stoneyhedge.com