Liesl Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 I noticed that several people found the Beacon Hill staircase difficult. Since I'm just getting ready to build mine, I wondered if people could tell me some of the problems they encountered, just so I don't feel too alone? :yes: Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alamom Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Emma, When I was building my BH stairs I was worried too. I had heard that they were difficult, but I read and followed the directions very carefully, labeled my pieces with pencil ( be very careful with the stair treads, there is slight differences in the pieces. Make suire to label them correctly.) My stairs went together just fine. The handrails and bannisters get a little tricky and confusing but the end result is so worth it! I was surprised that I didn't have alot of difficulty. I was going to put runners on mine but didn't want to cover the stairs, they were pretty without any. Good Luck! :yes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin1056 Posted August 8, 2009 Share Posted August 8, 2009 ahhhhhhh the stairs actually i didnt think they were that hard...i think its more the fitting them in thats a challenge my tip....label everything especially which tab goes where......look at pics of finished ones....get the 'plan' in your head.....ditch the destructions and wing it :yes: although the instructions are very good....they are confusing when your actually building with bits in hand...at least that what i thought but i'm more of a 'see it and build it' person B) Good luck :yikes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liesl Posted August 9, 2009 Author Share Posted August 9, 2009 Doing okay so far! But after looking at both your galleries, I am so jealous! I especially like Paula's mahoghany color!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alamom Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 Emma, As I said before I used Minwax mahogany, it's a gel stain and very easy to use. Minwax also has another stain, not gel. that's called red mahogany ( which isn't "red" at all, it's dark!). Just wanted to let anyone know, in case they want to use one or the other. When I bought the red mahogany I expected a reddish tone to it. I really like the Mahogany, I've almost used the whole can. Enjoy your BH, I love mine, one day I hope to finish it or at least one of the other houses I have in progress. :welcome: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 Dont be afraid to do some "editing" or trimming to get the stairs in place. I had to trim quite a bit at the second floor landing and cut all of the tabs off and just glued in place. Much easier,and you keep your sanity. My stairs are very stable and strong so I didnt lose any structural integrity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 My Minwax red mahogany is a very, very dark red. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alamom Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 The more I think on it, my can must be labeled wrong, because looking at my minwax color chart, the color of mine looks more like dark walnut and not like red mahogany at all. The dark walnut is nice too, just not what I thought I was getting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 I have the walnut in a gel stain and it really is dark! Perfect for diningroom furniture, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandew1 Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Emma, When I was building my BH stairs I was worried too. I had heard that they were difficult, but I read and followed the directions very carefully, labeled my pieces with pencil ( be very careful with the stair treads, there is slight differences in the pieces. Make suire to label them correctly.) My stairs went together just fine. The handrails and bannisters get a little tricky and confusing but the end result is so worth it! I was surprised that I didn't have alot of difficulty. I was going to put runners on mine but didn't want to cover the stairs, they were pretty without any. Good Luck! :welcome: Hello, I have been reading and trying to piece the first floor stairs together for hours and I am still lost! Do I glue them as I go once it is figured out? I have every piece labeled with pencil and it still just doesn't make any sense to me. Do you know if there is a picture tutorial on here for that? Frustrated, Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Dan, I think the information that you're looking for can be found on Gina's (butterflyex) blog. She has a detailed blog with lots of pictures of the construction of a Beacon Hill, including step by step pictorials of building the staircase. Her blog is here: http://moreminis.blogspot.com/2007/08/my-s...hill-day-1.html If you click on that link, it will take you directly to the page with the pictures of the Beacon Hill staircase construction. Pictures of the staircase installation are in Day 2. The rest of her Beacon Hill instructions are in the "blog archive" section at the lower right side of that page; click on the arrow for 2007 and go to August. I'm a mahogany addict too. My very, very favorite is Minwax "Bombay Mahogany" but it only comes in the poly combination. I've used it on a lot of houses but my favorite is my Glencroft. I used it on both the interior and the exterior on that house. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liesl Posted August 10, 2009 Author Share Posted August 10, 2009 I had to read the instructions very, very carefully (and I am not a good instruction reader) AND look at the templates several times before I could work out how the stairs fit together. Once you've assembled pieces A B & C, though, you're well on the way. One thing I'm noticing as I begin the second floor staircase is that only the narrow treads/risers fit as either treads OR risers (if that makes sense?) and I'm going to have to trim all the wide ones since I used up most of the narrow on the first staircase! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Go ahead and build the stairs now, if you must, but wait to install them until you have decorated the hallway where they're to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liesl Posted August 13, 2009 Author Share Posted August 13, 2009 I don't think I could ever have gotten the stairs in without sawing off the tabs, but now that it's in, it will probably never come out again! Who needs glue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandew1 Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 I noticed that several people found the Beacon Hill staircase difficult. Since I'm just getting ready to build mine, I wondered if people could tell me some of the problems they encountered, just so I don't feel too alone? Thanks! So far for me the posts that go on the railing is really the only major stumbling block I have had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandew1 Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 I had to read the instructions very, very carefully (and I am not a good instruction reader) AND look at the templates several times before I could work out how the stairs fit together. Once you've assembled pieces A B & C, though, you're well on the way. One thing I'm noticing as I begin the second floor staircase is that only the narrow treads/risers fit as either treads OR risers (if that makes sense?) and I'm going to have to trim all the wide ones since I used up most of the narrow on the first staircase! I had the same problem as you did on my first floor staircase. The risers and treads were the same size but the second floor risers and treads look like they should with the treads sticking out over the risers. maybe I will carpet the first floor ones to hide that but the second floor looks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandew1 Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 I don't think I could ever have gotten the stairs in without sawing off the tabs, but now that it's in, it will probably never come out again! Who needs glue? I thought that I was going to have to cut off those tabs also but once I tiled the staircase back from the front of the house then tilted them back towards me they slid right in. Maybe I just got lucky? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandew1 Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 Dan, I think the information that you're looking for can be found on Gina's (butterflyex) blog. She has a detailed blog with lots of pictures of the construction of a Beacon Hill, including step by step pictorials of building the staircase. Her blog is here: http://moreminis.blogspot.com/2007/08/my-s...hill-day-1.html If you click on that link, it will take you directly to the page with the pictures of the Beacon Hill staircase construction. Pictures of the staircase installation are in Day 2. The rest of her Beacon Hill instructions are in the "blog archive" section at the lower right side of that page; click on the arrow for 2007 and go to August. I'm a mahogany addict too. My very, very favorite is Minwax "Bombay Mahogany" but it only comes in the poly combination. I've used it on a lot of houses but my favorite is my Glencroft. I used it on both the interior and the exterior on that house. Deb This was very helpful! Thank you so very much Deb! Now I can take a huge sigh of relief! You and so many other people here have helped me so much on this. Thank you Deb and everyone else! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justmesue Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 I painted my staircase, altered the front post by the door, 'cause I had a few parts leftover, and I couldn't figure out that particular part of the instructions, even with everything marked, then fought for dear life to get them in. Just about the time I ran out of swear words, and had screamed, in tears, they popped right into the spot they were supposed to go. That's where they got glued, with Special T, hot stuff gap filling, piano rebuilding glue. I glued all around them, and it made it's way where it was going between the stair and floor holes, and those stairs will never, ever come out. God help any person in the future who tries to rehab this house by removing them, after I'm long gone. I love my BH, nd the trouble was worth it, but he was such a stubborn, controlling and cranky kit, I nicknamed him "MASTER BH" Best of luck with the build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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