Stringer vs Carriage


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Ok, people now is your opportunity to help me determine whether I am crazy or just insane. I have always been under the impression that a stair stringer and stair carriage were the sasme things. I have seen details labeled both ways.  Now, I have a client who keeps send me the plans back for frivolous nitpicking changes. The past two times he keeps saying he wants a carriage detail of the stairs. I have  tried to be nice and tried to offer different details, but today I got the plans sent back again with just this one little items: ":Please show carriage detail". Pardon my my language but...Damn, I even looked online to see if I am totally off my rockers and don't understand what a nasty stair carriage is, but every blasted one I see uses the same terminology interchangeable. So, someone please tell me if there is a secrete stair carriage detail out there floating around that I have totally missed or what. Thanks.

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Never heard that term before , however there are so many items that have diffrent wording , which can be very annoying , especially when you are searching . If the stair stringer is smaller then a 2x12 & the rise is to large , that would make the stair carriage  ( NEW TERM LOL ) not wide enough  or strong enough THERE IS A SECTION IN THE IRC CODE ABOUT THAT  . 

                 Plus i wouldnt agree with that term stair carriage IT SHOULD BE CALLED STRINGER CARRIAGE imo. I can not see why this detail is nessacery is he paying for nitpicking details ??? Just put a verbal clause all STAIR STRINGERS to meet  IRC code & have req. simpson connections .

                  type in structure magazine  / wood frame stair structure design , THEY CALL  THE CARRIAGE THE THROAT . aFTER SEARCHING SOME OF THIS HE MIGHT NOT BE NITPICKING FROM A BUEROCRATEIC STAND POINT!!!!!!!!

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Thank you  both, I can see now that I am not insane, just going a little crazy. Yes the guy is nitpicking...even the structural engineer I'm working with is getting annoyed at this guy. I am hoping this graphic will be to  his satisfaction. Although I am not sure he will. Thanks again, you've been quite helpful..

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I think your original assumption was correct in that the terms carriage and stringer are interchangeable.  It seems like perhaps the client just wants a detailed section similar to what Jerry posted with the stringer depth, rise, run, stair nosing, etc. all properly dimensioned and labeled. 

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These days the Term are interchangeable but way back when, the Carriage was the 2x Structural part of the Staircase and the Stringer the 1x decorative Element above it . What was called the Stringer then, here at least, is call a (Stair) Kick which is basically the Staircase Baseboard.

 

Maybe they have a Building Dept that requires the "Stringer" be labelled Carriage ? which maybe due to References in the Code that applies locally? ( I saw it mentioned on a Forum for Student Architect's too , noboby knew what the Carriage was)

 

Oh beaten too it :)

 

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Stringer,Carriage Etc, I'm in Central Va. and since I have been working in Residential construction back in the dark ages, starting in1970 we always called the "Carriage" board a Stair Horse and the "Stringer" a Shirt Board.

 I guess another example of different terminology in different parts of the country.

 TGIF,Everyone have a great Week End,Ken

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  • 2 months later...

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