U shape stairway wall and railing issues

[EngelsmaHomes]

Hi All,

 

We build U shaped stairways like the attached photo all the time and I can't figure out how to draw it in Chief so that it shows properly in the plan view AND in 3D, at least not without a bunch of  polyline solid work.

 

Specifically I'm struggling with

- Allowing the center wall to continue up between the two stair sections, putting a railing on top, AND having it follow the stairs (see 2nd/3rd screenshots)

- Having the newel post on the stair landing instead of the stairs or the wall

 

I can't use the "follow stairs" as shown in the 4th screenshot, because the stairs is drawn on the lower level and the railing on the upper. I can split off the upper stair section, lock the top and bottom heights, and paste it on the upper level, but then it doesn't look good in plan view.

 

Thanks!

Tom E.

 

 

 

[robdyck]

I use this type of setup in every home and they are just terrible to deal with in Chief. If you get lucky, the only manual part you'll need to place is the newel post. Most times, the entire railing will need to be modeled manually. The only solution I've found is practice. It doesn't take that long once you know exactly what you need to do.

I use millwork, 3d moldings, p-solids. Also, a separate layer for some components just for 3d display (not plan view con docs). And some CAD work for plan view con docs.

The rail on pony wall setup is not a very sharp tool.

[Gawdzira]

SF9. (SF= suck factor).

[EngelsmaHomes]

 

On 2/2/2022 at 1:34 PM, robdyck said:

I use this type of setup in every home and they are just terrible to deal with in Chief. If you get lucky, the only manual part you'll need to place is the newel post. Most times, the entire railing will need to be modeled manually. The only solution I've found is practice. It doesn't take that long once you know exactly what you need to do.

I use millwork, 3d moldings, p-solids. Also, a separate layer for some components just for 3d display (not plan view con docs). And some CAD work for plan view con docs.

 

Thanks Rob! Here's the closest I've come for this particular situation - maybe this will help someone.

1. First I overlap the upper section stairway over the center wall (img1)

2. Then I do a custom side stringer (left or right, depending on the stairway direction) at 4 1/2" thick (img2). This gets me 99% of the way to "close enough" (img3)

3. Add a baluster cap and a newel post manually. Plan view is OK (img4, floor level at top of stairs shown), 3D view is pretty decent (img5).

 

One flaw is that the lower stair section takes on that custom 4 1/2"  stringer as well (img6). Any ideas on how to fix that?

[robdyck]

4 minutes ago, EngelsmaHomes said:

Any ideas on how to fix that?

You could use a ramp for the center railing or you could make a copy of that stair and reduce it's width. This will also require a break in the railing and you'll probably need to enter the heights manually.

It's all $#!+

[EngelsmaHomes]

5 minutes ago, EngelsmaHomes said:

One flaw is that the lower stair section takes on that custom 4 1/2"  stringer as well (img6). Any ideas on how to fix that?

 

I just found the solution to this: open the landing and turn off auto adjust height. This disconnects the two stairway sections and allows you to do completely different settings for each, as far as I can tell.

[robdyck]

1 minute ago, EngelsmaHomes said:

allows you to do completely different settings for each, as far as I can tell.

Yes, that does have some pros and cons, but you are correct.

[EngelsmaHomes]

Thanks Rob. This will have to do for now. I appreciate the thoughts, and would love to know if there are any other ideas out there!

[Kbird1]

42 minutes ago, EngelsmaHomes said:

Thanks Rob. This will have to do for now. I appreciate the thoughts, and would love to know if there are any other ideas out there!

 

See if making the Railing Wall Widths the same as the Newel Posts , moves the newels back onto the Floor?

so your Newels don't overhang the edge of the floor like in pics 3 and 5 above....

 

works for Deck and porch columns.....

 

Mick.

[glennw]

   2 hours ago,  EngelsmaHomes said: 

One flaw is that the lower stair section takes on that custom 4 1/2"  stringer as well (img6). Any ideas on how to fix that?

I haven't been following this thread in detail but do you know you can Shift select a stair flight and set it's parameters independently of the joined flights?

[EngelsmaHomes]

18 hours ago, Kbird1 said:

See if making the Railing Wall Widths the same as the Newel Posts , moves the newels back onto the Floor?

 

That works! Thanks Mick.

[EngelsmaHomes]

17 hours ago, glennw said:

I haven't been following this thread in detail but do you know you can Shift select a stair flight and set it's parameters independently of the joined flights?

 

I did not! Thanks!

[jflare]

I have a really similar situation, and I can't figure out how to do these stairs at all. I am not an architect. I'm an interior designer, and while I understand the basics of stairs, this is blowing my mind. I've been working on it for hours and keep deleting them. These plans were done by an architect - 2D only - and I'm trying to put the model into Chief so I can do the interiors. I usually tell clients I don't do stairs, but I really want to learn how to do this. Are there any video tutorials that explain the solution above? I especially didn't follow the recommendation for the ramp.

 

Here's the lower level:

 

And the main level:

 

And the upper level:

 

My plan view is attached with the CAD imported from the architect. I am having a hard time interpreting how he expects the angle of the stair to look from the main level hallway. When I draw it in Chief, I see a small triangle of open stair going up. I tried to follow these directions somewhat, but we want a more minimalist railing without the thicker newel posts. I was somewhat successful but the railings are still a mess.

 

Working X12. Thank you so much for any help you can provide.

 

Thank you!

Jillian

JDR-House-Plans-2022.02.03.plan.zip

[jflare]

Done. I didn't start a new thread because I'm trying to use these instructions for the same issue but I don't understand portions of them, specifically how to get the railings right. I increases the stringer thickness per the instructions, but the railing doesn't work that way.  If it's better to start a new thread, I can do that. Thank you!

[SHCanada2]

steve nestor at mycheifskills did a video if I remember correctly. I did not find any CA videos when I went looking previously for U stairs and walls. The problem I see when looking at floor plans is it is difficult to see where the wall is vs railing. I see they had a section on the plans for the stairs, that might help show. For instance you can wrap around railing in the middle without a wall, or the railing can only be on the upper flight (per the OP). it unclear to me what your plans need to be for the bottom flight of stairs

[SHCanada2]

 

this is disconnect the landing and draw a wall under the stairs (you can see it on the middle right below) and also set the railing on the desired side for each flight. The disconnect(via unchecking the auto height from tip above) of the landing allows you to set the railing on different sides for the different flights