Building Safe Stairs

As a general rule of thumb in stair building the sum of the tread and riser should equal around 17 1/2 inches. This is a general rule of thumb for a comfortable, easy to walk up and down set of stairs.

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For example if your stair tread is 10 inches and the stair riser is 7 1/2 inches you have a comfortable stairway. Walking up and down a stairway using this formula creates a comfortable set of stairs. The next time you walk down any uncomfortable set of stairs measure the stair tread and riser. You will be amazed at what you'll find.

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For public stairs or heavily used stairs this method will become one of your best friends. On public stairs you have liability issues and of course lawyer issues if you are the owner of the building. If you are not building a safe set of stairs that meets your local building codes standards you could be in for a whopping financial nightmare.

Building safe stairs as a contractor is your obligation to society. I don't know how many times I come across a loose stair tread or a broken hand rail. One of the biggest problems I find is in the poorer neighborhoods you come across some major construction problems and safety hazards. I never have been able to figure out why a building owner would not want to protect himself financially and the people that occupy and use his buildings safety.

Here's something you need to avoid when using the stair building general rule of thumb. This rule of thumb does not apply to good to an 8 inch tread with a 9 1/2 inch stair rise. You don't want to be building a latter you want to be building a safe set up stairs.

The maximum stair rise you can use for most building codes is 8 inches. You will not find the stairway to comfortable with a 9 1/2 inch stair tread and an 8 inch riser. If you have no choice and are cramped for space and you can't redesign this stairway to fit in the house or building then at least make sure you have a nice sturdy grip able stair hand rail.

This formula works great when you are working with exterior landscaping and you have a long run of stairs with a small rise. For example: if you have a 14 inch stair tread and you use a 4 inch riser this will lead to a comfortable step.

Look for stairs in your neighborhood or around some apartment complexes that don't follow these rules and have 16 inch stair treads with 7 inch risers. You will find yourself taking two steps on the stair tread on every other step and it is not a real comfortable stairway.

Happy stair building and keep this formula in mind for a nice comfortable set of stairs in your building future.

Building Safe Stairs

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

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Materials For Building a Solar Panel

When deciding on building a solar panel, one of the most important decisions will be what materials you use.

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In order to build a solar panel you will need the following materials; 36 whole monocrystalline solar cells, 45 ¾ inch by 22 ¼ inch plywood, 45 ¾ inch by 22 ¼ inch plexiglass, ¾ inch by ¾ inch wooden molding, Masonite pegboard (45 ¾ inch by 22 ¼ inch), blocking diode, electrical jack, solder, copper tabbing wire, flux pen or heat resistant adhesive, and silicone caulk. In order to store the energy, you will need a battery source or an inverter. Inverters are used to convert DC current to AC current, that can be used by most home appliances.

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The most important decisions for building materials will be:

Solar cells - Solar cells comes as either monocrystalline, polycrystalline, or amorphous. Monocrystalline cells are the most efficient cells but also the most expensive. These cells are made up of whole silicon crystals that operate better than polycrystalline cells in limited sunlight. Polycrystalline cells are the most common types of cells. They are less efficient than the monocrystalline cells but also less expensive. As long as the efficiency is within 1-2% of the mono cells, you should be fine. Energy storage - For a small scale solar panel system, most people will opt for a simple 12V battery. In order to produce enough electricity for the battery you will need at least 18V. Grid Tie or Offgrid - If you decide to tie the electricity to your energy grid, you will need an inverter to convert the direct current (DC) to alternating (AC) current. This will allow you to power most appliances around your house.

The biggest cost you will incur is the cost of the solar cells. As of 2010, monocrystalline cells cost about six dollars each. To reduce the cost of the solar cells, you can purchase cracked or broken cells at a discount. Financial assistance is often possible for initial building costs. If you decide to build your own solar panels, you will also need a detailed set of instructions.

Materials For Building a Solar Panel

Learn how to build an enclosure for your solar array. Find More Complete Instructions and Illustrations On How To Build A Solar Panel System HERE

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The Basics of Building Cheap Solar Panels at Home

Are you one of those people who believe that building and installing your own solar panels would be an incredibly daunting task? Do you think that it would cost far too much money and take way too much time? Well, this article is here to tell you that you are wrong on both counts.

masonite drawing board

As far as this being a daunting task, the only thing you really need to be able to build is a shallow plywood box. If you can operate a drill and a screwdriver, then you have all the necessary skills to complete this project. Aside from building the box, the only technical application is to actually hook the solar panels up to your house. In truth, that part is nearly as easy as plugging in an appliance.

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When it comes to cost, you have probably already done quite a bit of searching and price comparisons. Commercially available solar panels are pretty outrageously priced and can run you anywhere from ,000 to ,000 a piece. Yet, if you go down to your local hardware store and purchase all of the items you need to make a panel, you'll only need to spend about 0. If you want to install solar panels on your home, that is a savings that you just cannot ignore.

The following supplies will be needed to build cheap solar panels:
36 3x6 Solar Cells Boards and lumber to build a shallow box Peg Board, cut to fit the shallow box plexi glass screws & misc. hardwar Silicone Caulk Wire Diode Jones Plug Paint Storeage BatteriesThat is about all there is to it! Most of these items are easy to come by at your local Home Depot or hardware store. Heck, many of these items are probably already on hand in your garage!

Building the box is the first step. It's as straight-forward as that. You'll want to make sure the box is in two sections, as you will wire two sub panels of solar cells together for this project.

The peg board will serve as the substrate for the actual solar cells, so ensure that you cut it to fit into the shallow box easily. Also, each panel will have a plexiglass front to protect it from the elements. One the box is built, you can begin on the solar cells.

The cells will be mounted on a piece of masonite peg board. Each half panel will contain 18 solar cells, all soldered together in a series, using a low-wattage soldering iron and copper wiring. This part requires a bit of a delicate touch, as the solar cells themselves are quite fragile.

Holes drilled through the top of each panel provide an exit for the wires connected to each panel. Each panel will need a blocking diode to prevent the panels from discharging the charge in your storage batteries. A polarized two-prong Jones Plug attached to the end of the wires completes the project!

The Basics of Building Cheap Solar Panels at Home

That is the basics of building cheap solar panels at home. They will pay for themselves in no time, and it's a great way to help out the environment! If you want some more detailed instruction, as well as some links to some valuable info, please check out my page at http://www.squidoo.com/Build-Cheap-Solar-Panels

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Sunrooms: The Basics For Building One

Deciding on getting a sunroom is one thing. Actually constructing one is another. Whether you are getting a professional to make it for you or you are going to put one together from scratch or a kit, these are the basic steps for building a sunroom.

Plot it first. Keep in mind three things when you design the sunroom: where you will position it, what it is for, and how much you are willing to spend. Determine how large your sunroom should be and where you would put it. If you plan to use it for entertaining guests, you might want to place it near the kitchen or dining room. If you're on a tight budget, think about possibly converting your porch (or part of it) into a sunroom instead to save on materials and foundation.

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Straighten out the paperwork. Talk to your local building and zoning authority. Make sure you're following all the regulations and are provided a permit to build. Since you're already there, also check how this might affect your taxes.

Make a blueprint. If you had previously envisioned what your sunroom would look like, this will be the easiest part. If you're undecided, there are plenty of ideas online and in magazines to choose from. How much sunlight you want to come into the sunroom will determine the size and number of windows. Weigh how much ventilation you will need for the seasons you experience with the additional utilities expense that might cost. Include the appliances and furniture in your plans to allocate for possible electrical wiring and plumbing.

Acquire the materials. Regardless of whether you will hire an expert, get a DIY kit, or do everything manually, verify the quality of your building supplies. Get tempered safety glass for the windows. Try to get double-paneled panes or ones that can conduct heat well. See to it that your window frames can absorb heat and handle the contraction and expansion of the glass.

Start with the foundation. For this part, it's always best to get someone who specializes in this. Ensure that the sunroom will be level with the part of the house it is connecting to. Not only will this be more convenient, but it increases market value if residents don't have to step up or down into the sunroom.
Erect the frame, roof, walls, windows and doors. Begin with the skeleton of the sunroom. Leave adequate space for the windows and doors. Then, fix the plywood to the outside. When you move on to the windows and doors, set them properly to prevent leaks.

Complete the outer part of the sunroom before doing the inside. Make sure your sidings and roof tiles complement the existing architecture of your abode. The same goes for the trimmings, wallpaper, and flooring. When moving on to the inside, get a licensed electrician and plumber for the wiring, insulation, and plumbing. Do the wall boards next, then the fixtures and trimmings. Paint everything afterwards and when they dry, you're ready to move the furnishings and plants into your new sunroom.

As you can see, assembling a sunroom takes a lot of work. The key to accomplishing the task is proper preparation. Remember the tips in this guide and you can't go wrong.

Sunrooms: The Basics For Building One

SRA Home Products specializes in sunroom, pergola, patios and deck installation while also doing extensive basement remodeling. Feel free to call for a no-obligation quote if you don't plan on building a sunroom by yourself.

sunrooms South Jersey and sunrooms New Jersey

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