I awoke this morning in a destructive mood, so I grabbed my dropcloth, pry bar and a lot of garbage bags, and finally got around to finishing the tear-out on the front of my staircase (it’s been in the same state of not done since I took down the dividing wall in September/October of 2015, and rebuilt the bottom landing in July 2016).
I really only wanted to remove the weird 1950s plaster board over the original plaster…but the plaster was in terrible shape, so I stripped everything back to the bearers (as I think the stud-like supports are called in this stair construction). And gosh did I make a mess (twice).
I had to get it done in one day with no breaks, because my elderly male cat, JJ, enjoys relieving himself on dropcloths – so I can’t leave one down and unattended.
No one needs or wants a step by step on using a crowbar, so below is my day in pictures.
With the tear-out done, I’m almost out of excuses to put off rebuilding – or will be, as soon as I finish the sink base and get it up the stairs. I’ve designed that and purchased the lumber, so it won’t be long now. Then, it will be to the lathe to turn the balusters…or turn to someone who has a lathe to do them for me.
Rude Mechanicals Press Blog 
I like the stain glass window. A lot of work done… neatly
I’d be happy to turn the spindles for you.
What material and design do you have planned?
If I wuss out on doing them myself, I might take you up on that kind offer. (They’ll match the remaining ones in the second-floor hall, shown in the second picture here: https://rudemechanicalspress.wordpress.com/2015/07/25/well-at-least-its-an-excuse-for-2-new-tools/)
That crawl space for the kitties is not a bad idea. I visited a show home recently and that is exactly what they did with the space under the stairs. Except it was for a canine.
Ooooo…more storage. I don’t want to make more work for you but if you want to have some fun search “cupboard under stairs” and look at the images. Some cool ideas that would fit your home.
I’m thinking about some pull-out shelves for boots/shoes (the bearer has to stay of course, so it would have to be a fairly narrow thing to fit/get into…otherwise, I’d do a cabinet that takes up the entire space, but no. Unless I build it inside…which would be awfully difficult!)
Nice dust bin. Too nice for old plaster.
Any chance of posting the rough dimensions of your innovative dust/dirt scrap pan with the long handle? Box dimensions would be awesome, handle and pivot easily adapted
Oh sure! It’s the prototype (screwed together rather than dovetailed) for the one shown here: https://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/dovetailed-dustpan-forget-plastic-or-metal-pans/
thanks
Nothing like good, hard physical labor to stimulate the body and mind. I bet you are feeling the effects of this effort today! Similar construction work is why I enjoy working with Habitat for Humanity.
I say go all out and make a hidie-hole. Someplace where you can squeeze into and curl up in a ball whilst thinking about all the restoration that still needs to be done…
If she’s going to do that, she could make the space accessible by hinging the stairs upward, like in The Munsters.
I’m debating between hinged panel and doing nothing behind (i.e. a secret room) or pull-out shelves behind paneling…which is a lot more trouble but a lot more useful.