Side project: Funky I-beam staircase with reclaimed boxcar treads.

The owners were interested in a simple yet unique staircase design to tie into the steel work in their coming house addition project. We settled on an old, rusty I-beam turned on its side and cut risers out of discarded c-channel found on the property. We preserved the rusty patina with a clear matte acrylic coating and let the 1000lbs stringer speak for itself. The treads are made of reclaimed rock maple boxcar flooring (2.5” thick) that were over 100 years old. Our journeyman carpenter softened the scrapes and scratches, filled the holes with epoxy, but kept the beautiful, distressed appearance accrued over a century of material transport. Keeping the focal point on the staircase, we added a simplistic railing system with ample metal accents on the adjoining loft.