Ideas for a Wooden Log Stairwell

Grand Woodland Staircase

• A grand staircase isn't restricted to marble or polished mahogany. Skilled craftspeople can fashion staircases into works of art using timber with most of its natural form intact. Halve logs lengthwise to fashion thick stair treads. Turn the flat side up for foot traffic, leaving the curved, bark side underneath for aesthetic interest. Chisel out material from the bottom of the treads to help them fit on traditional staircase stringers, which are the angled, zigzag-shaped stair tread supports.

  Avoid prefabricated stringers by using two logs instead. Cut out notches along the left and right log stringers and rest each tread on a set of notches. Fashion elaborate handrails and spindles from crooked, twisted branches. Strip the bark or leave it natural.

Floating Timber Staircase

• You might think a log staircase is the antithesis of minimalist architecture. However, natural log treads become a focal point without overpowering the room when they are used sparingly in a cantilever floating staircase. Circular or rectangular log sections appear to levitate along a wall, because their supports are hidden. Cantilever stair supports are anchored inside one wall, and they extend out to hold the stair treads. Hire a professional contractor with structural engineering experience to be sure your floating log staircase is safe.

Spiral Treehouse Staircase

• Spiral staircases are often metal, but there is no reason to avoid logs. Fabricating a spiral staircase requires skill, and some professional contractors have the necessary experience. Use a small tree with some branches left intact for the center post, and attach the stair treads around it with steel bracing. Alternatively, purchase a spiral stringer at retail to save time and to minimize the risk of errors. Cut log sections into wedge shapes leaving bark around the edges. Attach the wedge-shaped stair treads to the purchased stringer. Strip the bark off a slender sapling and bend it to make a curved handrail.

Rustic Iron and Log Staircase

• Wood and iron complement each other to create a rustic staircase. Cast iron is less expensive than wrought iron, and many iron staircase components are available without a custom order. Use prefabricated cast iron stringers with straight or curved details, and rough-sawn logs for treads. Install straight and sturdy spindles and a handrail or opt for elaborately detailed ironwork. If the cost of iron is an issue, build the staircase and handrail from logs and use powder-coated aluminum spindles that imitate the look of iron.