Troubleshooting

I have a question about the actual installation.

• I cannot find the instructions that were supposed to come with the spiral stair kit. Where are they?
  Do not worry. The instructions are provided in the small hardware box, which also contains all the necessary hardware. Depending on the kit you have selected, there may be several hardware boxes, be sure to check them all. If for some reason you did not get one; please call 1-800-523-7427 and we would be happy to send you another one. Our Installation Manual is available for downloading as a PDF.
  
  
• Why do I have one less tread than the amount of risers that I ordered?
  The amount of risers indicates the amount of treads plus the landing platform. For example, a 13-riser stair is comprised of 12 treads plus the landing, the 13th riser.
  
  
• How do I drill concrete for the installation of my base plate or starting post plate?
  Use a 3/8-inch masonry drill bit and drill 1-1/2 inches deep, then insert rawl plugs and secure with the 5/16 inch x 1-1/2 inch lag bolts provided. If you specified that you would be installing the stair onto concrete, most likely we have provided the masonry bit and rawl plugs with your kit.
  
  
• Do I have to use the 60° landing that comes with the CODE-conforming spiral stairs?
  Our code conforming Spiral Stair Kits are designed so that they maintain a minimum headroom of 6 foot 6 inches. The 60° landing is utilized so that you gain an additional riser height before walking under the landing, thus gaining additional headroom without unnecessarily high risers. If you are willing to accept a slightly higher riser height, very often we are able to accomplish this minimum headroom rule by utilizing one less tread and a 90° landing.
  
  
• How come the rail end brackets won’t fit into the landing rail or well rails?
  Due to tolerances during the manufacture of the tubing, occasionally the inside diameter is slightly small so that the brackets will not fit. DO NOT HAMMER THE BRACKETS IN, AS THEY WILL BREAK. Simply file the end of the bracket till it fits smoothly.
  
  
• How come the oak tread coverings do not go to the end of the metal tread?
  As you may have noticed, the oak tread coverings are wider than the metal treads to provide additional tread depth; we then leave the length short to greatly ease installation of the main spindles and the in-between spindles.
  
  
• I’m installing my stair outdoors from my deck to my lawn. What type of footing is required for the stair?
  For the center pole you will want to pour a concrete pad measuring 18 inches square, 36 inches deep or below your frost line — check your local code for requirements. For the starting plate on the first spindle another pad is required or you may simply leave the spindle long and let it run into the ground.
  
  
• My stair mounts up to a balcony. I was provided a landing railing for one side of my landing. How come I do not have a rail for the other side?
  In most situations our stairs are mounted through a well opening, which does not require a second railing on the landing. When mounting a stair up to a balcony or loft we offer an optional balcony landing railing for the other side of the landing as an extra cost accessory.
  
  
• What can I do if I broke a screw off in the adjustable top of a spindle?
  Please call us toll free at 1-800-523-7427 and we would be happy to send you a replacement free of charge.
  
  
• Do I install the in-between spindles before or after the handrail installation?
  The in-between spindles are installed after the handrail is installed. The only exception is when you are installing the oak kit handrail. With the oak kit handrail the in-between spindles are installed after the polyethylene handrail is installed, but before the oak kit handrail is installed. Please refer to the installation manual and video for more information.
  
  
• I installed my oak tread coverings and now my landing railing only measures 35 inches above the landing. How come?
  When you will be installing a wood covering on your stair, you need to make an allowance for it when you set the height of your landing railing. For example, if you will be using the oak tread coverings, you need to set the landing railing at 37 inches instead of 36 inches to allow for the thickness of the treads.
  
  
• Why doesn’t the balcony landing railing line up with the slots in the landing?
  The slots in the landing where the balcony landing railing would mount are actually intended for the mounting of the landing into a well opening. In certain cases the slots will line up for the balcony landing railing; other times you simply have to drill additional 5/16-inch holes into the landing’s flange.
  
  
• I can’t get the shipping labels off the center pole. How do I remove them?
  The shipping labels can be removed with hot soapy water or WD-40. But the easiest way is to simply sand them off since the stair only comes with a prime coat and has to be painted anyway.
  
  
• Is there any welding involved in the installation of the stair?
  Absolutely not, our stairs are designed to install using just a few simple hand tools.
  
  
• Which set screw do I tighten first to level the tread?
  Tighten the top two set screws first and level the tread with the bottom two. Please refer to the installation video and manual for more information.
  
  
• Can I stand on the treads below while I build my Metal Spiral Stair Kit?
  No, you cannot. It is not safe to use the stair until all steps of the installation have been completed. You should use a ladder when working on the upper treads from the floor below.
  
  
• The sheet metal screws that are connecting my polyethylene handrail to the spindles have stripped in their holes. What can I do to fix this?
  You should not be using the sheet metal screws with the polyethylene handrail. You have to use the toggle wings and bolts supplied with the rail for installation. Please refer to your installation manual for more information.
  
  
• Do I put the spindles in the top, middle, or bottom of the slot in the treads?
  Most often the position is determined by your riser height. Otherwise, it does not matter as long as you maintain the same location for all of your spindles. This is done by measuring down from the top of the spindle to the nose of the tread to determine the height of the spindle above the nosing; this is the height that you must maintain throughout the installation. Please refer to your installation manual and video for more information.

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