Simply Stairs: The Definitive Handbook for Stair Builders

I’m a firm believer in “you can learn something new every day” and this book has proven that, it’s a great read I’ve learnt quite a lot from just looking at the pictures but it covers everything you need to know about staircases from angles to building regs and different tools and materials it really is a great book. I would definitely recommend it to anyone learning all things stairs 👍🏻

I am a professional joiner who owns my own joinery workshop, and this book is "simply" fantastic! As you can see from the photos, we have made some tricky staircases with curved strings and handrails. This book gave me all the information I needed and more. Takes you through every process involved with making staircases. I couldn't recommend this book enough.

Having looked everywhere for a guide to building a staircase from scratch as part of a major house renovation project that I was undertaking, I came upon this book and thought I would give it a go. Having just spent the Christmas holidays making a oak winder staircase using only this book and quite a bit of previous wood working experience, I was able to construct a complicated staircase to a very high standard. The book covers every aspect of staircase design and construction and takes you step by step (pardon the pun) through each process with a wealth of detailed drawings and photographs.Every question that I had about the stair construction was answered in this book and I cannot praise the content and the presentation highly enough.I only wish I needed to make another set of stairs so that I can make further use of this excellent book!

Firstly one of a kind, older books are very confusing and official text for apprenticeship are not great. Clearly the work is one of a professional and experienced stair maker and builds confidence in what can seem a daunting joinery task.Weakness in the writing and pedogogy are a loosing of the methodical approach from the very first page. I would suggest this is because the author was cramming an awful lot of material into what is a small tome. It would be great to create two volumes which allowed for a slower paced development of ideas; setting out etc. For example the geometry of circular joinery. Again a more detailed (drawings) of the setting bout process would enrich the experience and build confidence, note the joinery edge and facing and pencil setting out is difficult to see on the page and some supplemental notes would suffice.However this is by far the most practical and honest production of joinery in stair making I have seen, and, I process a number of joinery books being a Carpenter of some thirty years. I would highly recommend this fine piece of work to apprentices, teachers and joiners et Al. The information has increased my knowledge (I'm not a stair maker) and I would have no hesitation in tackling any staircase.

I love this book. If you have ever tried to write down an explantion of a process that you know well, you will realise how difficult this is. Mark has managed to do this and make it look effortless. From start to finish, it covers the whole process in a lot of detail, with clear explanations and great pictures to back this up. I especially like the discription of jigs and how to use them.It not only covers the construction, but also the handrail fitting and repairing of existing staircases, so if you need any advice to do with stairs this is the book for you.As an additional bonus Mark is very active on Twitter and I have seen him giving advice freely to people struggling with a part of staircase construction or repair.

I run a successful building company in Harrow on the Hill North-West London, called London Building Renovation..I have an extensive library of building books. I purchased Mark's book on stairs, despite having fitted a sizeable number of staircases over the last 25 odd years.I felt my knowledge was not as good as it could be and thought I would buy the book to improve. With very happy consequences!On a recent project I had to design three staircases to a very awkward conversion from a Victorian two-storey church building to a four-storey domestic building.Without Mark's book can honestly say I would have cost myself thousands of pounds in wasted time. Perhaps, even incorrectly designed 3 tricky staircases. With Mark's book I was able to get around design issues and come up with a better, unique staircase for each floor. I was also able to have a much more informed discussion with my joinery company.The end result is that the client is exceptionally happy and impressed with all my work on the job. My knowledge has grown from when it was more than adequate for my business. I have been able to educate carpenters who work for me and I have used the book to give Toolbox talks to my men.As an added bonus I was overjoyed when I contacted Mark via Twitter to ask a particular question about a difficult dogleg staircase and he replied back almost immediately. I got some very practical help!.If you are interested in construction, you are working in joinery, you are keen capable DIY or self build enthusiast, this book must take pride of place in your joinery section. I cannot believe anyone would not learn something from it. It is clear, concise and well illustrated. A must have.