Stairwell Room Addition

Falling down the stairs...

After months of describing a little, putting it down, describing more, putting it down again, and repeat, I've finally finished a semi step by step tale of  how the room addition in our stairwell came about. It ended up far wordier than planned; merely skimming through the photos alone will give a good idea of how it was done sans measurements, materials description, and other details.

Many a times I spent long moments staring up at all that empty space in the stairwell and thinking "Hmmm... If I took out the ceiling there'd be enough room for a whole 'nother room up there" That began even before we bought the house and had the foundation fortified and lifted back up to level. It began even before I thought of doing the ceiling remodel, and the you wouldn't know there's a secret Ann Frank room behind that wall or would even find the door without storage room addition that I've yet to write about.  Visions of this one came before all of that. The decision to get started on this one all began with a fall down the stairs.

It was early February, 2019. I swear I wasn't looking at the iPad I was carrying no matter what my wife says! I wasn't  consciously walking down the stairs either though. It was more of an absent minded step too far forward that became somewhat of a controlled fall till  landing on my keister and my knee busting through the drywall at the U-turn halfway down.

"Dang it!" I said. Okay I thought I said that, but all the kids heard it and said "Ooohh you said 'Shit!'" so maybe I said something else.  They have an uncanny ability to not hear me say "clean your room" while standing right next to them but can hear me whisper a cuss word from two blocks away. 

The result was a hole in the stairwell wall and a day or two of looking at it all busted up and even uglier'n before was all it took. I asked my wife "You mind if I tear out a piece of the wall there" and she replied "いいよう” (ii yo - Nah that's fine). She really is that awesome. And so it began.

Truth be told I'd been wanting to pull off the sheetrock in the stairwell for forever and a day.  For all my praise of Japanese carpenters and their fine workmanship; about how clean the notches are in the post and beam construction, I've gotta say the guys who built this house really blew it when it came to hanging the drywall.  In their defense I doubt they'd done much of it.  Back when this house was built was around the time drywall was just starting to become more common in home construction in Japan I think.  Prior to that interior walls were like the ones in our tatami room--1/4" thick panels that slide into slits between the 4x4 posts with horizontal 1/2" slats every couple of feet for stiffness.  

American influence or what I don't know but they started using sheetrock. This house was built in the traditional Japanese way--post and beam notched together with grooves running the length of the 4x4 posts to slide in the wall panels as mentioned above.  Nowadays some new houses are all drywall with no traditional exposed post rooms. This one was built 25 to 30 years ago in what apparently was a transition to drywall covered walls construction era. All the walls in this house sans the tatami room are covered with sheetrock but there isn't solid backing in the corners like on homes I framed in California.  For corners without a post there two 2x4s are nailed perpendicular to each other lengthwise, which creates a long L shape for backing on each side of interior corners.   Here, however, the 4x4 post was often placed so just the corner is in the corner, so they sheet-rocked one length of wall then nailed extremely small dimension strips of wood over the top of the sheetrock for backing on that wall that runs perpendicular to it. 

Maybe that was fine for a few years, but after 25 years of the house slowly sinking then getting lifted back up to level the walls in the stairwell looked like hell. The heads of some nails had poked out and joints between two sheets had buckled leaving big bulges in the wallpaper. Again. It looked like hell. Thus my wanting to fix it, but why just fix what's broken? Why not create something new?

Here's how it went start to finish...

view looking down into stairwell when we moved into the house in 2012

After getting green light from wife to start removing sheetrock I decided to start with removing the half-wall to get a better idea how I was going to proceed. So goes design as you go! the piece nailed across the top is estimating upper floor height.

Next started removing sheetrock in the stairwell.
The controlled fall hole in wall was lower right

I made use of old California framer non-OSHA approved scaffolding and protective footwear. Badges? We don't need no stinking badges! Or safe scaffolding or shoes. Whatever. 

Underside view of scaffolding from below and same view after floor joists went in with building inspector looking on from above

1/2" plywood sheeting on back wall (there will be no more putting knee through wall in future falls down stairs) like with the living room I used plywood for earthquake reinforcement. Side note I started noticing plywood sheer walls in all new home construction here after the 3/11/2011 Tohoku mega quake. That's been California building code for at lest going back to 1990s (my framing days). Anyhow so top view of all of 14 sq foot of new floor--just enough clearance to open door inward--and started to estimate ceiling height for the soon to be "tunnel" that will become of the stairwell.

Floor sheeted and a 3x6' wall panel installed on west wall (3x6 is Japan version of 4x8 plywood sheets in US) to strengthen upper and lower wall connection.

Estimating stairwell tunnel ceiling height on east wall (below left) and top happy glue view of step/floor going in. The most difficult part was deciding head clearance in stairwell. I ended up making it so a  6'2" or maybe six-foot-three tall person can walk upstairs without bonking head at the low point where it turns. If 6'4" or taller then sucks for you watch your head. We're all short here! 

Center post extended getting ready to put in one more level of "floor" and sheet the east wall after relocating outlets and allowing artists to complete inner wall time capsule artwork

One more level of floor done.  New arrival Lucy cat getting acquainted with her new domain.

First section of upper level floor, final section of stairwell ceiling, post at upper landing and frame in place rake wall with built in shelf in lieu of perimeter blocking. All of the lumber save for a couple sheets of plywood and 2x4s was gifted to me. Most of the cost went for hardware (metal straps and ties) ,nails and screws, stain and plaster. The floor sections are 1 & 1/4"  thick glulam boards (upper section is 24w" x 8') and 45 degree ceiling over stairs is 1"x3'x6' laminated board that are $100 a pop here so grateful for the gifted wood.

Framing stairwell ceiling sections as needed (below). The 1/4" x 16" pieces of paneling were also gifted to me by a friend of my in-laws. The widow of the capenter who built their house passed away some years ago she gave away all remaining building materials and some tools before cleaning out his shop. I came away with well over $1,000 worth of lumber, a couple of doors (one used on this project and one beautiful solid oak I'm saving for future entryway remodel). The piece I used as a post at the upper landing is actually a hardwood glulam. It's finished on two sides and made to be horizontal exposed beam above step in traditional Japanese home entrances but served as an excellent post here.

View into backside of bedroom "oshi-ire" (big Japanese closet)before and after removing floor so I could put in a stronger one level with the rest of the floor. 

Same view from further back--closet floor finished and hallway ceiling almost finished. First section of upper level floor is in.

I took about two weeks off to take the kids to visit family in California in the end of March, 2019. While there I picked up some hinges, a light fixture and a two dollar doorknob at Habitat for Humanity recycle store.  Love that place!

Close up of $2 doorknob I got at Habitat for Humanity recycle store in Clovis. Obviously not made for this door nor this door it but improvise, overcome, adapt--make it work and work well it does!

One side of bedroom closet space was reduced from one center 3' deep shelf to four 11" deep shelves then I walled it off with like new old T&G paneling boards I bought from carpenter up the road for 1,000 yen ($10) a box of 20. Staying in budget very important! 

 Stairwell ceiling finished beginning to apply plaster to new and improved earthquake resistant walls. 

View from the bedroom showing how much closet space remains on the left, most of the space behind doors on right is in new room. Getting ready to reduce upper closet space by 1/2 in order to add 12 more square feet to new room upper floor area. 

View into attic space that will soon be the new room. This photo was taken from top of closet in photo above. 

Framing in new closet ceiling (the old was 1/8" plywood I replaced with 1/2" and rear wall at half the original depth.  

View from opposite side my son sitting on the new improved stronger closet ceiling. 

View from new room just inside door looking up into attic after removing some of the ceiling

This is the East side (opposite side of bedroom closet) I planned to put some recessed shelves here so decided to drop the bathroom ceiling about a foot, which meant I'd have to do away with the vent fan but oh well just change the switch from facing into the bathroom to facing the other way (into new room) and run the fan wiring into an outlet in the new room as well.  Luckily the ceiling was small enough I could just pull the nails, cut the sheetrock, remove the trim and lower it intact. Oh yeah and I decided to lower it 13" instead of a foot. Why? I didn't know either, but found out a couple days later.

As with all of my projects this was an hour here a few there between classes and when lucky a full day on weekends so oftentimes students in adult classes would ask about it (tearing out one's ceiling was quite interesting for many of them). So one day a really cool guy in a business English class told of having to clean out his deceased parents' house before having it demolished, which is often done before selling land in Japan since people would rather buy an empty lot than a lot with an old house on it. I know, crazy! 

I asked him if I could have the shoji doors. After checking Yahoo Auction for Ranma (transoms) I decided I'd just build my own but I needed nice small dimension wood and that can get very pricy so "Hey, Shoji door wood would be perfect" I thought. He said there were six of them I could have them all. Sweet!
That weekend I went to get them only to come away with likely an 80 to 100 year old three piece "kiri tansu" as well as a solid wood table I ended up using as part of the climbing wall.   This was my haul--shoji doors on left, three pieces of "kiri tansu" center and table with folding legs on the right.

Since the tansu (dresser) was three pieces I thought I could use one section instead of built in shelves in the space over the bathroom ceiling.  "Shoot if only I'd have known sooner I could have made the opening so it'd be an exact fit." Okay so get it home break out the tape measure to see how far off the opening is, check the opening it's 23 1/8 and the height of the tansu is...
22 7/8"!
Are you kidding me!  1/4" of play is exactly what I'd have given myself and turned out exactly what I needed. So this, my friends, is yet more proof that when you're on your own path doing what you're supposed to be doing in this life God will  help you along the way. 

Below is antique kiri tansu installed in it's custom made without me even knowing it spot. Ah let's drop the ceiling 13" instead of a foot. Why? I don't know just seems like a good idea. HAA! Lucky 13! 

Back to the other side over the closet I decided to put one of the other three sections of kiri tansu on there (thus needing a stronger ceiling since it's a shelf now too) 

As you can see there's a beam there though. I hated to notch the back of such a beautiful paulownia wood cabinet it still blows me away he was going to haul them to the dump but oh well needs to be done to fit right so let's pull the nails so I don't hit any with my saw blade and...

No nails! All wood dowels freak'n beautiful craftsmanship. 

And now back to the main part of the room  everything still flowing perfectly some cool Canadian friends recently took down their homemade climbing wall and asked if I'd like the handholds. Would I!?! So no need to build a ladder how to get up to the top level problem officially solved. 

I printed one of my photos of Mt. Fuji in two halves on A4 paper  then used it as a pattern for the Mt. Fuji shaped part of wall

 That's the table in the center it was a door with storage space on backside but has since been remodeled and plastered and there's the Mt. Fuji on top because it just wouldn't be a climbing wall without an exact scale replica of Mt. Fuji! 

The increase in square footage at the second floor (not counting above second floor new "floor" platforms) is 20 sq ft--just enough clearance to open the door and put in a small desk (shelf) and chair in a cubby hole so I can sit and type. I was going to leave a bookcase in the room I moved out of (what is now oldest boy's room) but decided no I'll resize it and put it in here only to...  
Well, see here.

Photo below shows hallway ceiling looking up from bottom of stairs (left) and from U-turn middle of stairs.

View from the hallway looking up into main upper section of room  over door (left) and top of hallway ceiling (right) before beginning  work on the Ranma (transom)

As stated one of the most difficult things about the whole project was deciding height and design of floor/hallway ceiling since increasing or decreasing height of one affected the other. End result was one BIG step so I decided to frame in a little angled storage space there and put climbing holds on it as steps.  The hole in the wall behind it is for access to the attic under the downstairs roof. 

Pre room addition view end of 2017

Room addition same view 2019

Another reason for adding the angled wall there was I thought it wouldn't hurt as bad as hitting a corner if a kid fell from the climbing wall. 

I had just enough of the paneling boards I used in the hallway ceiling to cover the upper ceiling and made a little me-designed lampshade to go around the socket mounted on bottom of ridge beam. 

Jumping ahead here but the light that was in the center of stairwell ceiling got moved into the hallway (top) and I ran wiring for another light in the corner of the stairwell at the turn and built a cover for it out of leftover pieces of shoji door.

Ceiling and wall paneling done, transom is started and Lucy cat inspecting the progress in her new room as a cat likes to do. 

The square shelf behind Lucy and the 45 angled piece on the left are hiding braces that I didn't want to take out lest I regret it when the next giant mega quake hits!

I could add another 573 photos of transom work but this has gone on long enough so here's a collage showing start to finish.  This was the most tedious and joyful part of the project there's 6 shoji doors worth of small dimension wood in it.  The small wavy pieces in the center of each side are hand carved pieces form a shoe rack (another treasure taken from the house that was to be demolished) the cat peephole was an afterthought and got Lucy's stamp of approval.

One more shot of the reason for putting in the hole

It turned out there's just enough room to hang the hammock in there, which the cat approves of as well. 

Inside view of transom (below). I reinforced top of hallway ceiling so it's strong enough to hold a bookcase (right mostly out of view), a cat, and whatever else I decide to put there.

In recent months I changed up the climbing wall a bit--changed the hardwood door into a permanent angled wall to open it up a bit more for better air flow up there then plastered the wall. Initially there was the door with storage space on back like this

But that got old after a while I tired of having to open a door to get to the tansu (dresser) behind it so made some changes. Hindsight 20/20 I left the diagonal brace in until a couple weeks ago when I finally tired of moving around it so nailed the shit out of it into/cut if off flush with the top of the beam that supports the upper floor.  I used a good piece of cypress for that beam, clipped it to 4x4 posts with A35s and nailed off the sheer wall 3" on center into it so with that wall now a sheer wall running first floor to uppermost 4x4 in roof. 

Carpenter logic tells me it's just as strong if not stronger than it was with no plywood and a single diagonal brace. That said I put in a shorter cypress diagonal brace from post at bottom of upper floor level to upper beam, nailed it off into the sheer wall and fastened it to both post and beam with A35s just for safe measure.  I also put a climbing handhold on the new brace (at climbing girl's left hand in photo below), stained Mt. Fuji green and gave it a white snowy summit.  

 I added a bit more climbing wall surface below by making a 4 1/2" wide wall that sets in the windowsill and doubles as book, magazine or whatever storage and is plastered on one side to match.

I resized the removable middle floor platform it now hides nicely away in the cubby hole when not in use. I plastered the attic access door to match the rest of the wall painted a zen circle on it, which I find quite aesthetically pleasing. Photo below shows middle floor platform with and without removable floor.

Yet more little storage spaces; this is under the platform behind my head in second photo below. The drawer was made in Germany I salvaged it from a like-new home before it got demolished to make room for a new road or something? The same home that I got the tile roofing that's now on my shed. The other little storage spaces are open in photo on right and closed in the one on the left below.

Full view of spacious main office (left). HAA! And right is what you see over left shoulder when sitting at desk. Walls plastered, shelves painted to match inside trim around door, hooks for backpacks under bottom shelf and lots and lots and lots of knick-knacks! 

View into top and bottom levels.

That's pretty much it. Oldest boy child is happy in his new room and me happy too in one of the funkiest man caves in all of Japan. You just never know what a fall down the stairs will lead to!