Renovating a 160 year old staircase

Continuing the Victorian house renovation, this is the staircase into the attic. Ive been putting this on the back burner for too long now, it was hard work but well worth it.
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[@cristhebearskitchen9296]

Let’s be honest, no one looked for this, it just popped up on our feed and we are thankful.

[@Terryg1968]

I was looking at wood table refinishing, so not much of a stretch . A lot closer than "car crash compilation". Lol

[@frenchyG]

Yup! lol

[@janmariebrunette-hunyady1386]

Me, too. Now I am going to have to spend my entire weekend binge watching New Yorkshire Workshop. My staircase is only 100 years old but believe me, I am going to be using that caulk trick for caulking between the painted riser and stained tread. Perfection. Looing forward to the handrail fabrication. Unfortunately here in the states, most areas have code that require a return on the end of the railing so your clothes do not get hooked on the handrail and cause you to fall. Great craftsmanship and nice editing on the vlog.

[@signalfire6]

From 'Glen and Friends' cooking, no less .... ???

[@taimaishublm]

this is an incredibly accurate comment. thank you for being so honest. haha

[@guyemmott4009]

No talking...or crappy music... Bloody fantastic... Thank you.

[@susanritchie4921]

A take pride in your work perfectionist.

[@paulward248]

hes from yorkshire most people wouldnt understand him your right though

[@NewYorkshireWorkshop]

wot thyonabart theesithy?

[@paulward248]

@@NewYorkshireWorkshopnaw then sithy thas done a reet job as the yorkshire war cry goes ow much?

[@Fran-jw1sr]

I totally agree I just love this type of filming.... I can't stand the videos which goes something along the lines of "and now I shall take this timber to the table saw,... and now I'm cutting the wood..."

[@fufuberry23]

"I threw this handrail together" Pulls out the most beautiful and majestic handrail i've ever seen.

[@sleazysquid4502]

Right?!

[@justanotherperson584]

Ever seen , true CRAZY LONG!

[@walterengler5709]

Oh this old handrail ... yeah tossed it together in my spare time between sandwich bites for lunch. LOL .. Watching him build that rail and getting the curves just right to match to the wall would be amazing.

[@justanotherperson584]

@nerdachi I didn’t.....I finished getting dressed!

[@crustycurmudgeon2182]

Yeah, and Michelangelo threw some paint at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel!

[@Auriflamme]

As a fellow perfectionist, this video was absolute gold. I love that you don't just rip up and get rid of the history, but rather you preserve it and renew it. Your work really is stellar.

[@Janpre2001]

I agree! I almost fainted when I saw him cut a piece out of the step and add a new piece just because there was a (what I consider) small chunk missing. Honestly, even though it came out beautifully, I would have left it for authenticity. After 160 years, there are bound to be some dings and scratches.

[@carolinejohnson22]

Ooh! Beautiful job.....I know what lll be watching from now on. Another plus is that there's no yapping or flapping arms.....

[@jeffkeogh1982]

"Mesmerised by a real brass tack" Classic Yorkshire. Great video

[@georgiafan6618]

You have patience and it pays off. Came out perfectly. Silent videos with no music and just written commentary is effective and a big relief.

[@nunosantos5376]

Second that

[@dismafuggerhere2753]

I'm about 100 times more impressed than i expected to be once i realised you weren't ripping the stairs out. lovely job! also... buy some knee pads

[@johncourtneidge]

Yes to knee pad pockets.

[@wendyyates8129]

I have seen this video and going to try my own strairs

[@woodworks371]

Definitely would say get some knee pads!! In 20 years’ time you’ll be grateful.

[@f0rgg13]

Hahaha

[@noire1001]

@@woodworks371 I wish I'd listened to my college teacher when he said exactly this... 20 years doing joinery without them and my knees make me feel like i'm 80 years old. I got some Dewalt work pants that have a knee pad pocket and its like kneeling on a cloud.

[@Angel_Ripoff]

Scraping all of that paint looked absolutely miserable! Your patience: admirable, the result: magical.

[@suemount6042]

It is but so satisfying

[@scottoldham7459]

From a painters perspective it looked absolutely toxic.

[@jonathanbuzzard1376]

@@scottoldham7459 Yep, personally I would have used some paint stripper to remove all the paint possible, because a house that age and it's chock full of lead. I used PealAway on my lead paint chocked staircase to remove basically 99.999% of the paint of the treads, risers, and stringers. I replaced the spindles because like its easier than stripping paint. My house has now been "de-leaded" :-)

[@stevebengel1346]

As a custom trim carpenter, I had a job a couple of years ago where the client had a home built in 1905 and wanted the staircase to be totally lead free; I took the easy route ( for me) and dismantled it totally and ran it through my drum sander in the shop and then finished up with sanding by hand and then re-assembling it. Absolutely gorgeous and the homeowner loved how it came out

[@edwardalamo2507]

Too much labor and time, spray can stripper.

[@catesby4788]

Just a pleasure to watch someone return something to its original beauty.

[@pebblesthecat3625]

"I did this before I went to work " My God man ! I thought this was your work ! Your such a professional at what you do, I thought renovating houses was your job. Mucho kudos to you sir.

[@randybowe3986]

Have been in building trades all my life, started with my granddad at age 10 or so. I take my hat of to you your a fine craftsman.

[@samjackson2868]

Yes I have a 154 year old house that needs someone like him 😊

[@randybowe3986]

@B W I used to have patience like this, the older I get just want it done, but I am working on that.

[@swissfloorings505]

👍

[@mariat.3961]

That railing is stunning, a work of art in itself!!

[@mirthenemrys]

that he 'just threw together'....

[@mariehud7382]

I would love to see the rest of the house... this was beyond outstanding..

[@MzVee106]

I agree, I've watched many and this by far is the best!!!

[@littlebird2573]

no shit music, no talking. amazing. absolutely everything i have ever wanted in a video.

[@gallopingg1]

BEING A PERFECTIONIST IS WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM THE BODGERS, BRILLIANT JOB/WORKMANSHIP. FROM SURREY

[@joshuaelliff2179]

Wow. The level of perfectionism here is something else.

[@lyssa489]

every single hairs standing up hearing that paint scraper *shivers* lol

[@stevecallachor]

Like fingernails on a blackboard a school???

[@lyssa489]

yes lol, just blast it with the sander or use some gel stripper maybe, to each their own i guess haha

[@Detroitblue]

I found that a heat gun and a scraper moves it along.

[@micbarker6256]

@@Detroitblue seconded, takes about a 10th of the time if you use a heat gun.

[@kalebmagnusson981]

That was a masterclass on how to do it right and beautiful. Amazing work my friend

[@sandyadams9446]

That's The way my Dad would have done it, to his eyes value.

[@decwbb]

this is the difference between a builder and a craftsman. good work!

[@helshabini]

This is stunning work. I admire you keeping all the original wood and giving it another 100 years of use. And chiseling out that repair in such an awkward position is a mark of true craftsmanship. Instant subscribe.

[@Djshew]

I told my wife that I was going to my office to order a pizza.......next thing I know I am watching 30 minute video on how to renovate stairs........I don't even have stairs.

[@davezeraschi7936]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@ThomasvonWelt]

😂👍🏻

[@anthonynelson2005]

If you go to x2 playback speed you don’t miss anything and can watch twice as many videos.

[@justanotherperson584]

Stopped while getting dressed. Yup, had to see this first. The craziest, longest and beautiful one piece railing I have ever seen. Definitely more important than getting dressed. And then it’s over. Beautiful job.

[@TwstedTV]

🤣🤣🤣 ROFL

[@trinawebber686]

This young fellow obviously takes a lot pride in his work and it shows. That handrail that he flung up is a beautiful piece of skilled work!

[@ethakis]

You gave that staircase more love than it has ever had in its whole life.

[@msheart2]

What an amazing and gorgeous restoration of your stairs. I love that you kept all of wood, the way you cut a piece to put in for the missing step tread, the dark treads with the white risers, really pops. Love it, you did such a beautiful job restoring the wood all around, the molding, And then that handrail, Superb!

[@robertfeller1672]

I am at a complete loss for words at the time and effort put into this stairwell restoration and beautiful workmanship as a result. Kudos to all the effort; it is a work of art!

[@xtrox69]

nonchalantly pulls out this elaborate, highly complicated and wonderfully polished railing. Love your sense of humor, man. Made me chuckle! Hope you show how you came about all those compound angles. Fantastic video!

[@jonathanking4107]

Your attention to detail sets you head and shoulders above the rest. Absolutely spectacular craftsmanship.

[@louiscecere5636]

You are amazing! My uncle in oswaldtwistle, Lancashire was an accomplished cabinet maker and carpenter. I live in the US and have been restoring period homes for years. I so appreciate what you do.

[@jamespyacek2691]

This is real craftsmanship. It's nice that he makes these videos about the work, and not about him.

[@robertross577]

Can’t believe I just spent 31 minutes watching this. Surprisingly relaxing and enjoyable, and the work is impressive!

[@erin656]

I've had my 140 year old main(!) stairs half finished for over a year now, so I watched this on the edge of my figurative seat. I think I finally can move forward with confidence. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@kylewallace8773]

I recently saw a video on "Killer Victorian Staircases" and this one definitely fits the bill! You have got to be very focused going up and down this one... and never carry anything in both hands! Beautiful work refinishing it.

[@meh.4161]

I'm going to have to look for that. After watching this I want to see more crazy staircases lol. I'm stunned that there was no hand rail before. I know nothing about Victorian houses so I am guessing that no handrails was just how it was then?

[@TeenDream888]

@@meh.4161 it was all about saving space, time and money when houses had to be built quickly and utilize as much space as possible. having a big staircase with wide treads (standard safety requirement today) was too costly and took up too much space back then, so they got away with super narrow stairways and even tinier stair treads.

[@cathrynrosencrans-etienne8294]

@Kyle Wallace, I saw that same video a few weeks ago & thought about it when seeing this video.

[@petrunak4579]

@@TeenDream888 The narrow stair cases were used by the servants.

[@TeenDream888]

@@petrunak4579 yes, in houses/manors. but many attached homes in England's major cities had tiny staircases squished to the side of each unit. it made a major headache when regulations were finally passed and people began upgrading their homes.

[@DennisDuboisLifeview]

That handrail is a true piece of art. You Sir are a craftsman in every sense of the word.

[@TheTsunamijuan]

Man this is one of those jobs that even at the start can feel overwhelming, but man it is a rewarding feeling to finish it.

[@stelsewhere11]

This is the 5th or 6th time i've watched this, i keep coming back to it. The craftsmanship is amazing and that handrail is stunning.

[@TJ-gm2uy]

Someone who’s not afraid of color beautiful job!

[@ptaylor4923]

Seriously. I am not a yellow fan, but this is a kind of tawny color that simply works there.

[@maxnex7676]

I would have not chosen this colour, I'm glad he did as it is perfect.

[@TheBluePenguin9]

Sounds like a Jordan Peterson influence. "people are terrified of color, they paint their walls beige"

[@jodyshepard9482]

Great attention to details! Bringing wood back to life-priceless

[@robfoster8228]

Superb, absolute masterclass, I'm a joiner cabinet maker with 35 years of experience and I recognize quality when I see it, looks damn good and thanks for the up load.

[@gregjones3660]

You're welcome

[@fabrigasan2150]

😂☂️

[@MKINDYR107]

You are welcome to come and give my house your TLC. You are a true craftsman and I admire you tenacity and attention to detail. I love detail and try my hardest to get it right no matter how much the effort. Bloody well done.

[@mariannaponikarovskaya5369]

Absolutely superb. I used the instructions in this video to renovate my very own, very bashed 110 year old staircase. I am no carpenter or DIY guru, but the end result exceeded all expectations. Thank you - from the heart!

[@mervinisrael]

Dude what you did was amazing & your work is immaculate. Excellent renovation! If this was on a talent show you deserve the golden buzzer!

[@benshields8797]

"I threw this handrail together."

[@BettySwollocks13]

:) Like ya do.

[@ps3shakes123]

I built it from wood from a seaman's chapel in Rhode Island.

[@epochgames3049]

The handrail that he just made but already has the old bracket spots on the wall?

[@darkviper62]

He fitted it previously then removed until paint obviously.

[@suttoncoldfield9318]

Yeh, knocked it up while waiting for the kettle to boil .... 27:00 accident alert!

[@DoktorHalloween]

Spectacular results. Very fulfilling to watch you work, the meticulousness' and attention are calming, and I learn much.

[@sandyadams9446]

A piece of art. Ou awesome.

[@jartotable]

Wonderful to watch a clever man at work. These comments below are hysterical. I too came on YT to look for removing paint on grade II listed panels and found myself watching stairs renovation. I dont have stairs either. So peaceful and satisfying to watch.

[@tracievanauken4421]

Thank you so much for making and sharing this video!! It has been invaluable in helping us to restore the 125 year old wood staircase at our home in Philadelphia. Preserving and restoring the original wood is important to us and we've struggled to find resources to show us how to do this. We are still mid project but we're so encouraged to move forward confidently now that we've watched your video (about 6 times so far).

[@eoingriffin11]

You have the patience of a saint. Beautiful result.

[@luckystars1632]

My husband can’t even restore a new roll of toilet paper in the bathroom. 🥴

[@Doxymeister]

Yup, mine couldn't even manage lowering the seat--even with gravity assist. :)

[@constancemiller3753]

Y'know, there are youtube videos for that sort of thing...🤫

[@IsabellaGentile]

@ch282 its just a joke tf

[@tenshi7art454]

Dump him and marry this guy

[@lorrainejacksmum8753]

Nor could mine so I left him lol ...useless he was ... Can you imagine having a husband that can do what he does ... did you see that bannister omg ...my head nearly fell off xx

[@g.e.boroush5176]

This was a joy to experience. Loved the peace & quiet along with the beautiful craftsmanship. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us.

[@ageorgiapeach9442]

I love to watch good carpenters doing their craft. So talented, patient, thorough. Wonderful video.

[@justanotherperson584]

Masterpiece. Honestly. Brilliant. When this auto played, I just jumped out of the shower. I stood in a towel till the end. I was cleanly vested!

[@catibree1]

The staircase is beautiful... and when this house is finally done, it will be magnificent. Well, done young man.

[@Icy_Spirit17]

Amazing! Gorgeous! I’m not sure what other words to use but your work is very mesmerizing and I absolutely love how you accentuated the stairs and managed to turn 160 year old stairs into modern styled stairway. Would definitely love to see more stuff like this

[@stevencjones5236]

LOVE watching a patient, deliberate craftsman! Beautiful work!

[@maxharvey165]

The scratching sound gave me so many chills down my spine 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

[@stejac51]

What can I say ...... very therapeutic ... nicely done !

[@elfielicata5686]

"I threw this handrail together" - whips out the nicest (and longest) solid handrail I've ever seen. Awesome work man.

[@generalohu7782]

You’ve just earned yourself another subscriber. The work you did in this video was both amazing and captivating!!

[@SloopyDog]

These stairs are the double of the stairs in my Victorian house. 150 years of bad painting and bodged woodwork have taken their toll. I have spent many hours scraping the layers of old paint and varnish off. I employed a so-called joiner to reinforce the treads and the risers on the top three large stairs. Unfortunately, he was not a joiner and he made them worse. Real tradesmen are very difficult to find where I live and there is not much choice. I ended up doing it myself, a difficult task for an eighty-year-old man. I am getting there but it is slow going. What we need up here in Northumberland is The New Yorkshire Workshop. They make it look easy and it is a fantastic job. Well done.

[@ChrisSche]

Its always nice to see quality work being done. A lot of youtubers take shortcuts nowadays.

[@cynthiasims8120]

Your a bad man, with some serious skills. I absolutely love it! You have the patience of a saint! I probably would have lost it, when you made a new piece for the lip! I'm very impressed!!!!🤩❤ Thank you, and I'm gonna try to do mine.🙄😳😉🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

[@dennisschock165]

Most people would start a job like that with a pry bar, great job man, beautiful work!

[@kennethgilbertdds7249]

I was worried this would go that way too. This is an exceptional result.

[@tardismole]

Nothing wrong with being a perfectionist, especially when you create a perfect end result. Loved the colour, too. When I was renovating my Yorkshire home, I had to have the old house tested for asbestos, arsenic and lead. It was a nightmare I hope you were lucky enough to avoid.

[@afc358]

I spent a good part of my apprenticeship on restoration projects like this. Absolutely loved it.

[@chuckemmorll2821]

So much hard work, the result of all that hard work is stunning, so tasteful!.

[@Vectorlover3]

There's no end to Alex James' talents! member of blur, cheese maker and now wood worker. Keep it up James!

[@edendavies9634]

Inspirational video. I have a very old staircase in an old Irish cottage. It has a few rotten bits, but I don’t want to rip it out, and have an out of place prefab staircase, as advised for cost and ease. I’m so happy I found this video as I now am buzzing with ideas on how to restore it. Marvellous video, love the noise of hearing you work rather than constant chatter or music! Off to watch some more. 😊

[@bettybare3320]

I love how meticulous you are. This shows how you love your work. Thank you for videoing the process, it turned out BEAUTIFULLY .

[@questionmark9819]

Love how you "threw" that stunning handrail together. Beautiful staircase.

[@carlakrachun9450]

Beautiful, and a real pleasure to watch because there was no annoying talking. I wish I could hire you to do my 120-year old staircases.

[@quinnabun1173]

You bring a whole new meaning to the word Perfectionist!!!!!😅

[@natakamitchell9996]

The patience you have and the master craftsmanship you exhibit is nothing short of amazing! This is by far the best restoration video I've ever seen! I can watch you all day! Thanks for sharing😊

[@helgeron4655]

Quite the little handyman to have in the house, that handrail is beautiful.

[@borge2014]

Been watching all videos in this series, this guy is incredible! He's a genius! 🙌🏽

[@jillnimmo3534]

Brilliant masterclass as I was losing momentum restoring similar aged staircase. Recharged and plenty to work on. Thank you!

[@lourdesbaby964]

Great that no background music was used 👍🏼 Just the satisfying sounds of a master at work 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@sutchristine]

Everyone else has said all the things I want to say so I'll just say this: I'm so happy I found your channel 🙌

[@talltimberswoodshop7552]

"Bloody perfectionist": as he works on the part of the stairs that everyone will look at every time they travel them, especially going up.

[@swissfloorings505]

👍

[@dawood121derful]

there's something so soothing about seeing anything restored IMHO, Beautiful job.

[@RalfOfBalcony]

This Attention to Detail is just mindblowing! 👍🤯

[@antonoat]

“Anything worthwhile isn’t easy” you certainly prove this old quote true and the end result is something to behold, fantastic!

[@Polecat54941]

Great job and refreshing to see restore rather than destroy and take a trip to B&Q

[@graciemaca6996]

The old staircase was quite a job. You went at it so patiently & methodically. In the end, you brought it back to its former days. It looks so glossy & magnificent! Your choice of wall paint is excellent, too. That homemade hand rail tops it all off nicely. At one point I noticed that beautiful arched window near the stairs, it's awesome! I love everything about this old Vic. Can't wait to see more of it.

[@raymondpesina8964]

Beautifully done. I'm working on a 105 year old staircase full of cracks and holes. If it comes out half as well as yours , I'll be so proud. Thank you for your video .

[@marvelinosoriohewlett7207]

Amazing workmanship. The stairs, handrail and walls look absolutely beautiful and the artwork you choose really compliments the amazing work you have done. Thanks for your video.

[@rubyleone8494]

WOW! Love your attention to detail and perfectionism

[@dcmat8455]

@Ruby Leone: “ Love your attention to detail … “. In today’s working environment almost everyone’s resume claims this attribute, however, when put to the test, most people fall short. IMHO…this craftsman goes beyond a “ Masters Class “💥 Here’s to a 🗣 Phd in Trade‼️ If he was on the same continent as I am and anywhere close to my neighbourhood, I could definitely see me lining up to work with him. Great dedication and patience ✔️

[@markhutton6824]

That is a work of art! Staggering results. I love the "threw the handrail together" and produces the most beautiful bespoke handrail. My wife would consider this a "weekend job".

[@JAdams-jx5ek]

Those Victorian stairs are a death trap. A nicely refinished death trap.

[@deninsrmic4165]

All the effort you delivered to making these stairs in such astonishingly beautiful design has definitely paid off. This alternation of old shabby and rickety stairs is really amazing. I have had similar undertaking on my Edwardian house although on much smaller area. I striped all the layers of paint from spindles, wall string, tread, riser, hand rail, base rail etc ( I think it was five or six of them painted one over the other) to the bare wood. This was last year but I didn’t come to paint them due to time pressure as I was unaware what colour or stain I should use for it. Your example has given me a lots of ideas now and I will continue it. Thanks for the video and well done.

[@jimspeed1388]

Listening to paint being scraper through headphones is torture. I'd confess to anything so yes it was me on the grassy noll that topped JFK! I was born in 1977.

[@nlbhaduri]

STUNNING WORK! Love the Indian Yellow, too!

[@smarthome2660]

The difference is night & day, absolutely beautiful. My home is 90 years old and this is exactly what I want to do with my stairway. Yours are solid where mine are noisy so I will need to rip out the plaster below and tighten up the risers and treads first.

[@kummiekins]

So glad for youtube algorithm for once! We’re about to redo the parquet floor in our bedroom and I’m thinking mahogany stain!

[@victoriamilonas1942]

These remind me of stairs in the Netherlands with so little tread that you felt like you had to go up & down on tiptoe.

[@gerhard6105]

Thats because we do not have so much space in our country. But there are regulations for about 100 years already. Maybe you was in a very old house. The upstep must be not bigger/ higher then 188 mm, where you put your foot/ step may not be smaller then 220mm. And maximum 37° ( degrees).

[@alexalexisalexy]

Oh my goodness, what an absolute brilliant video. I'm about to redo my stairs, and this was the inspiration and technical showcase I needed. Amazing channel, instant subscribe - thanks!

[@MrSnibo]

Can't believe that people still do such stairs renovations. Every house I've been doing thru last years had it carpeted. I have given up on this profession years ago. Is nice to see some ppl actually still do this :D

[@janeelizabeth6322]

Man of few words and an absolute craftsman! My Victorian stairs are only 135 years old but you have inspired me. Thank you for preserving history.

[@Dragonfly-LazyDynamite]

I loved how you restored the stairs & more. Since this was posted 2 years ago & you showed you had more stairs to renovate, did you ever get that all done? If so, please post that video. I have a set of stairs waiting to be finished. (My spouse passed away 4 months ago after starting the stairs.) Watching what you’re doing helps me learn. Thank you! ❤

[@nickp3173]

Also for anyone wondering why he silicones the treads then paints immediately after, it seals off the painters tape so you get perfect lines. Awesome trick!

[@lesley1848]

THanks for the tip

[@robertmurray1833]

Brilliant job, more patience than me.

[@nopriors]

Peace and quiet. Excellent craftsman enjoying the journey. Peace

[@samanthazeiger1553]

Wow. I'm speechless. The attention to detail is incredible. I hold your work is appreciated every time someone uses the stairs