Yet more stair details

All the details put together are shown here, complete with root flare cedar posts, the twisters and ET!

This is one of the white pine stringers, now aged all of two weeks.  The view is from the underside of the stairs. We will leave the bolt holes exposed on the stringers for another year and then they will be tightened and plugged. Note in this picture the rough finish that we left for character on the back sides of the stair treads. We will be able to put the finish on the underside of these treads and the stringers in a year.

The next photo shows the tenon joinery and lag bolt plugging at the corner newel post, which is one of the "root flare" cedar pieces.  It is shimmed off the floor by 3/4 of an inch because that is the gap needed to put the finish flooring under it.  We still have rough cut oak and black cherry planking stored in one of the sea containers, finishing it for flooring will be a future job.

For the top and sides of the stringers, Bob has been busy doing progressive sanding from 80 to 120 grit.  The top and sides will be treated right away with a water based clear polyurethane floor finish for protection because the floor treads are already well seasoned and dried (for four years in air drying).  This picture shows the top side of a black cherry stair tread with the "custom" cherry wood plugs in place and a sample of the finish coat options.  The clear finish we selected to use is the "band" in the middle.  Black cherry does not take stain very well, it tends to show in a blotchy manner - so using a clear finish and letting nature take its time to deepen the colour is what is recommended.