# Forum Home Renovation Stairs, Steps and Ramps  Stringers for open staircase.

## cas

Hi guys. 
I'm building an open internal staircase and was wondering what material and size timber is needed for the stringers. I was thinking about using lvl's, but the guy i spoke to at the local timber yard said you can't check out more than a quarter of the size. Therefore i'd have to buy ones 600 wide which is a very big bit of timber. So what has everyone used and what is recommended? 
Thanks.

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## goldie1

He would have been talking about the thickness not the width.

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## cas

> He would have been talking about the thickness not the width.

   He was talking about the width. As in i would need something 3400 long by 600 wide and 50mm thick. I want to use an open stinger or cut stringer, cut out for the rise and run of the stairs rather than route out the sides of the stringer to accommodate the treads and risers.

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## intertd6

just use the narrower material but laminate the width of the stair, would need to have a engineers certification as it would be outside the norm.
regards inter

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## Angel13

We've just finished our open staircase in our new house and we used a steel stringer and treads for it. The treads were then covered with custom made white acrylic treads. We wanted to created a floating affect and I think we have been able to achieve it. You can check out the photos in the link below (if you want). I'm really happy and excited about how they have come up.   Safer floating staircase | Hammer & heels 
Angel

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