Thread: Cellar stairs construction

I’ve had a cellar built under my new extension and need to get some stairs set up. The access is via a trapdoor (approx 1200 long and 800 wide) in kitchen floor and currently I’ve just got a ladder down to the floor of the cellar. The overall height from cellar floor to the underside of the floorboards is approx 2800.

I don’t think I’ve got the room to set up a flight of stairs which fully complies with the BCA rules for tread and riser dimensions as this wouldn’t give enough head height. Therefore I’d be looking at something more like a loft ladder which I’d hopefully be able to get past the building surveyor.

Given that it has to be simple (and cheap), I’m looking at a getting a couple of pine stringers and using the same material for the treads (it would be open treads). So the questions:

• Any suggestions on what thickness timber for the stringers and the treads?
• Can I just use steel brackets to hold the treads to the stringers? For the brackets I was thinking of getting some angle iron and cutting to lengths
• I’ve seen a lot of similar stairs with steel rods running under the treads holding the stringers together – this could be as well as or instead of the brackets- are these necessary?
• Would I need to make a rebate in the stringers to slide the treads into or would the bracket be sufficient?

thanks
hJ