Stair Mod for Cougar 325srx

[Maxzd]

With several different threads discussing stair mods I finally got motivated to do something about mine. Well, that and the recent RV show every nice staircase I saw had wood kick plates and some had storage drawers.

http://www.sabyland.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/20130216-210637.jpg

The typical one stair before picture in a cougar 325srx. Just a bad design, not easy on the legs for some in my family old and young alike.

Taking them out was easy, perhaps too easy. 3 screws and poor construction. Not surprised but explains the slight creak in the factory step. Well, only heard it when i walked on it LOL...

I discovered alot more wiring and plumbing than I expected. I would have to sacrifice a bit of storage but I can live with that. My idea was for the vacuum hoses and such, and anything else that might need a temporary home.

http://www.sabyland.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/20130216-205236.jpg

My goal was to claim back some of the space below the stairs for storage. I also felt that i could get two steps in comfortably using the entire space. 10" treads on both steps and a rise just shy of 7" each. With the wiring and the plumbing I had to frame out one side of the middle stair to give some breathing room.

I used 3/4″ one side oak finished plywood to build the entire staircase box. I build it outside the trailer and dropped it in. I used cherry wood panelling found at a local lumber yard for the kick plates. I reused the carpet from the original stair, along with some carpet underlay I kept from a few years back when we got new carpets in our house.

http://www.sabyland.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/20130216-205634.jpg

Still need to figure out hinges for the stair treads. My idea of using European hinges (just like kitchen cabinets) was a bust. I hadn't taken into account the thickness of the carpet, only realized after I tested the fit it wont work. I might stain the inside of the storage box at some point in the future, but its nice one side oak finished plywood so maybe leave it nobody will see it. I have a bit still to figure out with that top chrome kick plate and the wall moulding fit.

http://www.sabyland.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/20130216-205642.jpg

After several days invested I am pleased with the look and functionality. Looking at the new it's hard to remember the old single stair. The cherry panelling for the kick plates make it look much higher end. Walking up and down its very natural and comfortable. I'm not sure how come they don't do this from the factory in these units, with the right planning they could get a bigger tread too.

[dave-g]

what a great job. Looks better than factory!

[jsmith948]

Very nice! Nice that the layout of your RV allowed you to do the mod without the stairs sticking out into the doorway.

[Htfiremedic]

Nicely done. Can u send me some info on the step removal?

[Maxzd]

Nicely done. Can u send me some info on the step removal?

http://www.sabyland.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/image1-1024x594.jpg

Honestly I took a rubber mallet to the stair tread a few times with an upward swing. The stair tread is held on with staples probably 1 Inch, not much resistance. There was probably 8 in total around all three sides. The base is held by a screw or two on each side prior to carpeting so you might need to snap some of the plywood and remove the screw later. Less than a 5 minute process, I wasn't worried about keeping any of the pieces not that you would want to. There is much to these stairs two 3/8" plywood pieces and a 2x3.

Once the pieces were out, I removed the staples from the carpet one by one and reused those pieces for the new stair treads. Back was cut flush. Sides were folded 1" on each side so they have a nice edge and don't tear. I cut underlay to make an even look and feel on the tread. Front was wrapped around to the front kick plate as you can see in the picture with the treads up. I used 3/8" staples in an air stapler.

Worth the effort, the wood kick plates from cherry panelling makes the unit look way different. I was going to use wood stair treads I bought from a local plywood store but at $45 bucks each and having to stain them I changed my mind.

My 325srx stair total width is 30", and total height is 20 1/2", and i believe total depth was 18" to the corner molding on the interior wall. To make it simple you can google stair calculator when you have your own dimensions. There are several websites that you can key the measurements in and it will tell you what you need to do. I cheated on the bottom run (build 1/2" shorter than the top) so it would fit behind the wall corner moulding. The treads are both the same length though. These things are so strong compared to previous plus visually it's not noticeable..

[Maxzd]

Update...

http://www.sabyland.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/image2.jpg

I didn't like the look of the top tread being aluminum. I went to a flooring store and bought a transition piece. After testing s couple of different stains, a cedar colour stain was actually the best match.

After 3 coats of stain, and 4 coats of clear varnish, I cut the piece carefully 30" wide. After dry fitting I realized the overhang was a bit too shallow. Several trips to the table saw and I removed a saw blade at s time until I was comfortable with the depth.

I ended up using P&L premium versus nailing the strip. After all the effort to stain I wanted it to look its best. See for yourself, looks like a spot on match for the cherry wood paneling!

[theeyres]

Very nice! I wish I had thought of that in our Arctic Fox (now for sale). It did have the storage but was only one step and the two levels were not even the same height so it took some time to get used to going up them. The extra step would definitely have been easier for us old guys.

[kthycrft]

any ideas on how to install a hand rail at these difficult stair steps?

[bdaniel]

Dang I replaced the stairs in my 325SRX also. They sucked. I will get some photos up soon.

Bobby