Prefabricated stairway and method

Abstract

A fiber reinforced plastic stairway has a pair of laterally spaced apart elongated stringers adapted to be disposed between levels of the building and a plurality of integral riser surfaces and integral tread surfaces extending between said stringers so as to form steps. A plurality of individual preformed tread members are fastened on the tread surfaces.

I claim:  
     
         1 . Stairway, comprising a pair of laterally spaced apart elongated stringers adapted to be disposed between levels of the building and a plurality of integral riser surfaces and integral tread surfaces extending between said stringers so as to form steps, said stringers, riser surfaces and tread surfaces being formed as one-piece of plastic material.  
     
     
         2 . The stairway of  claim 1  including a plurality of individual preformed tread members fastened on the tread surfaces.  
     
     
         3 . The stairway of  claim 1  including a joist attachment member disposed in a laterally extending channel formed integrally on the rear side of a topmost riser surface between the stringers.  
     
     
         4 . The stairway of  claim 3  wherein said fastening member is a wooden member received in said channel.  
     
     
         5 . The stairway of  claim 3  wherein said channel is formed in-situ about said fastening member.  
     
     
         6 . The stairway of  claim 1  wherein each stringer includes a first upstanding wall and a laterally extending wall.  
     
     
         7 . The stairway of  claim 6  wherein said laterally extending wall includes receptacles formed integrally therein to receive handrail support posts.  
     
     
         8 . The stairway of  claim 6  wherein each stringer further includes a second upstanding wall extending upwardly from said laterally extending wall.  
     
     
         9 . The stairway of  claim 6  wherein each stringer further includes an outermost wall that extends downwardly from said laterally extending wall.  
     
     
         10 . The stairway of  claim 9  wherein a cover panel is fastened to a lowermost edge of said outermost wall.  
     
     
         11 . The stairway of  claim 6  wherein a reinforcing gusset is disposed between said first upstanding wall and said laterally extending wall.  
     
     
         12 . The stairway of  claim 1  wherein said plastic material comprises one or more outer filled resin layers and one or more inner fiber reinforced filled resin layers applied on the outer filler resin layer(s).  
     
     
         13 . The stairway of  claim 12  wherein said one or more outer filled resin layers each comprises a synthetic resin and mineral particles and said one or more inner fiber reinforced resin layers each comprises a resin, mineral particles and chopped fibers.  
     
     
         14 . The stairway of  claim 1  wherein said tread surfaces are configured to include an integral reinforcement.  
     
     
         15 . The stairway of  claim 14  wherein said integral reinforcement comprises a rib extending along a length of each tread surface and having a concave cross-sectional configuration residing below a plane defined by said tread surface.  
     
     
         16 . The stairway of  claim 2  wherein said preformed tread members comprise an outer ceramic filled gelcoat layer and a fiber reinforced filled resin layer under said gelcoat layer.  
     
     
         17 . The stairway of  claim 2  wherein said preformed tread members include an integral bull nose that depends downwardly to overlap the adjacent riser surface located therebelow.  
     
     
         18 . The stairway of  claim 2  wherein said preformed tread members include a plurality of fasteners and said tread surface includes a plurality of holes to receive a respective fastener.  
     
     
         18 . The stairway of  claim 18  wherein a lower surface of each said preformed tread member includes a plurality of pilot protrusions that are received in a respective one of said holes in said underlying tread surface.  
     
     
         20 . The stairway of  claim 18  wherein said fasteners include an enlarged fastener head captured in each tread member and a threaded shank received in a respective hole of said tread surface.  
     
     
         21 . The stairway of  claim 18  wherein said fasteners each include an enlarged fastener head captured in said landing member and a threaded shank received in a respective hole of said landing surface.  
     
     
         22 . In a building having an upper level and a lower level, a prefabricated stairway disposed between said levels and comprising a pair of laterally spaced apart elongated stringers fastened at an upper region to a joist of said upper level and a plurality of integral riser surfaces and integral tread surfaces extending between said the stringers so as to form steps, said stringers, riser surfaces and tread surfaces being formed as one-piece of plastic material.  
     
     
         23 . The stairway of  claim 22  including a plurality of individual preformed tread members fastened on the tread surfaces.  
     
     
         24 . The stairway of  claim 22  including a joist attachment member disposed in a laterally extending channel formed integrally on the rear side of a topmost riser surface between the stringer sections.  
     
     
         25 . The stairway of  claim 24  wherein said attachment member is a wooden member received in said channel and fastened to said joist.  
     
     
         26 . A method of making a stairway, comprising spraying plastic material on a mold surface to form a one-piece stairway comprising a pair of laterally spaced apart stringers and a plurality of integral riser surfaces and integral tread surfaces forming steps, independently forming a plurality of preformed tread members, and fastening a respective one of said preformed tread members on a tread surface of said stairway.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein said plastic material comprises an outer filled resin layer is provided on said mold followed by providing a plurality of fiber reinforced filled resin layers on said filled resin layer.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein said outer filled resin layer comprises a synthetic resin and mineral particles and said inner fiber reinforced resin layer comprises a resin, mineral particles and chopped fibers.  
     
     
         29 . Combination of a stairway having a plurality of treads made of a material selected from the group consisting of wood, metal, and concrete and at least one preformed tread member comprising plastic material fastened on at least one tread.  
     
     
         30 . The combination of  claim 29  wherein the tread member has a color that is different from the steps.  
     
     
         31 . The combination of  claim 29  wherein the tread member is fastened on a worn or damaged tread of said stairway.  
     
     
         32 . A method of repairing a worn or damaged tread of a stairway made of a material selected from the group consisting of wood, metal, and concrete by fastening a preformed tread member comprising plastic material on said tread.