Project for Cabell Hall Staircas
Sils Construction of Lexington, Virginia, asked me to consult on the feasibility of re-using salvaged granite
for a new staircase at Cabell Hall. The material was taken from an existing concrete retaining wall faced
and capped with granite, seen below, and from a set of stairs the treads of which may be seen in the last
two thumbnails below, click on them to see full size.
Analytic Inventory of Salvaged Granite at Cabell Hall Project
For 14 steps 50 feet wide with step treads at 13 ¼ inches by 1 ¼ with risers
At 5 ½ inches by 1 ¼ inches there would need to be 700 running feet of both risers and step treads.
The following tabulation itemizes the salvaged pieces now on site by size in descending order according to longest length. The pieces on site were removed from an existing structure that included a concrete retaining wall faced and capped with granite and matching staircase in solid, full dimension granite step treads. Therefore the resulting salvaged material is a mix of the various decorative granite components of the old structure now demolished. The purpose of the following analysis is to determine if there is enough salvaged granite, in the various sizes and shapes indicated in the tabulation, to re-saw and re-surface for use in a new staircase of 14 steps 50 feet wide.
Based solely on dimensional analysis of the salvaged granite now on site, it seems probable that there is enough material to accomplish this purpose. However, because of the large size and weight of the salvaged granite pieces it was not possible during our preliminary walk through to examine each and every piece in the several stacks of pieces.
It was, nevertheless, evident that in the process of demolition some damage has occurred so that there are chipped edges and spawled corners. It is also possible that there may be some cracking that might result in fragmentation during sawing or surfacing.
Running feet:
Step Tread Riser
76-84 x 13 3/8 x 5 ½ 12 pieces 234
67 x 42 x 4 6 99
67 x 21 x 6 8 128 128
66 x 18 x 6 1 128
64 x 13 3/8 x 3 7/8 1 10
56 x 11 ¾ x 2 7/8 7 63
50 x 13 3/8 x 3 7/8 2 16
50 x 28 x 3 ¾-4 4 32
45 x 21 x 7 ¾ 2 28 28
43 x 32 x 3 ¾ 2 35
42 x 28 x 3 1/8 35 245 or 980
40 x 21 x 6 5 45 45
34 x 21 x 6 1 7 7
30 x 14 x 5 4 28
28 x 23 ½ x 3 4 16 16
Total running feet step tread not including 42 x 28 pieces 739
Total running feet riser not including 42 x 28 pieces 354
