Andrew Yeckel > Stories > Basement stairwell shelves

Basement stairwell shelves

I forgot to take a picture before demolishing it, but there was a cement ledge in our basement stairwell, crudely built by stuffing loose mortar into some wood framing and topping it with a layer of cement. We had been using the ledge for food storage, but its surface was uneven and cracking apart, making it awkward to stack things on it, so I decided to rebuild it as a wood shelf.

This picture was taken after I removed the cement, mortar, and some of the framing, which reveals the top of the foundation wall. I've attached some blocks of 2x8 lumber to the old framing. The old framing is full dimensional lumber from 1908, larger than nominal 2x8 lumber today, so I am using some shims as furring strips to make it work. This issue comes up frequently when repairing an old house.

The next picture shows the completed framing. The old framing was built from two shorter scraps of wood that were out of alignment with the foundation wall. It was all very crooked, and it reduced a 25 inch opening to a 24 1/2 inch opening in the stairwell, which is a big deal when you are trying to move a large appliance down there. The new framing is straight, plumb, and level.

I sprayed foam insulation into the framing (this is an outside wall), and repaired the plaster wall.

I attached the new shelf with countersunk screws.

The next picture shows how I fitted the shelf under the plaster wall, rather than against it. I did this because the wall bows outward in the middle of the shelf. I don't have the tools or skills to cut the shelf in a curved shape, and a straight cut would have left awkwardly large gaps between shelf and wall at the ends. My approach leaves a narrow uniform gap below the plaster, which I filled with flexible caulk.

This window below the shelf has always had a gap in the framing above it. Our temporary solution, plugging it with insulation, worked for 25 years, but was too ugly to remain. I covered the gap using some garden stakes I found in our garage. They were the perfect length.

The completed project.

The view coming up the stairs.

In the next installment, I show you what I learned as I moved further into the basement. Curiosities abound in a house of this era. We've lived here for 25 years yet continue to discover new things about it.