C.O.R.S designs and fabricates custom staircases entirely in our Ontario workshop — steel stringer fabrication, hardwood tread milling and pre-finishing, railing component manufacturing, and a full workshop dry-fit before delivery. Every problem is solved in the workshop, not in your home.
What We Fabricate In-House
- Steel stringers: Mono-stringer and double-stringer systems in structural mild steel (HSS or wide-flange). Plasma cut, welded, ground, and powder-coated matte black as standard.
- Hardwood treads: White oak (standard), hard maple, or walnut — kiln-dried, milled to 38 mm or 44 mm specification, nosing-profiled, stained and topcoated.
- Railing systems: Steel posts and channel hardware for glass panel systems; steel posts and cable hardware for cable railing; powder-coated baluster panels.
- Handrails: Round steel tube (matte black standard) or white oak / walnut wood handrail profiles.
Fabrication Timeline
| Phase | Duration | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| Site measurement + design drawings | 1-2 weeks | Measurements, design, drawings issued for approval |
| Design approval + engineering (mono-stringer) | 1-2 weeks | Written approval, engineering review where required |
| Steel stringer fabrication | 3-5 weeks | Cutting, welding, grinding, powder coating |
| Hardwood tread preparation | Parallel to steel | Milling, profiling, sanding, staining, topcoating |
| Workshop dry-fit | 1-2 days | Full assembly confirmation before packaging |
| Delivery and installation | 1 day on-site | Permanent installation at your home |
Total from design approval to installation day: 4-8 weeks fabrication, plus any permit approval time.
The Dry-Fit Standard
Before your staircase is packaged and delivered, every component is assembled in our workshop. Tread-to-stringer alignment, railing post placement, glass panel fit, and handrail height are all confirmed. Any correction required happens in the workshop with full tooling available — not at your home on installation day. This is why C.O.R.S installations are predictable and typically complete in one day.
Quality Standards
- Tread thickness tolerance: +/- 0.5 mm
- Rise height variation (maximum OBC): 3 mm — C.O.R.S typical: 1-2 mm
- Steel stringer weld quality: no visible weld beads on powder-coated surfaces
- Tread finish: waterborne polyurethane, two coats satin, fully cured before delivery
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you fabricate in your own workshop, or do you source from a manufacturer?
C.O.R.S fabricates all steel stringer systems and hardwood tread components in our own Ontario workshop. We do not source finished components from a manufacturer and mark them up. Every element is built to the specific dimensions of your project from raw material.
How long does staircase fabrication take?
4-8 weeks from design approval for a standard residential project. Steel fabrication and hardwood preparation run in parallel. Rush fabrication reducing the timeline to 4-5 weeks is sometimes available.
Can I visit the workshop to see my staircase during fabrication?
Site visits during fabrication are accommodated on request. Contact your project manager to arrange a workshop visit at a stage when the staircase is assembled for review — typically during or after the dry-fit.
→ Start your project with C.O.R.S — free on-site consultation, written quote within 5 business days, full in-house fabrication.
Related: Learn more about our custom staircase services across Barrie and Ontario →