Staircase Fabrication in Barrie, Ontario — Workshop-Built to Engineering Specs
All C.O.R.S staircase components are fabricated in our Barrie, Ontario workshop — steel stringers cut and welded to P.Eng engineering specifications, hardwood treads milled to exact width and nosing profile, railing systems fitted to glass or cable templates. Nothing is assembled on-site for the first time.
What Gets Fabricated in the Workshop
Steel Stringer Fabrication
Every C.O.R.S steel stringer is cut from ASTM A500 Grade C hollow structural steel (HSS), welded to the designed cross-section, tread bracket plates welded at each step position, and ground smooth before powder coating. Tolerance on tread bracket position: ±1mm. The stringer is fabricated to exact length — from the top anchor plate to the bottom anchor plate — so it drops into your rough opening without trimming or adjustment on-site.
Powder Coat Finish
After fabrication, all steel components are cleaned, primed with an epoxy primer, and powder-coated in the specified colour. Standard is matte black (RAL 9005 or equivalent). Custom colours available at a 15-20% cost premium. The powder coat cure temperature (180–200°C) creates a finish far more durable than paint — resistant to scratching, chipping, and humidity. Touch-up rattle-can in the matched colour is included with every installation.
Hardwood Tread Fabrication
Treads are sourced from Ontario/Canadian hardwood suppliers, kiln-dried (7–9% moisture content), and graded before milling. Each tread is cut to exact width and length based on the stringer design, nosing profile milled to 10mm radius (OBC compliant), and sanded to 180-grit. Treads are delivered to your home 72 hours before installation for acclimatization.
Glass and Cable Railing Fabrication
Glass panels are templated from the installed stringer (after workshop dry-fit) and ordered from our glass supplier — each panel cut to exact dimension with polished edges. Base shoe extrusions are cut and drilled to the panel layout. Cable railing posts are welded, drilled, and fitted with swaged cable end fittings in the workshop.
Workshop Dry-Fit and Load Test — The C.O.R.S Standard
Before delivery, every C.O.R.S staircase is fully assembled in our workshop:
- Stringer positioned and levelled on assembly stands
- All treads installed on brackets in assembly sequence
- Load test: two technicians stand at the outer cantilever edge of each tread simultaneously — deflection checked with a 600mm digital level. Standard is less than 1mm deflection under two-person load.
- Any tread showing non-compliant deflection returns to fabrication for bracket adjustment before delivery
- Glass templates taken from assembled stringer (after dry-fit confirms geometry) — glass panels ordered after this step
This dry-fit guarantee is why C.O.R.S installations are completed in one day. Everything fits because it was already assembled and tested in our workshop.
Fabrication Timeline
| Stage | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Permit approval | 2–6 weeks | Municipal building department review time varies |
| Steel fabrication and powder coat | 2–3 weeks | Begins after permit approval confirmed |
| Tread preparation and finishing | 1–2 weeks | Parallel with steel fabrication |
| Workshop dry-fit and glass templating | 1–2 days | Glass ordered after dry-fit |
| Glass delivery (if applicable) | 2–3 weeks | Custom glass panels; templated from dry-fit |
| Installation day | 1 day | Full installation, cleanup, final finish coat |
Total typical timeline from contract to installation: 8–14 weeks, depending on permit timeline and glass lead time.
Frequently Asked Questions About Staircase Fabrication
Is everything made in Ontario?
All steel fabrication and hardwood work is done in our Barrie workshop. Glass panels are templated in Ontario and produced by a Canadian glass supplier. Hardware (brackets, base shoes, cable fittings) is sourced from Canadian and North American suppliers.
Can you match my existing wood floor colour exactly?
We apply stain on-site as the last step — matching to your floor sample. We always do a test tread before committing the full flight. Penetrating oil finishes (Rubio Monocoat, Osmo Polyx) are most forgiving for colour matching.
What happens if something doesn’t fit on installation day?
Because of our workshop dry-fit standard, this rarely happens. In the unlikely event of a dimension discrepancy (caused by rough opening changes after measurement, not by our fabrication), we resolve it on-site without returning the staircase to the workshop.
Book your free consultation — our fabrication standard starts with your site measurement. See our complete Ontario staircase pricing guide.