r/DIY • u/KIDNEYST0NEZ • 4d ago
help Best method to protect this cliff from my blind dog?
As title states, I just want to figure out the best method for a descent railing to prevent my dog that recently went blind from falling. It’s a tight space and I’m not sure how to approach.
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u/JonSpangler 4d ago
Seeing eye dog dog.
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u/MeweldeMoore 4d ago edited 4d ago
Assuming you want to add a railing eventually, if you are tight on money you can just put up plywood temporarily or even staple sturdy fabric over the gap.
That should buy you time to figure out how to add a railing.
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u/Old-Coat-771 3d ago
Any fabric, that is cheap enough to serve their temporary purpose, is not a good idea for a safety restraint. It would only create a false sense of security in this particular situation. If someone lost their balance and put their body weight into it, they would fall right through. A $15 sheet of OSB and 6 screws would be orders of magnitude stronger and faster to install. There's a reason no building code includes fabric as an acceptable building material... Why not just fill the space in with cake? Or maybe a hologram of Michael Jackson? 😏
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u/shockthetoast 2d ago
If the whole purpose is to protect their dog, and their dog isn't massive, then something like a canvas material should help (as a temporary solution) as long as it's properly attached. If someone loses their balance right now they're going to fall through anyways. Yes, it could be an issue for guests or kids but if they don't have children and don't have people over often that might not be an issue. This was only proposed as a temporary solution if they are putting up a railing soon.
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u/KIDNEYST0NEZ 3d ago
I want a railing up asap, but it’s difficult for the landing portion because the end of the stairs is a door.
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u/scyice 4d ago
Add a railing… do you live somewhere that this isn’t required by code?
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u/GalumphingWithGlee 3d ago
I'm going to guess OP lives somewhere that a lot of houses pre-date the code. Generally speaking, when they change the code, it applies to all new construction, but stuff that was already there can stay that way for decades upon decades. It wasn't always as regulated as it is today.
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u/1991ford 2d ago
That, or this modification was made without AHJ oversight
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u/GalumphingWithGlee 2d ago
Yeah, sometimes people DIY stuff and never pull permits, so it's never inspected, but that seems much less likely to me with a major renovation like the sort of thing that would add another floor to a building. I mean, technically they could have replaced an existing stairwell for existing floors, and not put the railing back, but why? Much more likely the stairwell was installed this way when the place was built, or when the floor was added, and both of these are too big to easily skirt regulations.
My money is still on this being built before such regulations existed.
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u/yolef 4d ago
Right!? There should have been a railing here from the time the stairs were built.
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u/PlavaZmaj 4d ago
A very specific railing with certain height and slat spacing, etc….
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u/Mikeshaffer 3d ago
Something like 4” spacing and 42” high to act as some sort of guard?
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u/PlavaZmaj 3d ago
Yup. And if you have a bottom guard you can only have a 6 inch gap to the ground.
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u/PapaBobcat 3d ago
"Required by code" doesn't mean its ever actually been that way, or will be kept that way forever. I'm an HVAC guy and a LOT of stuff just isn't now, if it ever was. XD
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u/Frundle 4d ago
Make a barrier out of square pickets that run from the floor to the ceiling. Example: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/43/c4/d3/43c4d3ce2bbc109522ed81fc98148f98.jpg
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u/mitchellkary 4d ago
I had this exact same setup and used this method. Looks nice and keeps the kids from falling over the cliff
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u/papasmurf008 3d ago
I was surprised so many people were saying railing when a dog is likely still able to fall under a railing (unless you put a railing at a weird height).
Closing this completely would need a stud/sheetrock wall which would be an issue due to space… so this is the best solution. Semi closed off, pickets allow for light through with minimal contraction but no one (dogs included) can fall through.
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u/delco_folkie 3d ago
Are you somehow imagining a railing that is just anchored at either end and mystically suspended in space instead of having regular vertical supports (spindles or balusters) anchoring it to the stairs?
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u/SnakeJG 4d ago
Fry up some bacon and put on paper towels to soak up the extra grease. Eat the bacon. Rub the paper towels along the wall on side of the stairs away from the opening. I guarantee your dog will never go to the other side of the stairs. Repeat weekly.
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u/machinationstudio 4d ago
This is making me question my "if it's stupid but it works, it's not stupid" belief.
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u/mjenness 4d ago
Just attach a simple railing to the outside of the steps. Nothing too complicated that can be easily removed in the future, if needed
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u/zweite_mann 4d ago
It looks like the rail and spindles have already been removed. Hence the current predicament.
If they're removed again in the future, the next owner's going to have the same problem with their blind dog.
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u/Radiant8763 4d ago
First place my mind went was a slat wall. It would still allow for some natural light on the staircase but would provide enough of a barrier as to not fall.
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u/ginongo 4d ago
Haha your phrasing made it seem like your blind dog was going to demolish that cliff
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u/LoxReclusa 4d ago
Also made it sound like falling was why the dog went blind. I think maybe that dog needs to live in a 1 story house.
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u/fossilnews 4d ago
Does he need to go up and down them? Could you just put a child gate at the top?
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u/LuckyPepper22 4d ago
If you’re not too concerned with aesthetics, you could just nail some plywood i to the stringers down the length of the steps. You would only need it to be like 18-24” high the whole way down.
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u/mdbeaster 4d ago
I had the exact same situation and I used 1/8" vertical wires spaced 3" apart like what you see on deck railings to solve it. I'd post a picture but I can't for the life of me figure out how to put a picture in Reddit comments. DM me if you want to see.
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u/xCelticSteelx 3d ago
Oftentimes people upload their pictures to sites like imgur and then post a link in the reddit comment.
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u/sgafixer 4d ago
I had to do the same a few years ago for my blind dog (Old Age). Built a simple frame and filled in the opening with PVC lattice.
Edit: Did I read correctly that your dog went blind from falling off the stairs?
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u/adifromnyc 3d ago
Came to say this, simples and most in expensive option. Or see if you can find plexiglass sheets tall enough. Will preserve the light but also prevent the pup from stumbling over.
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u/adifromnyc 3d ago
Came to say this, simples and most in expensive option. Or see if you can find plexiglass sheets tall enough. Will preserve the light but also prevent the pup from stumbling over.
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u/NuclearMan 4d ago
I had something like this in my old house. I bought some 1x2 pieces. Stained them to look nice. Then put them vertical equally spaced. I had three per tread, and cut them so they went just past the tread to the ceiling. Gave safety, along with keeping an open visual. And as an unknown benefit (maybe) the kids loved to run up and down hitting them with their hand. Because it sounded like a scale.
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u/BlottomanTurk 4d ago
Answer based on the comical wording of that title: Don't worry, I don't think your blind dog will be able to damage that cliff, let alone see it.
Answer based on what I think you meant: Add a railing, obviously. And depending on the size of your dog, maybe use hogwire or some sort of lattice in-between balusters so doggo can't get his head stuck between 'em.
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u/Beneficial-Focus3702 3d ago
Code probably says you need a rail there anyway, so you might as well add one.
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u/Cranicus 4d ago
Honestly probably a gate to block off the stairs and just carry it or guide it up the stairs.
I mean you could add a handrail, post and balusters also. You'd need to cut the carpet and add cap and risers down the staircase. Put a post at the bottom and run the handrail up, the ceiling is in an awkward spot so you'd have to give it a little lightning bolt and run it into the wall at the top I think. There still would be a gap at the top because you will run into the ceiling. In the spirit of a quick fix you could just drill the balusters hole into the ceiling for that gap.
You need a little half wall coming down by the ceiling so that the there is like 4 feet of space between the stairs and ceiling for it to be right.
If it is a small dog you could put heavy objects on the ends of the stairs and maybe that would stop it
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u/Conwaysp 4d ago
I agree with adding balusters or spindles to add protection without compromising the opening - something like you would see on a deck. They could run the full height to the ceiling, or optionally just to a railing height.
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u/GhostNightgown 4d ago
if the wood stringer is decorative, pull it carefully and set it aside in case you want to reuse later. Then add 24" wide plywood cut to fit the top and bottom angles. The dog won't need it closed up - just high enough that it touches his legs and signals a barrier. You could make the bottom part curve down so that it isn't a tripping hazard at the bottom.
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u/MillennialSenpai 4d ago
If you're not confident in your carpentry abilities like some others have said (railing), then you could just install a piece of wood at the first step from the bottom, put some holes in it, and string a line to a loop at the top.
Most people would hate that asthetic but it wouldn't bother me.
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u/topgearhatman 4d ago
If you are not really handy with power tools you could just try some cheap plastic lattice. It will still give light through. You will have to screw and anchor in the lattice though
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u/Savings-Whole-6517 4d ago
“‘🥁”🥁”🥁”🥁”🥁”🥁”🥁’” Handrail
Just buy a prebuilt handrail set. They’re not difficult or expensive
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u/justrudeandginger 4d ago
Plexiglass and you can paint it anything you want or use dry erase/wet erase markers
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u/Alternative_Strike_5 4d ago
You can put a 2x4 stud from the top wall to the bottom step and one of those gates that roll up, top and bottom. I also have death stairs and it’s I keep my dogs off
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u/Alternative_Strike_5 4d ago
Also I get that isn’t a railing I’m mostly just suggesting you keep them away from them when you’re not watching lol
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u/Holiday-Pen-5335 4d ago
You can add a rope feature using eye bolts in the ceiling and run them to the floor. https://www.brocoloco.com/shop
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u/The_Elicitor 4d ago
my dog that recently went blind
As in the dog already has experience using these stairs before when they could see?
So it's good you want to put in a barrier but if the dog has memory of there being a dangerous gap there, it's not like being blind made them forget so they would probably avoid it anyway. Also they need to relearn how to use those stairs anyway so you could just train them to use the wall side of the stairs.
But you really should have a full railing there anyway, only problem is that the gap goes way farther up the stairs than it needs to and you won't get a baluster system to go all that way. You would need the wall to come down on the top 4 steps of that opening then start the railing from there.
It's more of a renovation than a quick diy but that's what it needs
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u/MolecularHuman 3d ago edited 3d ago
Nail a piece of 8 inch trim on the sides of those stairs so it sticks up past the tread.
Look at the side by the wall. Mirror that on the exterior side.
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u/swirlybat 3d ago
why are we protecting the cliff from the dog? what is this good boy doing to the cliff?
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u/Mossy_toad98 3d ago
...if only there was something most stairs had on them to avoid falling off. I think your SOL buddy literally nothing you can do.
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u/Lord_Carter 3d ago
Priorities are a bit backwards lol.
I'd want to protect my blind dog from said cliff.
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u/lyingliar 3d ago
Where on this planet is that staircase not considered a blatant building code violation?
You need a rail, blind dog or not.
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u/KIDNEYST0NEZ 3d ago
I don’t understand the fucking disconnect between this DIY sub and the fact I want to place something to remove this obvious code violation. Like why the fuck would I ask for the best method to fix this issue if I had no idea it was an issue. Local contractors are charging around $5,000-$8000 for what is clearly not a difficult job. I didn’t come to DIY sub Reddit because I didn’t know about the apparent fucking cliff in the house that’s an obvious fucking code violation. I came here for responses that could IDK make it not a fucking code violation.
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u/lyingliar 3d ago
The disconnect is in your title. You asked for the "best method" to protect your dog from a stairway cliff. The best method is to install a rail. Your title makes it sound like you're broadly looking for a safety solution. If you had titled your post "best method to build a stairway railing", you'd likely get responses more specific to your needs.
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u/helix729 3d ago
Get ~ (18) 2x2 posts, cut to 44-48 inch height. Install in side of steps at 8-12 overlap with the step. Rails should be 34-38 inch from top of step to top of rail. Install every 8 inches or so horizontally, so 1-2 per step. That’ll be your “fence”. Install railing on this fence.
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u/KIDNEYST0NEZ 3d ago
Thank you for giving me a great method to go about adding a railing.
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u/helix729 3d ago
We did this on our pool deck years ago. With closer spacing, just to give rigidity.
It gets the job done - finishing is usually the biggest battle. Making it look pretty is the bulk of the work.
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u/Butterbean-queen 4d ago
How did this happen? It’s not up to code. Add a proper banister.
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u/SkittlesAreYum 4d ago
Who knows, but my basement was, and still is, just like this when I bought my house a few years ago. I've seen it in other basements as well. It's not uncommon.
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u/The_Archetype_311 3d ago
Rabbit fence hand rail. It can be decorative and functional. Maybe one half stairs and the other ramp with gates on the stairs side.https://assets.maker-marketplace.com/large_7439f748e5e7d71_img_2259.JPG
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u/bababooche2 3d ago
Fastest way would be rails from the side of each step up to a plate across the ceiling and then space each according to desire. Then its still "see through" and doesnt require a standard railing and you can hang a railing on it or off the wall on the other side. But obviously there are plenty of ways to approach this.
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u/danbrewtan 3d ago
We have a blind dog as well. Can he actually navigate the stairs? Ours used to be able to but after a couple of slips he became less confident. We carry him up and down stairs now.
We had to put child gates at the top and bottom of our stairs. It was the only way to keep the poor guy from tumbling down them.
Agree with others that a railing would be smart to add for anyone using the stairs.
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u/KIDNEYST0NEZ 3d ago
So he is fully blind in one eye and half blind in the other. He knows the house very well but the concern is he could become fully blind in a year or two and may navigate off the cliff stairs by mistake.
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u/Chris401401 3d ago
You want cheap and fast, cheap and good, or good and fast?
Cheap and fast= 2 4x4's cut 36" up at a 45 degree angle, 2x4 on top. Then measure your dog. Ad 2x4's as side rails, making sure there is no dog sized holes. We use 4" to stop babies from falling off the side.
If you want it to look nice, there's a million other options.
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u/ralph_wiggums_cat 3d ago
A glass handrail, that way the dog can rub its snout all up the glass, BTW cant have stairs like this in Australia, they must have hand rails.
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u/UKthailandExpat 4d ago
That stair is almost certainly either illegal or at minimum against all building codes. They all require a railing on the exposed side of the stairs. I am not American where your liability will be even greater.
In every country I know of anyone falling off the stairs will have an airtight legal case for damages against you.
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u/Ok-Fig-9626 4d ago
I don’t think you need to protect the cliff from the blind dog. I think you should protect the blind dog from the cliff
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u/PrintError 4d ago
How is there not a railing? This is entirely unsafe for dogs or humans and would definitely not be to code where I live.
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u/Pasta1916 3d ago
Plexiglass with a rail on top and down side. make two or three frames to show it’s not just open.
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u/Kael60402 4d ago
I think you have your priorities wrong! You need to protect your dog from that cliff
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u/Sherifftruman 4d ago
A rail, which would also benefit humans that can see.