A stair closet would be any closet under a set of stairs.
These closets make excellent storage areas and if the stairway is built
right, it can usually extend underneath other parts of the stairs, like
the landing, providing you with extra space. The picture below provides
you with an example of a stair closet that has already been built, but
hasn't been finished yet.
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Stair Closet Building Code Requirements
Check with your local building and safety department to verify any of
the information that you are about to read, because different cities and
counties, might use different building codes.
Most building codes call out for a fire protective wall board, under the
stairs, if they're going to be used for storage or living area. We
usually install drywall that's 5/8 of an inch thick and is referred to
as type X. This drywall has a one-hour fire rating.
How Do You Install A Closet Under Your Existing Stairway?
The first thing you would need to do is make sure that there is actually
enough room under the stairs to install a closet or small storage area.
Then you would need to make sure that you wouldn't be compromising the
structural strength of the stairway or home.
Once this is done, all you need to do is cut and frame a opening, for
the door and finish the walls. Even if you already have a stairway with
a closet, you might be able to squeeze out some additional storage
space.
The picture above shows a wall under the stairs that could be replaced
with a 4 x 8 header, in most cases or an opening could be cut into one
of the other three walls, surrounding the stair landing.
If you're looking for extra storage space, you might have to get
creative, but it's going to be worth it.
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