Stairs & Staircases

A good architect will try to incorporate both safety and aesthetics into a staircase design. A unique staircase design is at the mercy of the imagination of the designer. Some of the most impressive staircase designs were created by designers who discard conventions and unleash their creative flair. In doing so, their designs become the focal point of the room and naturally draw attention to themselves as a conversation point. Stair cases can also have a unique aspect from the types of materials that are used to create them. Glass and very unusual wood are a few examples of purposefully chosen materials in staircase development to create a structure that stands out and says ‘look at me’. A successful unique staircase design can be considered an artwork and sculpture.

Considerations of good staircase design

When designing a staircase the following concepts should be considered:

• Style- Although you want a unique style you need to consider the rest of the room and ensure that the design of the home as a whole flows properly
• Needs-Additional needs such as storage etc also need to be taken into consideration before constructing a staircase.
• Lighting-If you are going to go to the trouble of creating a unique staircase design you want it to be seen. Good lighting can make all the difference to a design. Consider what natural light the area receives and then decided whether additional artificial lighting is required.
• Floor surface-The stairs should match the other floor surfaces in the home of constancy of design.
• Safety-Stairs have always been known as a major safety hazard around the home. Although you want a unique design you need to ensure that it is safe and meets government regulations. This is particularly important for homes in which there are small children or elderly people.

Staircase Considerations

Staircases have many variations, allowing you to find the perfect design for the style and functionality of your home. You could have a staircase in a particular fashion, from classical designs to traditional types, contemporary and modern stairs. Then you can choose the materials that will most complement your home or business, including timber, stainless steel, wrought iron, and glass, or a combination of materials. You also have to consider who will be using the stairs and how much traffic it will be subjected to in order to determine how wide the treads should be and what type of handrail to add.

Then there is the style of the balustrades (horizontal, vertical, decorative, panels?) and the material it is made of. You would have to think about the space that they staircase will take up- should it be straight, curved, or spiral?

Straight Staircases

There are several types of straight staircases, depending on the number of flights, landings, and changes of direction in the design. A straight run stair is one without any turns or winders and with only one straight flight. A Two Straight Run Stair consists of two straight flights and one landing, but without any turns. A Quarter Turn Stair has two straight flights connected by quaterspace landing that allows for a 90° turn.

A Half Winding Stair consists of one flight with one half winder with a 180° turn. The Half Turn Stair also has a 180° turn, consisting of two flights connected by a halfspace landing. A Two Quarter Winding Stair consists of one flight with two quarter winders, each making a 90° turn. The Two Quarter and Three Quarter Turn Stair consists of one flight with two or three quarter winders respectively, the former making a 180° turn and the latter a 270° turn.

The Double Return Stair has one straight flight toa wide quaterspace landing and two side flights from that landing extending in opposite directions, making a 90° turn.

Staircase Terminology

If you’re planning on designing, building or even just hiring a stair building company, it is useful to have a handle on some common terms associated with staircases. From the different components of staircases, such as risers or treads, to elements such as balconies, landings, runners, spandrels and so on.

When talking in terms of staircases, a balcony is the open upper floor or landing. A consideration when adding a balcony is whether to use carpet or hardwood on the second floor. If the carpet is replaced with hardwood after the staircase has been built, the balcony balustrade may have to be removed to add the nosing.

The landing area can be at the bottom, top or midway in the staircase. It is generally used to allow stairs to change directions or give the user a rest. Although more expensive, intermediate landings allow stairs to take up less floor space, as well as give more privacy as people cannot look straight up the staircase.

The spandrel is the triangular space beneath the staircase if there is not flight of stairs immediately beneath. It is often converted into a closet for additional storage space. A flight of stairs is an uninterrupted series of steps, while a runner is carpeting that runs down the middle of the stairs.

Stair Measurements

Certain measurements that are important when building a staircase include the rise height, tread depth, total run, slope, headroom and walkline. The rise height is the distance from the top of one tread to the next, the tread depth (or going) is the length between the edge of the nosing to the vertical riser. The total rise of the stairs is the height between floors that the flight is spanning, while the total run is the horizontal distance from the irst riser to the last riser.

The slope is the total rise divided by the total run (also known as the rake or pitch). The walkline is the distance from the inner radius of a spiral staircase that people are meant to walk along.