STAIRCASE

The history of stairs dates back to the first human

structures, which were most likely hewn logs or flat rocks
stacked for easier access to the raised entrances of huts
or even caves.

DEFINITION
A stairway, staircase, stairwell, flight of stairs, or
simply stairs, is a construction designed to bridge a
large vertical distance by dividing it into smaller vertical
distances, called steps. Stairs may be straight, round, or may
consist of two or more straight pieces connected at angles.
TECHNICAL TERM

BALUSTER:
A baluster—also called spindle—is a moulded shaft, square or of lathe-turned form, cut from a rectangular
or square plank, one of various forms of spindle in woodwork, made of stone or wood, and sometimes of
metal or plastic,standing on a unifying footing, and supporting the coping of a parapet or the handrailof
a staircase.
BALUSTRADE:
Balusters are those vertical, vase-like posts or legs on railings that can be made of wood, iron, stone, or
other materials. The balustrade consists of several balusters spaced evenly and connected together to
form a decorative railing supported by baluster posts. In other words, a baluster is a single post, balusters
are several of those posts, and a balustrade is all of those posts joined together as a unit.
FLIGHT:
• a stairway (set of steps) between one floor or
landing and the next

• `Or it can be defined as unbroken series of

steps

HANDRAIL:
The sill generally made out of vertical (rails) and /or horizontal
elements
HEADROOM

The vertical distance between the nosing of one flight and the bottom of flight immediately above is known as
the headroom and it should be of sufficient value so as not to cause any difficulty to the persons using the
stair.
 LANDING

The horizontal platform between two flights of stairs is

known as the landing.It facilitates change in direction and
provides an opportunity for taking rest during the use of
stairs.

NEWEL POST
 PITCH:
NOSING:
SOFFIT:

soffit
STRING:
 TYPES OF STEPS..

• Bullnose step
• Round ended step
• Filer
• Commode step
• Dancing step or balancing step
• Splayed step
• Winder
 Bullnose step :- It is generally provided at the
bottom of the flight, projecting in front of the
newel post. It end near the newel forms the
quadrant of a circle.

Round ended step :- A rounded step is similar to bullnose

step except that it has a semi-circular end which projects
out from the stringer.

Commode step :- A commode step has

curved tread and riser.

Filer :- A filer is an ordinary step of uniform width and

rectangular shape in plan.
• Dancing steps or Splayed step :- The Winders :- Winders are
Balancing steps :- step has one end or tapering steps, such as
Dancing steps are the both ends splayed in those which radiate from a
winders which do not plan. point usually situated at the
radiate from a common centre of a newel post.
centre.
 TYPES OF STAIRS

• Straight Flight
• Quarter turn
• Half turn (Doglegged)
• Open Well half turn
• Open Well quarter turn
• Circular Stairs
• Geometrical Stairs
• Bifurcated Stairs
THE STRAIGHT FLIGHT STAIR

This is essentially a single stretch of stairs that runs from one floor to another. It is the cheapest to construct and is
the most common type of staircase used for dwellings.
This type of staircase usually leaves a lot of space underneath it that , that may be used in a variety of ways – a
cupboard under the stairs for example, or maybe a small water closet.
Advantages:
Cheaper
– The straight flight staircase is much simpler to construct than the other
staircases due to simpler construction methods.

Simplicity
– The simplicity of a straight flight staircase can be very attractive. One can feel
free to experiment with materials, treads, risers and balustrades to create a
simple yet elegant design.

Visibility
– Straight flight staircase allows an uninterrupted view of the other end of the
staircase. This makes the staircase slightly safer with no visual obstructions.

Ease Of Construction
– This is without doubt, the easiest staircase to construct with simple and fast
construction methods.
Disadvantages:

Tiresome To Climb
– The straight flight stair has a continuous set of steps to the top of the level. This however could make it
tiresome to climb, due to the lack of a landing.

Dangerous
– Falling down stairs is not uncommon, however the injuries from such a fall varies according to the staircases.
Straight flight staircases have been known to cause the worst injuries, due the large number of stairs. Slipping
on one could mean tumbling down the entire level.

Lack Of Privacy
– Although these staircases provide good visual connectivity between two levels, they also result in a lack of
privacy. These staircases are not good if two levels are to be separated based on activities – one requiring more
privacy than the other.
THE DOG- LEGGED STAIRCASE (HALF-TURN)

This type of staircase consists of two flights, parallel to each other. The flights of stairs run in opposite
directions and have little or no space between their balustrades. Sometimes, the two flights of stairs may be
on adjacent walls, then forming a quarter-turn staircase.

Advantages:
Efficient Use Of Space
– This type of staircases cover much less floor area than straight
fight stairs. They allow a more compact staircase arrangement.

Privacy
– These staircases are great in case you want to separate one floor
from another for any reason. As one cannot see the upper floor
from the lower floor and vice versa, these staircases provide ample
privacy to the users.

Disadvantages:

Difficult To Build
– These staircases are not very east to construct. The handrails of
these stairs need careful planning as well.
L Shaped Stair (or sometimes called quarter turn stairs)
The L shaped stair is a variation of the straight stair with a bend in some portion of the stair. This bend is
usually achieved by adding a landing at the bend transition point. The bend is often 90 degrees, however it does
not have to be. If the landing is closer to the top or bottom of the stairs it is sometimes referred to as a long L
stair.
Advantages of L shaped Stairs:
• L Stairs can be more visually interesting.
• They provide a visual barrier between floors so they can add
some privacy.

• Also L Stairs can help somewhat with sound transmission

between floors if the stairs are contained within walls.

• Some believe they are safer than straight stairs as the

central landing reduces the number of treads one could fall
in a given flight.

• The landing can provide a place to stop and rest while

ascending.

• They can be located in a corner of a room if this works

better for your design.
Disadvantages of L shaped Stairs:

• L shaped stairs are a bit more difficult to build.

• A support is typically required for the landing in a L type stair. Often this is built into the surrounding walls so
it goes unnoticed. In modern dwellings however it is usually desirable to open up the space leaving the stair
structure visible. In these cases the supporting structure can be visually minimized by taking advantage of
the strength of steel to create slim supporting members. Through careful engineering,it is possible to
eliminate the landing support all together.

• Handrails for these types of stairs require more skill and planning to construct.

• In climates where basements are used, stairs are typically stacked over each other for efficient use of
space. Since basements are often used for storage, large items can be difficult to move in and out of the
basement.
Winder Stairs
Winder stairs are a variation of an L shaped stair but instead of a flat landing, they have pie shaped
or triangular steps at the corner transition.
Advantages of Winder Stairs:

• The main advantage of winder stairs is that they require less space than
many other types of stairs. They are very common in older homes, often
used as a secondary staircase where the grand staircase may have been
in the entry and the winder used as a access to the kitchen.

• They have more visual interest. Winder stairs seem to create a more
seamless transition,visually, as they meander around corners. For this
reason they have gained popularity in modern homes. Their compactness
has also made them attractive in sustainable home designs.

Disadvantages of Winder Stairs:

• Winder stairs are a little harder to navigate than L stairs.

• It can be more difficult to add a handrail to these than some of the other
types of stairs.

• Like L shaped stairs, a center support is typically required.

Spiral Stairs
Spiral stairs are a often confused with curved stairs. Although, both types of stairs follow a helical arc (like the
shape of a spring), spiral stairs usually are made very compact and the treads radiate around a center pole.

Advantages of Spiral Stairs:

• One of the key advantages of spiral stairs is their

compactness. They are very popular on beach front
decks where space is at a premium. They are also used
extensively on city lofts for the same reason.

• Spiral stairs can be attractive and there are may

variations on railings styles which can have a major
impact on the overall appearance of the stair.

• Since the center pole and landing typically provide the

structural support for the stairs, they do not need much
in the way of extra support structures making
installation easier than many other types of stairs.
Disadvantages of Spiral Stairs:

• Spiral stairs are more difficult to navigate than other types of stairs. It is for this reason that codes do not
allow them to be used as the primary access to a full second floor of a home. Walk ability improves as the
outside diameter gets larger so if you have the space, you may want to consider going a bit larger. Atleast 5
feet in diameter is advised

• It is difficult to carry large items up spiral stairs.

• Only one person can go up or down the stairs at the same time
THE OPEN – WELL STAIRCASE

The open well staircase gets its name from the space or well that is present in between the balustrades of the
staircase. It may have two or more flight of stairs. In cases in which there is two flights (then called a U-
shaped stair) to cover a level, the open well staircase looks similar to the dog – leg staircase where the main
difference lies in the gap present between the balustrades.

Advantages:

Grandeur
– With its extravagant use of space, the open well
staircase, if designed properly, can be used as a
statement of grandeur in home.

Visual Connectivity
– The open-well staircase provides visual connectivity all
the way from the top most level to the bottom level,
regardless of the number of floors it covers.
Disadvantages:

Dangerous
–With the open well running from top of the staircase to the bottom, a fall would lead to disastrous results. Of
course this isn”t very common,

Space
– Open well staircases take up a lot of space. Therefore if you”re looking to install one in your own residence,
make sure you have enough room for it to be constructed without it looking too cramped.
GEOMETRICAL STAIRCASE:
Geometrical staircase refer to the staircases having treads that taper in their plan. They maybe helical (spiral
staircases), open well circular staircases, or even elliptical staircases

Advantages:

Creation Of Space
– These staircases do not occupy as much space as
normal staircases. The more gradual the climb, the
more space it will occupy, but the space utilised is
much less than say a straight flight staircase or maybe
a open-well staircase.

Aesthetic Appeal
– These staircases add a sculptural appeal to the
space that their occupying. Properly implemented,
these staircases add can become the focus of a space.
Disadvantages:

Difficult To Climb
– If you”re hoping for a comfortable climb, then these staircases are best avoided. The continuous change of
direction and tapering treads are not the easiest to manoeuvre.

Expensive
– The unique and complex design of spiral staircases can result in a costly build as well as making them quite
expensive to maintain afterwards. Steer clear of these staircases if you”re on a tight budget.

Difficult To Construct
– Thanks to their geometrical designs, the construction of these staircases can be quite painstaking and
prone to mistakes.
Staircases can be an amazing design feature in a house, as well as one of the most frequently used parts. So,
remember to give ample time and thought to your staircase design. We hope this article helped you.
BIFURCATED STAIRS
These stairs are so arranged that there is a wide flight at
the start which is subdivided into narrow flights at the
mid-landing. The two narrow flights start from either side
of mid landing. Generally these stairs are more suitable
for modern public buildings.