IN THIS POST
– Components of a staircase
– Requirements of staircase
– How to design a staircase
Whether you are planning to add another storey to your house or are in the middle of a major renovation project, it’s important to know the basics of how to design a staircase so that you aren’t confused or completely oblivious when the contractor asks you for your input.
Of course, designing a staircase is not an easy task. Most would even argue that this task is best left to the experts. However, there’s no harm in learning something new. Not to mention, understanding the basics of staircase design will also help you understand if your contractor is doing a good job with your project or if you need to find a new one.
Before we discuss the design specifications and calculation, let’s take a look at some of the most common components of modern staircase design.
The Basic Components of a Staircase
In order to keep this guide simple and easy to understand, we have only discussed some of the basic components of a staircase.
Step
A staircase consists of a set of individual steps, each of which allows a person to ascend or descend the stairs. A step comprises two main parts: a tread and a riser.
Tread
The horizontal surface of a step where the foot is placed while ascending or descending the stairs is called a tread.
Rise
The vertical surface providing support to the tread on each step is called a riser.
Nosing
Most treads have a square or rounded off edge extending beyond the face of the riser. It’s known as the nosing.
Although nosing is not very common in marble staircases, it’s usually present in stairs with wooden treads.
Flight
A flight of stairs can be defined as a continuous series of steps or stairs between landings. This term can be used for either a set of steps between the floors or a set of steps between landings.
Landing
The horizontal platform between the two flights is known as a landing.
Hand Rail
Handrails are attached to the corners of the staircase to prevent anyone from falling down the flight as well as to help people ascend and descend the stairs by holding on to for stability.
Handrails are sometimes only attached to the walls. They are usually made of metal, wood or even concrete.
Baluster
A baluster or a spindle can be described as the vertical shaft of metal, wood or any other material that is erected on the tread to support the handrail.
Headroom
The vertical distance between the nosing of the tread to any overhead construction, be it the ceiling or another flight of stairs, is called the headroom.
Requirements of a Good Staircase Design Plan
Most housing societies in Pakistan have their own building codes and construction bylaws. So, it’s always better to check with your local development authorities before adding a second storey or making any other major changes to your property.
Following are the ideal measurements and requirements of designing a staircase.
- The staircase must be located closer to the front entrance. Also, it’s preferable if anyone entering through the first door doesn’t have to go through one or more rooms to be able to ascend the stairs
- All of the steps in a staircase must be of equal in shape and size
- Each step must be wide enough to allow two people to ascend and descend at the same time. Generally, the width of each step should be 85 cm at the very least
- The minimum length of each tread (including the nosing) must be about 22 cm
- The height of each riser should be between 4 and 7 inches
- The minimum height of the stair headroom must be 7 feet. However, it might vary with the building regulations in your area
- The handrail should be around 90 cm high from the stairs
- The slope or angle of the stairs should be ideally between 25 degrees and 40 degrees
- Ideally, each flight of stairs should have about 12 steps at most and 3 steps at the very least
- The construction material used for a staircase must be sturdy and durable
- The material used for the treads of the steps must not be slippery
- The size and design of the staircase must allow people to ascend and descend without any difficulty
- Staircases must have ample lighting to prevent any injurious falls and accidents
Please note that these measurements may slightly differ from the ones mentioned in your housing society’s building bylaws.
How to Design a Staircase: Specifications and Calculations
There are quite a few popular types of staircase designs for home, including straight stairs, spiral stairs, curved stairs, winder stairs, ladder stairs and L-shaped stairs, to name a few. Needless to say, the design specifications and calculations for each of these staircases would be slightly different from another.
However, in this guide, we will be discussing the design plan for straight staircases, which are probably the most common ones found in homes.
The first part of designing stairs for your house is determining the required number of flights. This depends on two factors: the vertical distance between the two floors and the area available to build the staircase.
The floor to floor height in most houses in Pakistan is at least 10 feet while the area of the staircase varies. Generally, traditional staircase design connecting two floors comprise two flights of stairs in most Pakistani homes.
Here are some simple formulae to calculate staircase dimensions.
Height of one flight: The vertical distance between the two floors/the number of flights
Number of risers: Height of one flight/the height of one riser
Number of treads: Number of risers – 1
Width of one flight: (Width of the staircase – the distance between two flights)/Number of flights
Length of one flight: Number of treads x Width of one flight
Width of a landing: Length of the staircase – length of the flight
Slope or angle of staircase: Height of the flight/length of the flight
Please note that the calculations for staircase designs vary for every project. This guide only aims to help you understand the basic staircase design calculation so you have a clear understanding of the project you’re planning to undertake.
For more inspirations and ideas, don’t forget to check out our comprehensive guide on giving your staircase a budget-friendly makeover. Moreover, you can also learn how to install carpet on stairs and take a look at how you can best utilize the empty space under your stairs.
On the other hand, if you are planning to construct a house, don’t forget to check out our breakdowns of the construction cost of a 5 marla house (grey structure) and the construction cost of a 10 marla house (A-category) in 2020.
To learn more about staircase design ideas, head over to Zameen Blog – the best real estate blog in Pakistan. You can also send us your queries and feedback on blog@zameen.com. Moreover, please subscribe to our newsletter on the right so you can receive the latest updates about the lifestyle, home décor, construction, and property trends in Pakistan.
