How to Build a Stair Properly

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How to Build a Stair Properly

Regardless of the type of building or built house, whether it is a ground floor type or with at least one floor, there is an indispensable building element that we will use every day: the staircase. The good design and execution of the stairs will be felt whenever we cross the structure or, better to say, whenever we go up or go down on it, from or to the inside of the house.

The properly construction of the access stairs, whether it is small, made from two to three steps, at the entrance to the courtyard to the ground floor, access to the up floor or the attic, where the height is more relevant to the effort which was done, is very important .

The staircases are an everyday architectural element that assures the movement and relieves the physical effort for space travel and the fast access between different parts of the buildings and the exterior areas. Besides this functional aspect, the stairs have to meet the design requirements: to meet the aesthetic needs of the owner, to fit properly in the finishing mode of the adjacent area and to withstand to the imposed traffic.

Offering a brief description of the stairs, here are some of the main elements of these:

1. The staircase: is the wall that closes the staircase’s space, where it is necessary. This usually occurs inside the buildings;
2. The stair ramp – is the inclined structural element, with or without steps, which connects the floors or between the floor and the landing;
3. The landing – represents the horizontal element, which allows the ramps to return to a staircase or, in the case of the very long ramps, allows people to stand. It is also known as the “resting place”;
4. The parapet, balustrade – an element of protection of persons, which removes the risk of falling vainly of the ones who use the staircase;
5. The current hand – the decorative and protective element, located on the top of the railing or parapet, with the support of those who circulate on the stair;
6. The step – The horizontal element which allows the movement on the stair;
7. The counter step – the vertical element that connects two steps;
8. The stair eye – is the space between two ramps, inward;
9. The beam – the lateral or the central beam, which allows the steps to be supported. It is possible to execute a staircase with only one beam or two.

Because all these elements of the stairs influence the final product, the dimensioning must take into account more details, all closely related to the location where the staircase is located or, more precisely, the size of the area at our disposal.

Not often, due to negligent design of the house from the beginning or some omissions, we are in a position to achieve the stair in a relatively small space, which will inevitably lead to less comfortable and uncomfortable variants for permanent access areas.

The stair ramp

As I said, the building of the stairs depends on several elements: the location (interior or exterior), the size of the space where it is placed and the type of construction (residential, commercial or industrial).

The relationship between the length of the step and the height of the counter strep leads to what we call the “slope of the ramp”. Jacques-Francois Blondel introduced an equation with two unknowns, which allows the stair design to be based on the factors that determine the slope of the ramp as follows: 2h + l = 62-64cm.

Numbers 62 and 64 represent the optimal range for the 2h + l result. For example, if we have a length L = 28cm which we want to obtain, we can calculate the optimum stair height:

The optimal minimum height: 2h + 28 = 62; 2h = 62-28 = 34; H = 34: 2 = 17

The maximum optimum height: 2h + 28 = 64; 2h = 64-28 = 36; H = 36: 2 = 18

The ideal height of the counter step for a step of 28cm length should be between 17cm and 18cm. Over the years, other specific reports have developed, which may have other parameters, depending on how the stairs are used and the types of construction.

Thus, we can have stairs with the height of the counter step higher or lower. For example, for kindergartens, we can go down to a 15cm dimension, and for industrial constructions, go up to 19-20cm dimension.

The ramps and stairs with low slopes are generally used outside for the access to buildings or indoors where access is needed for locally disabled people. We need to keep in mind that, as the slope decreases, we need a much larger space and this is not always possible, at least indoors.

The usual stairs have an inclination of approximately 20° and they can reach up to max. 45 °, with the amendment that the optimum inclination for stairs, regardless of the range of use and the material it is made of, is about 30-35°.

The steep stairs usually have an inclination of about 60-65° and they are usually used for the access to technical spaces or industrial spaces. They can also be used in residential areas for stairway access to the loft talking about occasional traffic areas, in this case being very uncomfortable.

The width of the ramps

This is an important factor when the stairway is served by several people or when it is used to facilitate the access to various transport volumes between two areas, including the furniture elements, appliances, etc. If we do not take into account the minimum width of a staircase, we inevitably get to the impossibility of manipulating bulky objects or even clogging to the staircase.

The width of the ramp represents the space between the wall and the rail or between the two rails. The size depends on the type of building and the number of building levels, the minimum width being of 0.9m and the maximum width of about  1.5m.

At the basements, provision should be made for access doors to prevent traffic or to climb the ladder.

The balustrade, current handrail and parapet

The balustrade has a protective role (prevents falling). The safety rail height is between 80cm and 110cm, depending on the type of construction, the number of served floors, etc. The parapet and the railing can be made of masonry, wood or metal, with glass, wood or plastic closures, etc. The balusters (the vertical elements of resistance and support for the other parts) must be positioned so as to prevent accidental slipping between them.

The current hand is a constructive element that closes the top of the parapet or rail and is positioned on the wall that delimits the stairway. Its role is to facilitate going up or down support. It is essential that the shape and material which it is made of or the finishing layer to prevent sliding of the hand to allow the easy grip. The installation of balustrades and current handles can be done on the free side of the stairs, on the wall side and possibly in the middle of the stairs, where their width is significant (more than 2-2.5m).

The steps

It is the horizontal surface, which allows vertical passing and going up. The step may be represented by the ensemble of “step and counter step” or only of “step” if the counter step is not set. The size of these steps must be identical throughout the ramp length. It is recommended that the maximum number of steps of a ramp (between two landings) is no more than 16 for residential buildings and no more than 18 steps for industrial buildings. The steps can be made of reinforced concrete, metal, wood, glass.

Accessories for steps and stairs

For the finishing of steps and stairs we have different types of profiles, plinths and decorative elements. The most important are the edge profiles, which allow the finishing of the step edge, giving resistance over time, as well as the creation of anti-skid areas preventing the sliding on the steps. They are usually made of aluminium, metal or PVC in different shades. The anti-slip profiles can be purchased separately, being made of rubber and can be mounted on any step type, if it is out of construction or if it does not have a special place from the factory.