Before You Build Stairway
Spiral Stairway, a common type
In building stairs, there are many technical things you must know. Sometimes, people neglect it and they build the stairs as they want. They just don’t realize that wrong stairs in measure or shape can be so dangerous. Before something worst happens, I suggest you to notice these little things:
- Identify the right construction suits to your home construction. If your house was built mostly in wood construction, build the stairs from wood too. So do the house of concrete, build the stairs from concrete too.
- Make sure the stairs width is more than 90 cm, so it can support two people to stand side by side. Also make the footstep isn’t less than 30 cm and more than 35 cm. I think, 32 cm is a good one.
- Ensure that the surface isn’t made from slippery material. If so, then you have to set the stopper that’s usually made from rubber or stainless.
- Keep the footstep height less than 17 cm. Too high footsteps is tiring. Make sure the footstep grade has the same measure to avoid accident.
- Make a balustrade as a place to rest, especially if the stair steps are more than 12.
- The railing better has 80-90 cm in height. If you have a little child you have to give trellis with no more than 10 cm width to prevent him from falling.
- Give enough light to your stairway. It would be better if the stairs get enough sunlight, while in the night it has to get enough lighting.
Stairs have various designs. In European palace the stairs has round shape. But the popular design is “L” letter. It has pivot and is divided in two parts with 90 degrees of corner. Other option, there are also stairs in “U” letter, which has 180 degrees of corner and two pivots in 90 degrees of each corner.
The stairs in “L” and “U” letter is popular enough because it can be merged with square sketch house. While the round stairs need special tricks to put inside the house, for example by building independent stairs in the room that is wide enough.
How about the area to set the stairs? You can set the stairs anywhere in your house, adjusted to your necessity. Remember, the stairs must keep its function, not only as a medium to climb up and down the floor, but also to evacuate the occupant when disaster comes, such as earthquake or fire. So, choose the shape of stairs that’s easy to use and safe.