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Stair Supplies

Circular Stairs

by Andrew Kozlov

Circular stairs, otherwise known as spiral stairs, should be designed and installed according to building code. Sophisticated spiral stair models feature flexible handrails which are designed to provide support and balance. At the same time, it's critical that your staircase retains a certain degree of rigidity.

Circular stairs are relatively difficult to install if you don't plan for them during the early stages of architectural diagramming. That being said, if you have your heart set on a circular staircase design, you can order the parts preassembled, or you can hire contractors to install the structure for you. Some building codes call for restrictions on baluster widths on circular stairs. These are more stringent than the restrictions for standard single story baluster widths.

The Physics of Circular Stairs

While circular staircases are by and large associated with modern constructions and design, the reality is that you can find examples of circular staircases in classic architecture. Greek and Roman sculptors, for instance, crafted circular staircases out of marble. These staircases look very different from their modern analogs, but the basic design principles at play are similar.

Circular stairs have a fairly good track record in terms of surviving earthquakes and other disturbances. Part of the reason for their integrity has to do with the fact that the mechanics of weight distribution on circular stairs work out such that these staircases are almost impossible to collapse. That said, you should always double check the tightness of your circular staircase balusters.

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