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Stair Supplies

Spiral Staircases

by Andrew Kozlov

To key to designing spiral staircases is to measure precisely how to angle your treads such that they make for easy climbing. When you're building a straight flush one-story staircase, you don't have to worry about this extra angling. The measurements for single story so-called standard staircases are complicated--the code requirements for spiral staircases are even more so.

What many people do, therefore, is to buy pre-assembled staircases from a supplier. You can choose from literally hundreds of designs this way, and you can select everything from the type of wood for the treads to whether or not you want a metal hand rail. Spiral staircases are a good way to add space to your compact loft or to modernize your space.

Engineering Spiral Staircases

Unlike standard street staircases, many spiral staircases are designed with an open plan. In other words, there are no risers at the back of the treads to prevent slippage or to add structural stability. Instead, the staircases are engineered such that the weight of the balustrade and rail assembly gets held up by a central pole, a more functional version of the traditionally ornate newel post.

Given that you're going to be working with an open design, it's more critical than ever to measure the rise of your stairs precisely. Especially if you're going to carpet your spiral staircase, you should minimize the opening at the back of your treads. While domestic building codes may allow you to build your risers as long as 220 mm, you may want to reduce that amount by at least 20 mm for a spiral staircase.

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