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Stair Supplies

Home Staircases

by Andrew Kozlov

To design a home staircase, you should familiarize yourself with the terminology and geometry associated with stair construction. Each step is comprised of two main pieces--the tread and the riser. The tread is technically composed of two boards, but let's consider it as a single piece, for the sake of this discussion. Some staircases, known as open staircases, don't employ risers.

The slope of the staircase, known as the pitch, can be measured by taking the inverse tangent of the length of the riser over the length of the tread. The pitch, otherwise known as the rake, should fall between 30° and 42° for optimal comfort. Building code regulations for home staircases tend to be more lenient than they are for industrial or public staircases.

Fundamental Measurements for Home Staircases

In addition to the fundamental stair apparatus, you may want to install a balustrade. This complicated, ornate wood construction adds style and safety to your staircase. The three most important components of the balustrade are the hand rail, the newel posts, and the spindles. The newel posts work to anchor the balustrade system. They can be carved, stained, or painted to match your room decor.

The hand rail attaches to the rest of the staircase via the spindles, which are vertical pins. You should observe building code restrictions when putting together the hand rail/spindle assemblage. Leave no more than 100 mm of space between the balusters. On average, the thickness of your baluster should be approximately 30 mm in diameter, and the thickness of your hand rail should be approximately 60 mm.

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