Richard Harding from British Spirals and Castings discusses the different regulations you need to consider when choosing a staircase for your project
Staircases can be a home’s key feature, helping to communicate the style and feel of your property. For best results, take a step back and think carefully about how the staircase will fit within the flow of your home.
Before looking at the different staircase options, it’s worth laying out some of the key Building Regulations relating to staircases as these may impact which designs work within your space.
COMPLYING WITH REGS
In almost all cases, you’ll need to ensure there is at least 2 metres of headroom above every tread on your staircase. This can be particularly crucial if you’re looking to fit a staircase beneath a pitched roof as headroom may be more limited at the room’s edge, in these situations you are permitted to have 1900 mm on the stairs providing you are walking into 2 metres headroom when walking into a pitched roof area.
To ensure a spiral stair isn’t too steep, the Building Regulations include minimum and maximum lengths for the tread depth (going) and the step-up between treads (rise). For comfort, it’s generally recommended that the total measurement of two rises plus 1 going is between 550 and 700 mm. The rise and going also need to be identical all the way up the staircase. For straight stairs, the maximum pitch is 42 degrees.
Spiral stairs will need to have a clear width of at least 800 mm if they serve more than one room or a kitchen or living room (900 mm in Scotland). If you are only serving one habitable room, this will reduce to 600 mm.
All landings will need to be at least as deep as your staircase is wide. This means if a staircase is 800 mm wide then you’ll need to account for an extra 800 mm at the top and bottom of your staircase.
Finally, any gaps between balusters or treads will need to be designed to prevent a 100 mm diameter sphere from passing through them. You’ll typically need two or three balusters per tread depending on diameter or going.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR SPACE
Your choice of staircase design will define how large the footprint of the staircase is on the lower floor, and the size of the opening needed on the upper floor.
Straight staircases are by far the most common design. They have a long, linear footprint which works well in a typical hall. Keep in mind that in addition to the length of the staircase, you’ll need to account for the extra landing space at the top and bottom.
If the length of your space is a little limited, then a kited or combination staircase can be a good alternative. These feature a quarter turn either at the top, bottom or both. This L shaped footprint can be useful beneath a pitched roof as it allows the staircase to follow the direction of the roof pitch (leading up into the area with the most headroom).
Where space is at an absolute premium, or you simply want to retain as much ground floor space as possible, spiral staircases are often the best solution. With their winding design, these staircases are both an attractive and practical option for loft conversions or access from external balconies.
Finally, if you want to make an impression in a big room a helical staircase may be the answer. These curve around a void and will require a lot of ground floor space.
OFF THE SHELF OR BESPOKE?
Many manufacturers offer mass produced kit staircases in a variety of styles and dimensions. These staircases can be a good option if you’re working with a very limited budget as they tend to be relatively cheap. You will, however, be limited on the aesthetic of the staircase and will need to measure up carefully to ensure that the dimensions available work for your space.
The alternative is to order a bespoke staircase. These obviously come with a larger initial outlay but will give you much greater control over all aspects of the staircase. This can include everything from the choice of materials, depth and width of treads and the patterns used for features such as balusters, letting you create something which precisely matches your vision, and is manufactured specifically to fit within your home.
Bespoke design is especially beneficial when you’re working within older properties as walls will rarely be entirely plumb, making measuring up difficult, and your staircase design will need to respond to the existing room dimensions. If needed, bespoke manufacturers can often provide measuring services and some even offer laser scanning. These technologies create a digital version of your home with millimetre accuracy, capturing every undulation in the walls.
These scans can then be used by a staircase manufacturer to create precise 3D computer models for the staircase, helping to refine the design until you have something which perfectly matches your expectation. This approach means that once the staircase is manufactured, the whole installation should be straightforward and stress free, keeping your project moving along.
Keep in mind that if you want to go bespoke, there can be a fairly long lead time for manufacture so it’s important to start looking at the design at an early stage of your project to avoid delays.
A staircase is the heart of your home. By giving it some proper thought early on in your own project, you can create a beautiful feature that really enhances your whole property.
Richard Harding is director of British Spirals and Castings